I think ‘wow’ about covers it, and not necessarily in a good way or an inherently negative way, but just A way. Jason Voorhees’ image being used to promote mask awareness in New York almost feels like using Leatherface to promote PETA in Las Vegas, it just doesn’t make a lot of sense except to those that came up with the idea. COVID-19 is unnerving enough as it is thanks to the media and the continuous reports of active cases and the death rate, which is still negligible at this time despite the fact that too many have passed away because of it. But one of the most disturbing things is that when it comes to the coronavirus, there’s a lot that won’t be shown on social media largely because it doesn’t fit the narrative of those doing the telling. Unfortunately this happens to be a practice of both sides of the issue as those that don’t want to wear masks will seek to unearth ideas as to why the masks aren’t as effective as they’re said to be, while those who are pro-mask will claim righteous anger and rail at those that don’t want to ear a protective mask when they’re in public. Several celebrities and noted speakers have taken up this idea and at this point some of them are getting downright nasty about it.
Take actor Michael Rapaport for example, as he’s let loose with a tirade that’s gone out over social media recently and is anything but pleasant. The actor has been on top of letting people know just what he thinks of President Trump and the refusal of some to wear a mask when in public or in any enclosed space with other people. Obviously Rapaport is not the only one as others have been quite vocal about this as well, taking to social media in a big way to make certain that people see the message and learn from it as the desire to see the virus flatline and finally lessen in its spread continues to be a driving concern. While the mention of a chainsaw in this particular video was kind of odd, since obviously a machete might have been a bit more sensible for Jason, it’s easily glossed over by the idea that a maniac in a hockey mask might be a little more approachable if he was actually wearing a surgical mask over his own mask in order to stop spreading so many germs all over the place. If that’s not a sign that pro-maskers are attempting to pull out all the stops then it’s bound to take a monumental effort on their part to really convince everyone that wearing a mask is in fact a great idea. The only problem is what’s not being revealed on social media, which many people like to think that they have a line on when it comes to facts that deal with COVID-19 and the wearing of masks.
The idea of masks being dangerous has been spread and debunked since the coronavirus truly became a threat and many people took to wearing them, and despite the constant back and forth many people from either side have begun to waver as they weigh the positives and negatives of wearing a mask and whether or not it’s worth the effort or if the benefit isn’t really paying off as much as they’d like. Even now it’s possible to see a great many people foregoing the use of a mask when shopping or simply going out in public. Many stores have upped their mask policy and are currently requiring people to wear their masks while inside the store or risk being asked to leave, as has happened at Costco in the recent past. Some states, such as Washington, are even being ordered to wear their masks for safety, but many people are already standing firmly against it as the COVID-19 virus remains a very big threat. At this time it’s hard to know just who to side with since wearing a mask is not a humongous task and is less arduous than having to gown up in a Hazmat suit at all times, but it can be inconvenient in some regards, though not to such a degree that it becomes a serious impediment.
Using a figure such as Jason Voorhees feels a bit cheap and in some ways like an attempt to get people to simply wear their masks due to the celebrity status of a legendary character. But that being the case it’s still hard to deny that masks are a bit important at this point and if using something that can get peoples’ attention is what’s needed then so be it. Obviously those that are pro-mask are thinking smarter if they’re trying to use pop culture to push their message.
