Masks have made the slippery concept of “virtue-signaling” oddly literal. The virtues of care and the safety of others or freedom and individual liberty now can be visibly signaled simply by wearing or abstaining from a mask. Mundane tasks like getting groceries can feel politically charged. The constant pressure to show your allegiance, combined with the apparent stakes of the debate, make it easier than ever to spot, condemn, and dehumanize our political opponents. Zealotry, not mercy, is the order of the day.
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