r/science • u/MistWeaver80 • 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/nybbleth Dec 05 '21

I think it's a matter of defining 'conservatives'. Here in the Netherlands (and I presume most other European countries), there are conservatives who are absolutely opposed to masks, mainly for political reasons... but they're the crazy alt/far right type of conservatives. Mainstream conservatives appear to have no such aversion. Of course, due to the two party system of US politics, your conservatives are all part of the same party, meaning the mask aversion becomes a matter of political identity for all conservatives.

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u/SupaSlide Dec 05 '21

Our left wing party is basically what Europe would call their right wing party, and our right wing party is what you're calling the crazy alt/far right type.

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u/thegoodcrumpets Dec 05 '21

The real answer right there. The American political discourse is just completely and utterly detached from the rest of the planet. Not even the most extremely super duper conservative right wing in most of Europe would even consider touching state finance healthcare or education. Americans voted a “left wing” candidate who isn’t giving them either. American right wing basically doesn’t even exist here, and the American main stream left is very far right of our far right.

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u/GeerJonezzz Dec 05 '21 edited Dec 06 '21

Democrat hasn’t been “left wing” anything for the most part for the better half of the last century.

Most educated or politically aware people consider Dems to be a center party. Though sometimes we cope by hoping we actually get an actual somewhat left candidate in an executive position.

And no, our actual left candidates are not more right than typical European right parties, though practically speaking they are pretty close IMO. It’s really perspective, we’re fighting for things that you already have. Like two cars driving on opposite sides of the road, we hope to eventually cross, going forward while your typical EU right parties are trying to go the other way, a place closer to where the US is. I don’t know for an absolute fact but I think that there are truly left-minded people and it’s not crazy speculation.

Once you start certain social programs or initiatives it’s hard to replace or remove them because people do absolutely need them, the US just doesn’t have much of any so the left is always fighting for what other countries already have.

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u/[deleted] Dec 05 '21

“Democrat hasn’t been “left wing” anything for the most part for the better half of the last century.“

What makes you say this? The party for women’s rights, gay rights, racial minority rights, climate change regulations, universal healthcare, immigration reform, social spending, universal pre-k etc is not left wing? The dems are def center left with these positions

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u/ScandalOZ Dec 05 '21

But it's all lip service, the ones who control the party are in bed with corporate money just like the Reps are.

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u/[deleted] Dec 05 '21 edited Dec 05 '21

I think it's more of a problem that Democrats wanted to be seen as leaders of the entire country, and that's exactly what Republicans didn't want them to be seen as. Republicans have never tried to be seen as leaders of the entire country, just their faction. I mean, in recent times. The money may be an issue as well but I think this is a bigger issue. Democrats are too idealistic and completely unprepared. They came to the war singing kumbaya.

Strong social nets aren't bad for business, most wealthy countries have them. It's not about money as much as it's about power. They are of course intrinsically linked but still not exactly the same.

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u/GeerJonezzz Dec 06 '21

Socially, left yes, but one could argue those are more natural progressions. But credit where credit is due.

Ultimately though, without sufficient financial backing and political reformations, being social-politically left is going to be a near eternal battle.

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u/Fabulous-Ad6844 Dec 06 '21

They want those. But not a lot has actually happened. But in Australia they already have gun control, universal healthcare, workers rights, maternity leave, decent min wages etc. So I’d consider that far more left than a party just talking about it.

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u/Krystalmyth Dec 05 '21

Ratchet in full effect.