Different Sides of the Same Coin Political Ideology and Mask Avoidance or Adoption in the Age of COVID- 19
Publication Name
Anti-Consumption: Exploring the Opposition to Consumer Culture
Abstract
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing masks created controversies and divided many consumers into pro versus anti-mask factions. Drawing on social media pages and online forums discussing the symbolic significance of the mask during the COVID-19 pandemic, this chapter explores how political ideologies serve to unify, rationalize, and legitimize pro-maskers’ and anti-maskers’ behavior. Our analysis reveals that two largely opposing political ideologies – collective responsibility and individual liberty – act as a filter through which consumers perceive the symbolic significance of wearing a mask. Legal, medical, fashion, and advertising systems interact with basic human needs for health and well-being, autonomy, affiliation, and competence to shape the symbolism associated with wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. The consequence of this is that the symbolism of wearing masks for pro-maskers and anti-maskers reflects different sides of the same proverbial coin. Both groups discuss health and well-being, autonomy, affiliation, and competence, but the distorting influence of the collective responsibility ideology translates to viewing masks as enabling these needs, whereas the individual liberty ideology translates to viewing masks as inhibitors.
Open Access Status
This publication is not available as open access
First Page
119
Last Page
138