To address the pandemic — and combat even larger issues, like climate change — Americans are going to have to figure out a way to put society’s interests above their own.
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"Over the pandemic-filled last four months, one thing’s become clear: Face masks can slow the spread of coronavirus and help to flatten the curve. The only issue? Mask-wearing is starting to look like a giant collective action problem — and many Americans are refusing to cooperate."
"These divisions have shown up during the pandemic, sometimes in unexpected ways. According to an analysis by Peter Sharkey, professor of sociology at Princeton University, one of the strongest predictors of compliance with social distancing is belief in climate change — those who accept that climate change is happening, and is human-caused, are more likely to stay at home. Similarly, an April poll by Morning Consult found that climate skeptics are much less likely to wear masks than those “concerned” about climate change. People worried about one collective action problem (climate change) appear more likely to be worried about another (COVID-19)." History (think second-hand smoke) suggests that these challenges can be addressed.
Article: What Greater Good? COVID is Unmasking America’s Collective Action Problem.