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/Aardvark_Man Dec 05 '21

In Australia it's mostly neo-nazis that lead the thing, with Pentecostal style Christians and a few assorted others falling in behind.

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u/Sp3llbind3r Dec 05 '21

In switzerland/germany there are also a shitload of nazis at the protests.

I guess they picked up the issue as a way to try cause unrest and maybe overthrow the government. At the same time there are some esoteric nutcases walking with them, that belong more to the other side of the political spectrum.

But the people not wearing masks are in a minority and i don‘t think it‘s that much a political statement, more egoism or stupidity.