Thread by @megabusofficial

i’ve been thinking a lot about phantasms in relation to C19 precautions—and why, in my opinion, continually sharing facts/warnings/testimonials isn’t broadly shaping changed behavior

im using phantasm to describe a perceptual pattern that shapes a group’s reality and decision-making (i don’t have a philosophy background so pls give me a break lmfao). in the case of C19, it describes the mindset that the pandemic is “over”

with the pandemic being “over” comes a return to: dating, socializing, working, raising families, traveling, dining, and any other activity that people have been used to engaging in. (ofc, many of these activities can be done with a mask—but we’ll get to that later)

the pandemic being “over” also means that medical professionals, parents, and caregivers aren’t working to mitigate the spread of C19 around whomever they care for. and for many, the pandemic has now been “over” for years.

i see a lot of (understandably!!) frustrated people share fact after fact, warning after warning abt C19 in hopes that it will eventually click for people—like oh, wow, im endangering myself and others! I better take precautions again!

and for some this may work! i mentioned earlier how insular C19 information actually is, and how it often contradicts info given by doctors/professionals (and therefore is understandably met with skepticism). so some people respond to that kind of knowledge!

but for many (arguably most) others, that knowledge would cause a crack: in their worldview, their lifestyle, their decisions. it brings back memories of unknown futures and trauma. it brings into question caregiving decisions and can cause regret and fear

and so it’s easier to resist that knowledge than unravel daily life. even if it’s easy to put on a mask and go about your day, what that symbolizes for so many people is “i have something to fear in my daily life”

and im sure some of u are screaming YES YOU DO!!!

but accepting that knowledge might mean: losing a job, withdrawing from family, seeing friends less, dating less, taking your kids out of school, canceling a big trip, contending with the fact that the lingering illness you or your loved one has is long covid, etc

for people (like myself) who have taken precautions this whole time, it’s frustrating—i’ve given all that up, so why can’t you? but we’re at a point where there’s so little infrastructure surrounding C19 that the gap between living normally and returning to precautions is immense

im not saying anybody has to feel sympathy for people (though I do); i just think we need to explore tactics beyond sharing facts abt C19 in attempt to persuade changed behavior. the issue is psychologically so much more complicated and involves every facet of a person’s life

(even as someone who works and socializes daily with a mask, the toll that a lack of spontaneity in my life—the knowledge that im in a different reality than most—has on my psyche is immense lol)

idk what the solutions are, but i don’t think they lie solely in shared infographics (even though i still share them). it is psychologically difficult for humans to comprehend the future as well as long-term risks

“we masked in 2020” happened because of repeated national directives, extreme social pressure, genuine fear of the unknown, AND a time frame—the idea that we will do this until a vaccine comes along, which will be in xyz months

fast-forward years of public health messaging disasters, and we get to this moment in time: where no, it’s not easy for people to mask like 2020 again, because practically every motivating factor of that time period has been subdued in public consciousness

anyway, that’s why i do appreciate inconsistent masking by someone who still takes other risks (even though it doesn’t erase the harm caused): to me, it represents the tiniest crack in the phantasm, and the potential for a wider break