“It is not masks OR jobs, it is masks FOR jobs.” – Thomas Friedman

Wearing masks is a way to generate comprehensive improvements by creating pervasive, reciprocal, selfish, selfless, synergistic interactions so everyone and everything benefits.

James Patterson agrees, here is his perspective. He wears a mask because he cares about you.

Tom Hanks explains this perspective:

Wearing masks, in other words is a way to Practice Paneugenesis to create all good.

… it generate comprehensive improvements.

Pervasive = it sends out a positive example that may encourage more to do the same

Reciprocal = others are more likely to do the same, we mirror others

Selfish = the protected wearer can live a more varied and active life that does not endanger others or self. It is an example of how to create more good, not Just less bad during this difficult times.

Selfless = enables wearer to do enjoyable, health promoting activities with others while alsolimiting risk to self and others. More good, not just less bad.

Synergistic = engaging in society while also not risking self and others can benefit our economy enabling others to work. In this way the whole is more than the sum of the parts

Thomas Friedman also agrees, explaining, “…Wearing a mask says: “I’m not just concerned about myself. I’m concerned about you, too. We are all part of the same community, the same country and the same struggle to stay healthy.” In his 7-29-2020 NYT Column,

If Our Masks Could Speak

Something that’s supposed to cover our mouths speaks volumes about how crazy some people have gotten.

FastCompany article supported this with their article, “Masks don’t just save lives. They boost the economy: Researchers find that wearing masks can help avoid devastating economic shutdowns.”

Very prophetically W. Edwards Deming declared:

Defend your rights, you lose…

By this he was saying that if one just fights to make their part of the system better without understanding how it negatively effects the whole system, we all lose.

As John Muir, the first elected president of the Sierra Club, explained:

When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.

Wearing a mask acknowledges that you are part of an interconnected and interdependent system and that you want to make a contribution toward improving the system upon which we all depend.

People have a right to not wear a mask, however that right takes away from everyone else. As Paul Collier noted in the The Future of Capitalism: Facing the New Anxieties, reciprocal obligations are what builds a better society. Obligations help improve because they yield more revenue and more positive feelings for generating contributions.

And: Fast Company’s Article: The 21 best arguments for wearing a mask

If you are interested, I discuss these ideas from a different perspective  in A Way Forward Provided in “The Future of Capitalism”. I also discussed it in MLK Day FOR Everyone’s Benefit and in Gender Equality is about Making Things Better.

I encourage you to wear a mask so you can Practice Paneugenesis and generate comprehensive improvements by creating pervasive, reciprocal, selfish selfless interactions so everyone and everything benefits. Make it a Great Day & Week!

Be Well’r,
Craig Becker

Be selfish, selfless, & synergistic so everyone and everything benefits!

Please share your thoughts and questions below.
Contact me: BeWellr@gmail.com