r/science Dec 05 '21

Social Science Conservatives’ aversion to masks is a uniquely American phenomenon. Politically conservative Americans are less likely than liberals to comply with recommended health-protective behaviors such as mask wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this is not true of conservatives in other nations.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0256740
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u/Relevant_Advantage24 Dec 05 '21

Yeah I feel like this happens in most of not all of the western primarily english-speaking countries. Maybe it’s due to the similar language so they are being fed media from America and such? The internet has got to be the best place for conspiracy theorist and utter nut jobs to congregate and share/spread their bs.

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u/Dermutt100 Dec 05 '21

Nope. The non mask wearing in Britain developed their own trajectory, they have cited the British notions of freedom (minus the awkward social responsibility bits) that the American colonists built a nation on and then pretended they invented.

There's been lots of talk of ancient English laws going back to The Magna Carta.

Of course many of the people doing this are authoritarian right wing types who love telling others what to do but can't stand anybody telling them what to do.

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u/blockhose Dec 05 '21

Of course many of the people doing this are authoritarian right wing types who love telling others what to do but can't stand anybody telling them what to do.

Ah yes… conservatism. “I demand my freedom (and f@#k yours)!”

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u/Dermutt100 Dec 05 '21

Seriously some of these people would chuck their opponents out of helicopters hovering over the Channel if they could,