"THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, COVID-WARRIOR!"
That's why this is happening. That explains all the public support for the erosion of our freedoms, the mask Karens, all of it. People have embraced this as a "cause". They've made it a part of their identities, and key to their sense of self-worth to think of themselves as "covid warriors".
Sitting on the couch and collecting welfare is their Beaches of Normandy. They need this to feel like they're heroes, like their lives have meaning.
This is as sad as it is terrifying.
The fake pandemic has definitely brought out the worst in people. The mask mandate, social distancing, curfews, stay-at-home orders and so on have given Karens and other bullies even more opportunities to bully others and feel good about themselves while doing it. The absolutely surreal thing about all of this is that it's done in the name of public health, even though it's easily proven all these measures are far worse for public health than the virus ever was. Clown ... fucking ... world.