From virtue signal to scarlet letter: The evolution of masks' symbolism

As a writer by trade and training, and as a staunch defender of the First Amendment, I'm hesitant to ever recommend the banishment of a word or phrase from the language. But there's one phrase I wouldn't mind to see disappear from the lexicon and never be used again: Virtue signaling.

It's not the concept -- the outward expression of values or principles -- to which I object. Indeed, I think that's something we should all strive to do. We should always demonstrate our closely-held beliefs and those standards in which we believe through our words and deeds. "Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words," is a quote often attributed (erroneously, some say) to St. Francis of Assisi. But the phrase "virtue signaling" itself has taken on a negative connotation, and those on both the right and the left use it derisively.

Last week, when federal guidelines on mask-wearing in public changed, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced more rollbacks in the Wuhan Chinese virus restrictions as a result, it led some to ponder just how those on the left could demonstrate their moral superiority now that masks would no longer be required in most settings.  Since the mask-backers had long said they were wearing masks to protect others and show how much they care about the public's health, what would they do after this tool was taken away from them?

Then, the illegitimate president, Dementia Joe Biden, tweeted that people basically have two choices. "Either take the Wu-Flu vaccine, or wear a mask. The choice is yours" was the essence of the statement.

And suddenly, it became clear. No longer would masks become a symbol for those who care about others. Instead, they would be a mark of shame for people who don't care enough about society to take the shot. A mask doesn't mean, "I care." As of late last week, it means, "I don't care."

Last Saturday, I went to a grocery store. For the first time since last summer, the majority of shoppers weren't wearing masks. There were three or four customers who were still masked, and the checkout clerks were wearing masks, but most customers were maskless. It felt good. It felt free. It felt right. It felt normal.

There has been a spectrum of reaction to the announcement that fully vaccinated people -- and for the record, I identify as vaccinated -- don't have to wear masks in most public settings anymore. Many have said "It's about time." Others say they will continue to wear masks despite the lack of a requirement. But the oddest response came from Rachel Maddow, who proved herself worthy of her "Madcow" nickname. She said it would take her a while to deprogram herself from seeing unmasked people as threats.

Seriously? I never viewed any unmasked person I encountered in a store as a threat. If anything, I respected their desire to be civilly disobedient. Going maskless in the dollar store is certainly less harmful and disruptive to society than blocking traffic, destroying monuments and statues, looting, and rioting. The misguided idea that everyone has COVID and every unmasked person is spreading COVID is absolutely ridiculous, but people like Maddow bought into it. The amount of fear that the government and its partners in the press have spread over the last 15 months is shameful. Hopefully, if nothing else, we as a society have learned never to repeat so many of the mistakes that have been made in the overreaction to this situation.

In all honestly, it was refreshing to see so many people without masks at the store. More major retailers are dropping their mask requirements each day, and hopefully most if not all businesses will follow suit. People are still free to wear masks if they feel the masks offer them protection, or if they feel like they have something from which they need to protect others, but they're no longer a symbol of self-superiority. Mask advocates can drop their pretentiousness, as we are hopefully on track to a return to the way life was in January of 2020, when people lived normally without fear and panic dominating their lives.