There follows a guest post by Edward Chancellor, a financial journalist and the author of Devil Take the Hindmost: A History of Financial Speculation (1998).
“Freedom Day” on 21st June was supposed to be the day when Covid restrictions on the people of England came to an end. Predictably the release from wearing facemasks, social distancing, etc., has been postponed in the face of the ‘Delta’ variant. One member of the government’s scientific advisory group, Susan Michie suggests that we should continue wearing masks “forever”.
Professor Michie must be aware that all the evidence points to the fact that face masks offer little or no protection against the spread of respiratory diseases. The behaviour of the political leaders at the recent G7 meeting in Cornwall – donning masks for photo-ops but later partying together without masks or social distancing – suggests they too understand that masks are unnecessary. Nevertheless, many people, vaccinated or otherwise at no personal risk from COVID-19, continue to wear masks. They do so for no reason other than they are following government orders or are simply imitating the behaviour of their peers.
In his notorious Daily Telegraph article of August 5th 2018, Boris Johnson argued that the burkha was “oppressive” and that it was “weird and bullying” to expect women to cover their faces. He claimed that “human beings must be able to see each other’s faces and read their expressions. It’s how we work.” I agree with those sentiments. Nevertheless, until now I have gone along with the mask mandate in the misplaced hope that Boris would be true to his word and end the restrictions on June 21st.
It should now be clear that if we are to return to normality we must take back control of our destiny. The first and most obvious step is to stop wearing masks in public. In the “war on coronavirus” the mask-refuseniks can be seen not as reckless endangerers of other people’s lives but as conscientious objectors who set an example for the rest of the society to follow. We, the maskless, can show our fellow citizens that we refuse to live in fear and will not be ruled by arbitrary pseudo-scientific diktat. Boris cannot postpone Freedom Day if we have already ditched his oppressive, weird and bullying rules.
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I have been wearing a Lanyard at work because it seemed to be the only way to avoid the dreadful fate of being forced to wear a mask all day as I work for John Lewis, which was pretty much social distance Central, especially early on. Also when redeployed to my local Waitrose, Wimbledon, where I was heartened to find that a significant cohort of my colleagues were maskless but wearing lanyards. I once overheard a customer complaining to a manager that “Too many of your staff aren’t wearing masks” and it made him feel uncomfortable. Ha ha, too bad I thought, but he was the exception as the vast majority had absolutely no problem with us.
However I had decided that the solstice day today was a significant point and enough is enough and vowed to quit wearing the lanyard. The morning meeting this morning was full of guff about maintaining Covid stupidity, and I think I heard them say that anyone exempt had to continue wearing their lanyard, but I was a late arrival at the back. My lanyard remained in my pocket nonetheless and absolutely no one commented. I expect they are used to seeing my… Read more »
When I go into the supermarket sans mask I find people smile at me and are quite courteous, I imagine they’re wondering why they don’t do it? I haven’t had any hostility, but I’m a smiley person, I am also a gobshite when required. But in relation to lanyards, I got one for my elderly 85 year old neighbour. I don’t think he would be brave enough to do it without, and I think it’s a good step forward, not colluding. I have convinced four people to go down the lanyard route recently, as I say I think it’s a step forward for them and I hope they’ll feel brave enough to go without them eventually.
Just follow Toby’s advice and ditch the mask, everyone. Make a point of going in and out of shops without one, even if you have no intention of making a purchase. If you are told by an assistant that masks are compulsory, leave, thus leaving the pressure of customer feedback against masks.
How worrying should it be when one of the government’s advisors suggests masks should be continued for ? Ever?
The scientific data has been published and is extremely clear. Masks DO NOT a prevent the transmission of COVID. That is it. Simple to the point.
From a non-representative sample in my High Street this afternoon there appears to be a sort of Freedom Day. Essentially there was free admittance to shops and banks, no masks required, without the usual guards on duty. However, the proportion of people wearing masks looked about the same, though the balance has shifted: the young are picking up the habit, the old are dispensing with it.
I just smile sweetly when challenged and say “No, I don’t need to wear one” which invariably works. Just be confident and calm – we are not the ones who are fearful. If you remain unperturbed and confident it is all fine. I agree with the earlier poster that it’s best not to get into a discussion about it – if someone becomes aggressive or abusive, just walk away. They are the ones with an issue. Be calm but resolute and determined – you are setting a powerful example by demonstrating that there is no need to be afraid.
I haven’t been wearing a mask for a long time now, have only been challenged in the Sainsbury’s Local a couple of times back in the winter, and whenever I am out and about I feel astonished that so many people are continuing with this new ritual. It is so evidently a sign of bondage. I’m all for those who have been wanting to ditch them now taking the opportunity to turn this into an act of resistance – if not now, when? Thanks for making this a public idea, Toby.
PS A summer solstice ritual of mask and lanyard burning might be in order?
That’s what’s happening in my garden tonight, except for masks, of which I have none. There are 2 boxes of unused LFT in the cupboard, curtesy of my daughter’s college. I’ve been waiting for this particular day to burn them.
Went to Tesco and Holland & Barrett this morning, Severn Valley town. No mask as usual, not challenged, no funny looks. Sadly I was still the only maskless customer in the supermarket. No other customers in H & B, but the till girl was maskless and lanyard-less which was a good sign, especially as the regional manager was there doing some sort of stocktake.
Spoiled by the experience in the independent outdoor pursuits store. Asked about a mask straightaway, said I was exempt, and they absolutely insisted I had to show my exemption card even though I explained there was no obligation on me to do so. I really needed to buy some stuff in there that I’d tried to get in other shops. So I fished out the card from my pocket for the first time ever, and I’ve had it since last August! Anyway, I don’t go shopping to make friends, Next time I will try them last.
“Asked about a mask straightaway, said I was exempt, and they absolutely insisted I had to show my exemption card even though I explained there was no obligation on me to do so. I really needed to buy some stuff in there that I’d tried to get in other shops.”
These are the situations where there needs to be a clear statement that they are losing your custom.
Ideally, you should have stated that you would shop elsewhere and walked out, there and then. I’ve done that before now. Even if it causes you considerable inconvenience, it’s important enough to justify it (I’ve been making my own bread since the middle of last year when my regular local baker put a “no mask no entry” sign in the window).
I have emailed them pointing out the guidance on exemption cards and telling them they came very close to losing a sale.
There are other bakers, presumably? Resorting to baking your own is a bit of a ‘lockdown-chic’ cliché.
I had a breadmaking machine when they first came out a few decades back but never got around to replacing it after a house fire (not caused by the machine). So I was inclined to use one anyway. The bakery’s rudeness just tipped me over the edge.
I ditched mine after having a funny turn whilst wearing one shopping (I’m not normally prone to funny turns 😉 ). Don’t wear a lanyard. Occasionally asked just say I’m exempt. Hubby’s had enough now and joined me last week. People need to wake up or they’ll be wearing them forever,
Just to add.. at the supermarket.. I walked behind to have a looksy at the little shops behind it.. haven’t done that for ages.. and the gym has closed and is gutted/empty.. the charity shop has closed and is gutted/empty.. the tattoo parlour has closed and same.. the card shop same.. all gone. Came as a bit of a surprise. All have been there for ten plus years.
All part of the shift away from small businesses, independent farmers, families, churches etc that breed independent-minded, self-reliant people, towards societies with no sources of authority and power but state and corporate.
Haven’t worn a mask since day one. I will never wear a mask or be vaccinated for Stanley and Boris and King Charles and the Rockerfeller skanks.
I just went shopping. As usual I was not challenged. Haven’t been for months. As usual I was the only shopper unmasked.
Cry freedom? The borg sheep will wimper freedom when the BBC tell them they can. The borg sheep will let their kids be jabbed with the ovary and heart and bone marrow um bongo juice.
I have a TFL exemption badge, available free of charge from them. I use it on public transport only, to avoid a possible fine. Mask compliance on London Underground I would estimate to be incredibly high, about 99%, slightly less on the trains. I grudgingly wore mask in shops for a while, but don’t now, and I have never been questioned, although people sometimes look accusingly. Unless people simply stop complying in greater numbers, they will be ‘forever’.
Told my work I would be withdrawing my compliance with the masks from June 21st, they replied simply that I would lose my job if I did that. No interest in the science I showed them about mask ineffectiveness or adverse health effects and no interest in the violation of my human rights as per international bioethics laws. No mask no job, end of story. Want to guess the first thing the manager said to me during the meeting was? “come in and take your mask off”.
They all know it’s bollux but are just going along with it. Got into a mini argument with my supervisor last week when he saw me with my mask pulled down, when I got annoyed with him he agreed with me the whole thing is stupid but he’s just enforcing what he’s told to.
They did at least yield to my concern about jobs requiring lifting heavy weight in the summer heat, and they would essentially turn a blind eye to masks being pulled down in those circumstances – making the entire wearing of them redundant and just adding to the nonsense.
Company is owned by a Jewish family too, just for some… Read more »
“he’s just enforcing what he’s told to“
Only obeying orders. But in reality there’s almost always wiggle room.
Why do we say ‘turn a blind eye’?
WTF don’t you just tell them you’re exempt?!
Because i’m not exempt and lying about having a medical condition doesn’t sit well with me. Isn’t claiming exemption just another form of compliance? I don’t want to play games on their terms anymore, the masks need to come off permanently with no reasons needed other than the right of the individual to do so.
If you wish not to have an alien thing stuck on your face at somebody else’s say-so, you are exempt.
You don’t need to have a medical condition to be considered exempt. In fact what qualifies you for exemption is one of the vaguest things one could imagine.
Link and excerpt here. Note the parts in bold. How can anyone truly determine who is and is not exempt?
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own
When you do not need to wear a face coveringIn settings where face coverings are required in England there are some circumstances where people may not be able to wear a face covering.
Please be mindful and respectful of such circumstances. Some people are less able to wear face coverings, and the reasons for this may not be visible to others.
This includes (but is not limited to):
children under the age of 11 (Public Health England does not recommend face coverings for children under the age of 3 for health and safety reasons) people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress if you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to… Read more »
To strip it to the bone – you are exempt if wearing an obscenity will cause you discomfort, or will cause you harm.
The harms from mask-wearing are clear. Start with simple discomfort, hypoxia and hypercapnia. That’s why we don’t have one biologically.
The benefits are illusory in scientific terms.
It’s a no-brainer in terms of medical assessment.
Have you actually read the government guidelines on this? – “where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress”
And who decides what constitutes “severe distress”? One person’s happy place is another person’s severely distressing place…
The wearer
If the wearing of a face-covering causes you distress, you are exempt!
The fact that you are even discussing the subject here shows that it causes you distress. You are not lying.
This is covered under the government’s own guidelines “When you do not need to wear a face-covering”.
You can be exempt and they shouldn’t ask why. Print off the government covid regs and shove it in front of the next person who challenges you.
One solution in this situation is to write on your mask in capitals: masks don’t work.
As far as I understand under Common Law no one can make you do anything unless you have signed a contract to do so. Regardless of any Statute there is the fundamental of Common Law not to be harmed. If it causes you discomfort or emotional stress or any other harm you are entitled to sue the company or in the case of you losing your job, unfair dismissal. I am not a legal person but this has been explained to me recently. Could anyone verify this please?
That’s “Common Law theory”, but it isn’t the law of the land in practice (ie what judges enforce in their courts, with judgements that are enforced by bailiffs and if necessary unlimited armed men in uniforms.).
I can sympathise with those who argue that it ought to be, but oughts don’t make is’s.
“Regardless of any Statute there is the fundamental of Common Law not to be harmed. “
There’s also no general duty not to be harmed. In general, to take action against someone causing you harm you first have to establish that they owed you a duty that they have breached. There are some exceptions, and there is a general duty of care, but that’s subtly different from a right not to be harmed.
Good to see but not surprising that Ed Chancellor is a sceptic.
Anyone who writes such a splendid book and has such deep insights on contrarianism and mass psychology w/should be.
One of my top 5 financial books and resources. No one should invest a penny before having read it.
Having read it I’m not sure I would invest anything in something I did not physically own.
The PCR test was and is crucial to enable the fraud and tyranny and it initiated the abolition of unalienable individual rights in the name of and in favour of utilitarianism.
Mask mandates were crucial in cementing that abolition and replacement and on top if it, they dehumanized people, divided them, made it easy to identify the dissenters and showed the plebs their place and who’s the boss.
Like the Hitler salute, masks are important definetely work, in those regards.
“if we are to return to normality we must take back control of our destiny”
What ‘we’????
Most people I observe don’t look likely to ditch the mask or to wrest control from the freaks. And its numbers that count.
Dream on!
Still we must refuse to comply, even if it seems hopeless.
I’m not arguing with that, having done so from last April. I’m just arguing for realism and new ideas. I don’t have any of the latter – and my carping is that I don’t see many here in comparison to the amount of repetitious raging and simple virtue signalling.
I hope you all know that absolutely everything Govt & SAGE has told us about the central narrative points is a pack of lies.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/8KLmLNzkVD2k/
Lies, because they’re not true. And because I know my SAGE peers know they’re not true.
Most of it is absolutely basic information, immunology 101 as it were. They were educated over the same time period & in the same university milieu & will have shared set texts.
I know they know. And they’re lying.
Ask yourselves why.
One concern I have here relates to a point Peter Hitchens made a while back – we should bear in mind that government is not passive in the face of constraints on its untrammeled power.
We should assume that there are individuals and departments tasked even now with preparing the ground for the next “emergency”, and how to suppress any and all modes of resistance that have been available to us this time.
Mask exemptions? What kinds of changes and exceptions (eg to set aside disability protections “in an emergency”) do they have to slip quietly into place for those not to be available next time?
Demonstrations? Again, how to formalise the de facto impunity the authorities have had in suppressing them.
Online dissent slipping past the censors? What kinds of controls and institutional powers will be required to prepare or set up now (to combat “online hate” and “terrorism”, of course) for next time?
Police not able to punish people easily enough? How about slipping in on the spot fines (introduced for genuine yobbery etc, of course) so that people can be punished immediately and carted off if they can’t or won’t pay?
And there will be a next… Read more »
Yes. All this is true. This is a rehearsal. Soon, disagreeing with Sage will be a criminal offence. LS will not be publishable.
Unless deaths and injuries which are vaccine caused, and which they cannot dismiss, become so plentiful that they are obvious. That might stop this.
“as we fight off the current authoritarian surge”
But that’s the central point. Bluntly – the ‘fighting off’ is a notably pathetic effort as the egregious advance of authoritarianism continues. I don’t believe that being a chorus in tattered Ra-Ra skirts is very effective.
I know that’s harsh – but that is the current state of play, and I’m out of real ideas at present.
“the ‘fighting off’ is a notably pathetic effort”
Indeed, but it’s what we’ve got, for the moment. Not for lack of trying, at least on some people’s parts.
“I don’t believe that being a chorus in tattered Ra-Ra skirts is very effective.
I know that’s harsh – but that is the current state of play, and I’m out of real ideas at present.”
There’s a danger of letting the best be the enemy of the good, and of taking out frustration over the undoubted problems we are facing on each other.
I see those who do more and who criticise those who do less as perhaps over harsh, but as having earned the right to be so. It might be counterproductive in some degree, but it also serves to encourage, in some cases, and if nothing else to maintain determination amongst the active.
We’re not losing for lack of effort amongst the committed, or because of any weakness in our tactics or strategies. We’re losing because we are up against overwhelming odds (the sheer scale of the economic, political and ideological resources pushing this panic and the surrounding emergency theatre are imo pretty much unprecedented in modern times – though… Read more »
I’m out of real ideas at present
I know the feeling. But as Churchill said, ‘When you’re going through Hell keep going’.
For me it’s just a question of keep on keeping on until something gives, one way or another.
Businesses are not allowed to challenge you. The law says that they have to assume you are exempt. I have written emails to several companies about this including the National Trust to say that to be challenged is in contravention of the 2010 Disability Act and that the employee, not the employer, is liable to a fine of between £900 and £9000. But in the last few weeks I have never been asked and my husband has finally stopped wearing one. If we all stop what can they do? Turn away customers? Be brave.
Exactly.
In the same way that – because the government has granted vaccine companies immunity from prosecution – that the liability for harm caused by vaccines (and the administration of said vaccines without first obtaining informed consent) rests with the person who actually stuck the needle in.
“Just following orders” is not a defence – we’ve been here before, people!
Bravery has yet to surmount the level of the induced Fear.
I’ve never worn a mask or a lanyard, but I’ll stop saying “exempt” and start saying “problem’s over, get over yourselves” if it helps the revolution.
Well done! About time too.
My own take on the issues on Summer Solstice day:
I’m not a psychologist, but it appears to me that cathartic over reaction to certain events is quite normal in various organisations. Cast your minds back to some major incidents in industry – oil, shipping, power supply, transport on or above ground, even medicine itself. We are being dragged along with just such a thing, which many will not admit to – for the time being.
I’m not going to make up a list of specifics, but for many issues, minor tweaks can yield acceptable reductions in risks, but many organisations don’t like being exposed at all, and end up doing things that are sometimes contradictory in one way or another. Then there are the opportunists just around the corner; money talks, after all.
I’ve just got back from my small local Waitrose. No security on the door, so no challenge to my bare face, previously it’s been ignored anyway. However, I was still the only bare faced shopper, I had hoped there might be more. The checkout lady was still partly behind a screen, but bare faced, no lanyard or badge. I felt that was a start!
“ I was still the only bare faced shopper”
This is the hard reality that the virtue-signallers here ignore.
The message is pretty clear. And – yes – I am pessimistic, because, after a year, the idiocy of mask wearing couldn’t be clearer.
It’s all in the mind. Freedom is a mindset. I ditched my mask at the beginning of the year and I’ve never had any trouble or negativity. No lanyard either. I was nervous at first but then I found a local maskless group on telegram and it really helped with moral support. I strongly believe that people react to you depending on what vibes you give off. If you feel anxious or worried you’re going to get picked on you’ll get picked on (by the bullies). If you exude happiness, freedom, liberty people will smile at you. Lots of people smile at you because people really miss seeing other people’s faces. I just wish I’d never worn one at all because they are not good for us on any level. Ditch the mask! It feels SO GOOD getting rid of it. Have a withering retort ready for any bully (because that’s what they are) who tries to exert authority over you about it, because they have no authority moral or otherwise.
One tip I would give for new non-maskers based on my personal experience is not to engage with challenges if possible (unless you are in the mood for an argument about the issues and prepared for any consequences).
Quite often I’ve had someone issue a challenge as I walk into a supermarket or other place, and I’ve found it effective just to walk confidently and briskly past as though I’m very busy, without pausing, while simply stating “I’m exempt” or similar in passing, and then ignore them (pretend not to have heard) if they keep on talking.
My feeling is that if you stop to talk to them you are likely to get more problems. Most often in my experience they won’t bother to chase you around.
‘I have gone along with the mask mandate in the misplaced hope that Boris would be true to his word and end the restrictions on June 21st.’
Oh Toby, you really are revealing your lack of substance.
‘I have gone along with the mask mandate in the misplaced hope that Boris would be true to his word and end the restrictions on June 21st’
It’s precisely because people went along with mask mandates from the start (“It’s only a bit of cloth”, “only temporary”, “shows respect for others”) without thinking about the repercussions or bothering to do any research that we have so many wondering if they now dare go anywhere without being deprived of their own bleedin’ faces.
Behavioural scientists obviously did a brilliant job on them.
Why would you do something you know is at best pointless and at worst downright dangerous? Your compliance Toby (along with everyone else who’s not brainwashed) is the reason we’re in the mess we’re in.
Toby Young has a multitude of excellent attributes. It appears that he is also politically very naive.
Well he persists in using Johnson’s cuddly stage name.
My younger son
has sported a mask exempt badge at work (retail) and away from work from the start and has had no problems.
Then again he is built like an outdoor toilet so that might have made a difference.
“Built like a brick shit-house” is the Australian expression.
I cleaned it up for the benefit of our more sensitive subscribers, Brett.
What are typical challenges/queries (verbal or non-verbal) that a mask-less person gets? Has the character changed over time?
At B&Q yesterday I was asked “Do you want a mask?” the reply “No thank you” was accepted without question.
My mid twenties son works in a busy cafe that is only doing takeaway because they didn’t want to open up and have to deal with the mask issue. The staff have a screen up at the service point and originally were all wearing masks, then my son stopped and now none of them do, since stopping the majority of the queue take theirs off too. Unmasking can be infectious, you just have to get the ball rolling.
“Unmasking is infectious”. Nice!
In my experience, they’ve gotten far less aggressive and more polite. Nowadays usually a polite “have a nice day” corporate-style question: “do you have a mask?”. I think corporate training was disseminated over the course of last year through the big supermarkets and other organisations telling their staff that they had to be polite and allow for exemptions.
Small businesses seem more variable, but I just refuse to enter any that have aggressive masking signs displayed. The bar I was in on Friday in Manchester showed zero interest in any masking or tracking nonsense, which was encouraging.
If you are unlucky you might receive an aggressive challenge backed up with physically threatening body language, but I’ve only received this once (from a customer in a supermarket). But I understand from anecdotes (many here) that women have tended to receive more confrontation.
I suspect we might now finally be reaching a tipping point where the mask ban will be unenforceable anyway. Hopefully.
None. People stare. Like sheep do when you pass their field
Yep, no problems whatsoever. Over the whole course of this disaster, only twice has anyone commented/queried me.
I’ve never worn a mask. Since about March, 90 per cent of the time no-one says anything (although I was challenged frequently during peak winter hysteria, this has now stopped). Of all the times I have been challenged, the word ‘exempt’ has sufficed on all but one occasion when an ASDA ‘Marshall’ followed up by asking why I wasn’t wearing a lanyard. I said ‘because I am not obliged to’: and turned my back on them, which was enough. Since May, I’ve even stopped saying ‘exempt’ e.g. on a ferry to the Isle of Wight, I just said ‘I’m not wearing one’ when challenged by a steward and then walked past them – nothing happened (though I spent most of the trip outside on deck).
be bold.. no one challenges you not even the police any more.. but dont reply.. don’t get into altercations.. say nothing if challenged.. just continue shopping..
Say exempt if you must… I don’t.. be bloody minded like me.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-act-prosecutions-wrongful-cps-review-b1847194.html
I saw 3 fellow humans at my local supermarket at the weekend, a current world record. I’ve never worn one or used a lanyard in the hope it would encourage others but I rarely saw another face. An awful lot of people are conditioned now, it’s going to much harder to snap people out of it now.
To date I’ve been confronted twice by staff. I gave one the tumbs up and walked in and the other a NO and ignored them. It just needs a little courage, always has.
If things ever got heated I planned to take my business elsewhere but ‘so far’ it’s never happened.
Oh damn, I thought the two I saw onetime at Tesco was a world-record!
Boris is under the thumb of Nutnuts. Nutnuts, Gove and Sunak are under the thumb of the globalists. All are manoeuvring to become the next voice of the British Council of the NWO. The British people who are happy for their future to be controlled by unelected bankers and technocrats will carry on complying. There is no excuse for those who say they were too fearful.
If you know something is wrong then you do something about it. Those who understand the evil being perpetrated, know they stand for freedom and democracy. They need to hold the line, remain faithful to their truth and their principle. Hopefully others will see the light and follow. Those who don’t, we have to pray for and leave behind. They chose their path. They are the naturally weak willed and they unfortunately pay the price.
We have to stop making excuses for those who bully us and look down on us. It is their problem to deal with. Not ours. We can forgive but we must never again forget that evil lives within all of us and we cannot let it grow and fester every 100 years. It never ends well.
Stanley is also ruling through his fat damaged son…