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Why do pax hate surgical masks so much?

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Why do pax hate surgical masks so much?

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Old Jan 2, 2015, 12:31 pm
  #16  
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Originally Posted by tangey
In that case you should feel down right uneasy when around people wearing headphones
Actually, they do make me uneasy, especially the ones who walk down the street wearing those huge noise cancelling headphones.

Last edited by milepig; Jan 2, 2015 at 2:03 pm
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 12:45 pm
  #17  
 
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I always thought wearing a mask will prevent you from spreading your germs, but won't prevent you from catching someone else germs.

1. I hate surgical masks. The few times I've had to wear them I couldn't wait to get out of it.
2. It gives off the perception that you are sick. When people think you are contagious, the natural thing to do is to avoid you.
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 1:00 pm
  #18  
 
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I think the OP is overestimating the benefit he gets from wearing the mask and the disapproval he imagines he gets from others.
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 1:26 pm
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Originally Posted by tangey
I think many westerners look at the mask and think either

a) What disease does he/she have ?
b) He/she thinks the rest of us are unclean.
Bingo. Neither is likely to elicit a positive response. Frankly I did not think highly of the practice until it became known to me that most wearers in Asia were doing so as a courtesy to others.

But wouldn't it be a net positive if people here started to wear such masks when they had the sniffles? It might cut down on the seasonal cold/flu outbreaks a bit.
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 1:33 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by mickeydfly13
They think YOU'RE the one who is sick and shouldn't be traveling if sick enough to need a mask.
Exactly. While I don't think it is fair to be rude to someone in a mask, I can understand people thinking that person is sick and/or contagious.

I think most people's experiences with masks is at the doctor's office, where they encourage sick people to wear the mask. Therefore, the thinking 'wearing mask = contagious' is understandable.
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 1:35 pm
  #21  
 
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Masks in Asia as everyone points out are for cultural reasons. They really don't do much anyway other than highlight the fact that you may have a cold or want to avoid smog/pollen,

Here in Canada the last time someone in our family had a mask provided to them by a medical practitioner it was for a serious medical issue involving chemotherapy and a weakened immune system.

Heck of a difference.
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 2:06 pm
  #22  
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Perhaps there's a market for surgical masks that say, "I'm not sick - just trying to stay that way" with a smiling cartoon character?
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 3:28 pm
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by tangey
In that case you should feel down right uneasy when around people wearing headphones, whose intention is exactly to separate themselves from their general surroundings, and make communication impossible instead of difficult, whereas that's not the point of the mask.

I think many westerners look at the mask and think either

a) What disease does he/she have ?
b) He/she thinks the rest of us are unclean.
Well, yes, I don't like being around a bunch of people who are enveloped in big (i.e. visible) headphones either.

I also think your other points (a and b) are right on. And they do combine with mine about separating oneself (i.e. he/she thinks we are unclean so he/she must keep separate).
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 3:30 pm
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by PWMTrav
The solution to this is that we all start wearing Venetian Carnevale masks.
I love this idea.....
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 3:32 pm
  #25  
 
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This is an interesting thread.

Next time I fly Southwest I'm going to wear a mask. That'll be sure to keep the seat next to me empty ^
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 3:50 pm
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by Jesperss
This is an interesting thread.

Next time I fly Southwest I'm going to wear a mask. That'll be sure to keep the seat next to me empty ^
That is a great idea.
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 7:24 pm
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by DenverBrian
Perhaps there's a market for surgical masks that say, "I'm not sick - just trying to stay that way" with a smiling cartoon character?
Since Sanrio will license for just about any product if they get the right price, there has to be a Hello Kitty version of this somewhere in Japan and nearby areas.

As for modern America, I tend to think of the cultural assumption as being that, unless it's MSP in January, someone who feels the need to hide their face has plans to do something dishonest like rob a bank. An honest person who has nothing nefarious to hide lets their face be seen by all.
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 8:07 pm
  #28  
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Because you can't breathe fresh air when you have a restrictive mask on.
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 8:09 pm
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Jesperss
This is an interesting thread.

Next time I fly Southwest I'm going to wear a mask. That'll be sure to keep the seat next to me empty ^
Maybe another mask wearer might poach the seat next to you because they'd like to sit next to someone with similar health thoughts!
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Old Jan 2, 2015, 10:08 pm
  #30  
 
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Many here commenting that Asian's wearing a surgical mask is a "cultural thing". That's a "cultural thing" I admire.I'm astonished that anyone would be offended by worrying that the wearer might be sick because they wear a mask.Would it be preferable if a sick person not wear a mask and spread their germs?

C'mon...quit the whinging.Oh,sorry...must be a "cultural thing".
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