In a recent interview on Fox, a fed up Chris Wallace, turned to his stunned hosts and warned, “The president … is in the most secure bubble in the world…And he still got it (COVID). So, wear the damn mask!"

Wallace is a superb newsman, but he “ain’t no brand marketer."The mask has spawned a sharp divide because it has become a brand metaphor for what the two parties stand for. Wearing or not wearing one is like asking Coke to change its name.

For Democrats, wearing a mask means believing in science and caring for others (it is more for protecting others from your infection than you from theirs). A belief in science is a belief in climate change, vaccinations, etc. A belief in social wellbeing is about wanting healthcare, free education, and immigration opportunities for all.

For Republicans, not wearing a mask is about a belief in freedom and self-reliance. Freedom is about the right to bear arms and get education vouchers for sending children to religious schools. Self-reliance is about keeping business open, deregulating and saying no to socialism.

Now, would you tell Nike to drop/add the swoosh lightly?

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[Written by: Sandeep Dayal]