The masks were also to continue the deliberate dehumanization of your neighbors / community. Another major tool in that project is social media - it all degrades social interaction to the point you don't consider the people around you human.
Exactly. All of that totally destroyed social relationships. Most of my friends are not total liberals but more of right-leaning family people in the range of "well it might work" to begrudgingly compliant. The relationships torn down in my life have really only started to feel 2019 normal in the last few months. The number of "holy shit your kid is how old now" moments I've had with friends that I spent regular time with in person in 2019 and haven't for years now is insane. Time just stopped, and that time can't be given back.
The masks were also to continue the deliberate dehumanization of your neighbors / community. Another major tool in that project is social media - it all degrades social interaction to the point you don't consider the people around you human.
Exactly. All of that totally destroyed social relationships. Most of my friends are not total liberals but more of right-leaning family people in the range of "well it might work" to begrudgingly compliant. The relationships torn down in my life have really only started to feel 2019 normal in the last few months. The number of "holy shit your kid is how old now" moments I've had with friends that I spent regular time with in person in 2019 and haven't for years now is insane. Time just stopped, and that time can't be given back.