THE “NOBLE LIE” ON MASKS PROBABLY WASN’T A LIE:

Based on the expert view that regular people just wouldn’t make good use of them, the UK standing stockpile was reduced to keeping masks for healthcare workers only. The CDC had similar longstanding guidelines in place prior to the pandemic, so it’s not plausible to believe that the anti-mask stance came about because of shortages- rather the shortages were (in part) caused by the belief.

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In March 2020 you could read explainer articles pathologising the superstitions of mask wearers, and in April 2021 you can read studies investigating the psychological drivers behind the worrying trend of mask refusal, but in all cases the assumption is that anyone disagreeing with the official line must have something slightly wrong with them, even if the official line changes (who will speak up for the “premature pro-maskers”?).

Will Time magazine ever call a psychologist to comment on whether the US Surgeon General was suffering from “psychological reactance” when recommending against masks, or “superstition” when in favour? The battle of ideas isn’t symmetrical, and for next time we should remember how difficult and yet how necessary challenging a consensus like this can be.

Flashback: The Suicide of Expertise.