I wonder how things are outside of my community in the Midwest.
I haven't worn a mask in months other than when I've gone to a doctor's appointment. Same goes for my wife and kids. I've even made the "mistake" of going into a place of business with mask requirements without one (not because I was purposefully being "non-compliant" but rather because I didn't think to bring one). Nothing happened, no one said anything. Notably, this is a very rare situation as most places of commerce, etc do not require masks where I live.
Further, I've not heard anything from anyone in my social circle regarding masks in months. This includes folks who are (and have been) very ANTI mask.
Is this different for folks in other parts of the U.S.?
Maybe more to the point, can anyone postulate how they see this problem of coerced compliance manifesting into something more sinister? I mean with some actual detail, re: what's next, what's the endgame, etc?
I was living in NY until this past May. Mask mandates everywhere, businesses shut down because of restrictions. Now I live in AZ. The mask mandates lifted right as I arrived, though some businesses still demand it. I still see many idiots walking around out door or driving in their cars with masks on.
The mask mandate has now morphed into the vaccination mandate. There is a lot of psychology science around gaining compliance/brain washing. View the Milgram Experiment as well. Basically, get people to buy into wearing masks. See? That wasn't so bad! Now take this vaccine! Now roll over and bark like a dog! Beg for food! Turn in your neighbor! Give up your rights and property ("They will own nothing and be happy" - quote from a World Economic Forum speech)
You don't get people to give up their rights or do extreme things at the snap of a finger. They must be trained to follow the orders of authority figures. Easier to do if they are made afraid (Covid and global warming are going to kill us all!) Also, as I said, those who refuse to be malleable can be identified, vilified and eliminated in time; all with, minimally, the passive acceptance of the compliant.
End game? You're being too rational. People who seek a career controlling others are not always rational. Power and control are an end in themselves. Surely you have met at least a few like that.
That said, there are others who do have an end game. Our own federal agencies - those tasked with protecting us and forwarding our interests - have determined that the US is an empire in decline (a self-fulfilling prophecy!) and that the future is a global economy and government. The US will have to relinquish its power and wealth so the rest of the world becomes equal. There are, of course, many tangential objectives and short term tactics, and many stakeholders (e.g. Bill Gates), but that's it in a nutshell. No, this isn't something I dreamed up. It is actually stated loudly and clearly by strategists in the CIA, State Dept, etc. and all of those disgusting "think tanks". People just don't read that stuff and the "news" won't report it. So the "masterminds" apparently feel free to openly discuss. Anyhow, that idea appeals to the many commies and slacker midwits in our society. So even if it did become common knowledge, half of the country would think it's great.
It's all about destroying the freest most prosperous society the world has ever known in order to bring about a global quasi-utopia that also happens to be deemed more profitable, long term, to many companies, especially social media and online marketing/purchasing (Zuckerberg, Bezos, et al). You can't just destroy the US overnight. First you have to remove the will of a free people to fight back. There are a few profiteers involved and there are many ideologues.
These things are always driven by ideology. The profiteers then hijack the ideology. Socialism is a disease that is more popular than covid. The dream of oneness and world peace even inspires beauty pageant contestants. It's simpleton stuff, but half the US, based on IQ distribution, are simpletons. They eat this crap up. On the other side of the bell curve are the wolves that salivate over being in control of an important movement, over people. Also, over to the right side are the profiteers. Not many remaining who are interested in truth and freedom.