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1. Embed this notice
   Michael Ossmann (mossmann@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 01:32:41 JST Michael Ossmann

   What you wrote in your health policy: “masks are encouraged but not required”

   What I read: “Anti-maskers are welcome here. We wish the more vulnerable members of our community would just die and stop inconveniencing us.”

   • Rich Felker repeated this.
   • Embed this notice
     Rich Felker (dalias@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 01:35:10 JST Rich Felker

     in reply to

     @mossmann "Masks are encouraged but not required"

     No, they are not encouraged or you wouldn't phrase it that way.

     "Please wear a mask" is how you express encouragement. You don't have to say "not required". Saying "not required" except when explicitly asked is saying "masks are DISCOURAGED".

   • Embed this notice
     Jean-Baptiste "JBQ" Quéru (jbqueru@fosstodon.org)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 11:28:38 JST Jean-Baptiste "JBQ" Quéru

     in reply to

     • Rich Felker

     @dalias @mossmann The passive voice strikes again.

   • Embed this notice
     Rich Felker (dalias@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 11:28:38 JST Rich Felker

     in reply to

     • Jean-Baptiste "JBQ" Quéru

     @jbqueru @mossmann It's partly passive voice but mostly the gratuitous statement of "but not required" that utterly deflates any purported encouragement.

   • Embed this notice
     Andy Berdan (berdandy@mstdn.games)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 11:28:56 JST Andy Berdan

     in reply to

     • Rich Felker

     @dalias @mossmann I was just in a doctor’s office three days ago with at least 5 signs all saying “Please wear a mask. Masks are encouraged when receiving treatment in this office” complete with wall-mounted mask dispensers… and yet I still overheard someone asking “Am I supposed to wear a mask?” to the nurse.

   • Embed this notice
     Rich Felker (dalias@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 11:29:49 JST Rich Felker

     in reply to

     • Andy Berdan

     @berdandy @mossmann And the right answer to that is "we're not allowed to require you to, but we would really appreciate it".