Maybe those who say social distancing and wearing a mask doesn’t matter are right and this is all just going to go away on November 4.
But this week we have now had the Metropolitan Opera say there will be no season in 2021…the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Times Square New Year’s Eve will not happen in person…SxSW, one of the biggest cultural and innovation festivals every year…in MARCH is now on life support, as is almost every gathering of people on a large scale as we know it…there is a great deal of discussion that the concert business may not return to anything close until next year or 2022. so…maybe those who say it’s all a myth and a hoax could maybe just try wearing a mask and practicing social distancing for the rest of the year in which more people are going to lose jobs and lives will continue to be chaotic. what would it hurt? Because you look silly? What are you afraid of?
Better yet here is a suggestion colleague Jim Swanson had. Let’s make October Mask Month. It ends with the ultimate masking day, Halloween, and the gamification of mask use and creativity could make it a palatable experience for even the most diehard of the nonmaskers. For those attending events where allowed, how about teams create colored sections of masks, or give away masks to season subscribers for watch parties, all tied to a brand partner looking for an ROI. How about finding a college, or another organization to break a World Record for most masks in one place, safely of course.
We saw a piece recently where Girl Scouts were making masks for those with hearing impairments, how about merit badges for mask design? Whereas we saw Fanatics step in to make masks when most needed at the start of the Pandemic, how about mask collection and distro programs with a push toward community service even more? When it’s over or when they wear out, washing and making mask quilts can become a thing, all safe and sanitized…and it all leads towards making some fun for what will be a different Halloween this year for kids everywhere…one that is led by masks on, not off.
Play the middle. compromise. Try. Not for you. For those who even if it is being overcautious, are going to continue to suffer as families for a longer time than need. Just try for a little while. Don’t tell anyone. Just try and maybe, just maybe it can make a little difference, and little differences add up.
If it doesn’t work? What did you lose? My bet is you won’t have lost anything, other than being more self conscious. So go ahead, share masks, make masks, create mask programs…let’s make Mask Month a creative storytelling success…all for the better.
