The Importance of Resistance to Government Ordered Mask-Wearing

The United States was once thought of as the country with rugged individuals.

You left such individuals alone and they left you alone. The country was filled with such men and women.

They appear to be mostly gone from America now.

Stunningly few think or act for themselves.

Governments in many parts of the land have ordered mask-wearing to "battle" a virus that is about as deadly to the average American under 80 as hay fever.

The mask-wearing order has resulted in near 100% compliance in such areas as California.

It is a sign of cowering submission to the state. With an added bonus of neighbors, and other busybodies, backing up the state orders with rants and rages for the few of us who do not wear masks.

We are the Resistance. There does not appear to be many of us but it is important that, when we can, we signal to the world our defiance of this tyranny. The ember for freedom must not be allowed to die out. Let the state rest uneasy knowing there are at least a few of us and that we will agitate and they don't know when that agitation could blow up into thousands, maybe more.

Given the level of oppression, it is obvious we can't go into full resistance mode everywhere we go but we should resist to the degree we can unless it gets us into serious trouble.

But if it only causes trouble for them (some agent of the state or self-appointed agent of the state), then go for it. I am currently agitating a retail chain where the company, headquartered in Dallas, has admitted that their approach by local employees to me about a mask was "less than optimal" and that the chain will launch new training for all employees. Agitation success! (I am still in the agitation process with this chain so I will reveal more later).

But aside from these agitations which are unlikely to mean a lot given that we are way outnumbered, there is another very important reason to resist and agitate.

The mask-wearing edicts are a relatively minor burden for those of us who aren't required to wear masks all day, but we don't know what is coming down the road in terms of future tyranny. It is very important to learn now how to deal with different situations for the future when the stakes might be much higher.

The resistance to masks is a dry run for us.

We are learning who reacts to us and how easy or difficult it is to get what we want.

For some, it is only a couple of words that back them away, "I have a medical condition."

For others, they will go into a near panic attack if we rebuff their demand to put on a mask and some will just be obnoxiously difficult because they have a tiny bit of power.

I have held for a very long-time the view that in sales there is a response for every objection.

The same should apply to the mask edicts.

At times, I have thought for a very long-time about the right approach to different situations. Usually, something eventually comes to me. (I could tell you stories).

Right now, I am thinking about responses that can work against raving lunatics, difficult employees in stores, etc. I have some thoughts and will try them out and report back.

But these resistance exercises are not so much for the current mask order but what might come next. We will all need to be ready, but few will be.

A couple of observations: As I test and probe what happens in different situations, I have noticed this. While riding in my office elevator, I have occasionally been on with lawyers who are heavily masked. I don't know them personally, but they are dressed like lawyers and get off on floors which house law offices. Anyway, they sometimes do seem agitated that I don't have a mask on, judging by the way they stand, body language and such. But the lawyers never challenge me, I am not sure why exactly, because plenty of others do, but I suspect they know the legal consequences of challenging someone.

This is just an observation. It may never come in handy but then again someday it may come in very handy.

Here's another observation. This Sunday, I had brunch in the North Beach section of San Francisco.

Most of the restaurants are open for outside dining so I didn't come close to wearing a mask.

After the meal, the waiter brought over the check, and I gave him my debit card to pay with. He then came back to me and said that I had to go inside to enter my pin in the machine.

I knew this was going to be fun.

Toward the back of the restaurant was either the owner (or maybe manager), he told me I couldn't come in the restaurant without a mask. I told him I didn't have one.

This confused him for a minute and then he said, "I need your pin for the card. What is your pin?"

My response, "I am not going to give you my pin."

His response: "There is no risk. I can't use the pin without your card."

My response: "You think there is no risk for me from giving out my pin, I don't think there is any risk of me catching COVID from coming into an empty restaurant."

He tried a couple more times, but I had the upper hand. He let me in without the mask to enter the pin.

Lesson learned: It is the age-old law. Always try to position so you get what you want done first and then you can negotiate everything else on your terms.

If you wonder how bad things can get, listen to this excellent Jordan Peterson clip:




Practice resistance, practice dealing with mini-agents of the state as they try to oppress. Some day what you learn could be very valuable for a decent life or even your survival.

 -RW