Wearing a Mask can be Selfish

Philosopher Ben Bayer rejects the common notion that refusing to wear a mask is inherently selfish. In fact, he argues, wearing a mask is often the selfish thing to do. The problem, he says, arises from a widely held misconception about the meaning of selfishness.

But if selfishness also means the dedicated pursuit of one’s self-interest, how does a disregard for others help in this pursuit? It doesn’t.

Other people’s lives contribute immensely to one’s own self-interest. A world full of sick and dying people is not to anyone’s advantage. Anyone who misses the life we all lost in March is already familiar with this.

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