Meanwhile, here I am in the "anarchist jurisdiction" of Seattle and 90%+ of the people I see are wearing masks, socially distancing, and taking the scientific authorities seriously.
Keep in mind that restaurants are at significantly reduced capacity and those tables are now more widely spread apart.
These guidelines mean you are much less likely to share airspace with strangers. Yes, it's not as safe as not going to a restaurant at all, but they are trying to balance mitigating risk while allowing some economic activity. It's a hard problem.
The last time I drove through central Washington, I saw crowds of people clustered together at the front of restaurants with no masks on. I don't see that here. People generally stay spread out and wear masks when around strangers.
> This sort of pandemic theater is why cases are at an all-time high here
This kind of black-and-white "if you aren't being 100% safe you're just doing pandemic theater" rhetoric helps absolutely nothing.
> why cases are at an all-time high here.
Still better here than in much of the US, despite being the first outbreak, being on lockdown longer than most of the US (and thus with the most pandemic fatigue).
> if you aren't being 100% safe you're just doing pandemic theater
Pandemic theater is a preference for the symbolic over the substantive. It's giving yourself a pass for risky behavior (bars, indoor dining) while sneering at others for actions that are far less impactful ("haha, dumb hicks don't wear masks at the gas station!").
The hicks aren't sick because they won't wear their masks. They are sick because they're doing the same exact thing as you, just more of it. It hardly matters that your tables are spread out, or that you wore your mask while waiting for your reservation. You don't want to sacrifice hanging out with your friends, fine. But it's offensive to use "Science" to justify such a transparently frivolous choice. And I don't see why you should attack people for not wanting to make sacrifices that you yourself refused to.
> It's giving yourself a pass for risky behavior (bars, indoor dining)
Assuming that all indoor dining is created equal is the kind of black-and-white thinking I'm referring to. Look at how detailed the CDC guidance for restaurants is:
Also, the way restaurants are patronized in Seattle is different from Central Washington, at least that I have witnessed. In Seattle, I never see crowds of people clustered together, but I have elsewhere.
> The hicks aren't sick because they won't wear their masks.
I haven't characterized anyone a hick, but these people are spreading COVID more because they are not following the guidance:
> they're doing the same exact thing as you, just more of it.
I don't know why it's necessary to clarify this, but yes, doing a more of a thing that carries non-zero risk is riskier. No one is arguing that Seattlites are at zero risk. Again, black-and-white thinking. The claim is that the way people in Seattle follow the guidelines has a lower total risk than the behavior of people elsewhere.
> It hardly matters that your tables are spread out, or that you wore your mask while waiting for your reservation.
According to the CDC it does.
> And I don't see why you should attack people for not wanting to make sacrifices that you yourself refused to.
I haven't stepped foot inside any building without wearing a mask the entire time since February. I haven't gone to a restaurant or bar (indoors or outdoors) at all. To the best of my recollection, I can count the number of buildings I've been inside on one hand.
The most recent restrictions in Washington don't affect me at all because I never loosened my behavior after the first wave in April. I'm going well above and beyond what's necessary in order to reduce not just my risk but that of the people I come into contact with.
Meanwhile, jackasses are throwing parties and protesting wearing masks and making it worse for everyone.
