It seems like this is a case where science doesn't tell the whole story. The pro-science stance is very numbers-focused, but ignores hard-to-quantify things that really do matter.
People see their kids suffering. Masks do have a cost. Millions of years of evolution say that facial expressions are really important, especially for adolescents. Fear has a cost. And quality of life matters.
Everyone knows this. Even the most pro-lockdown politicians are seen enjoying ordinary life among people. The ones who can't escape are the kids, because the adults tell them what to do 24/7 and punish them instantly when out of compliance.
It doesn't help that we label people who happen to see the real costs to children as some kind of science deniers. You don't have to deny science to realize that other things also matter.
> The pro-science stance is very numbers-focused, but ignores hard-to-quantify things that really do matter.
To me it feels like the numbers are focused on one metric: deaths from covid (per capita).
It seems obvious that that is what we should be focusing on. But I think most humans accept some risk of death in everyday choices. For example, driving to meet your friends to have dinner or "watch the game" or whatever brings some risk of death that "staying home alone" wouldn't.
For two years now, people have been in various states of behavioral modification to avoid "deaths from covid". During that time, children have suffered reduced learning; businesses have died or been killed; single people have gotten increasingly depressed; the country has increased anxiety. None of those things show up in "deaths from covid".
I don't know what the right answer is. But I do think that I personally am ready to "get back to normal" as much as possible.
Literally no one in my child’s class have problems wearing masks. They’re making friends, learning social skills, thriving, etc. I have seen kids grow socially over the past few months.
I don’t think you’re a science denier, I don’t see in real life what you seem to take as fact.
People see their kids suffering. Masks do have a cost. Millions of years of evolution say that facial expressions are really important, especially for adolescents. Fear has a cost. And quality of life matters.
Everyone knows this. Even the most pro-lockdown politicians are seen enjoying ordinary life among people. The ones who can't escape are the kids, because the adults tell them what to do 24/7 and punish them instantly when out of compliance.
It doesn't help that we label people who happen to see the real costs to children as some kind of science deniers. You don't have to deny science to realize that other things also matter.
[Edited for clarity.]