With face mask mandates being eased, or in some places, lifted entirely… will folks who keep wearing masks, not only as protection from COVID, but also from catching the flu or a cold, get stigmatized for continuing to wear masks?
Describing something in opprobrious terms is what people, stigmatizing someone, tend to do.
I had to look up ‘opprobrious.’ It means “expressing scorn or criticism.”
Scorning someone for trying to avoid germs seems a bit harsh.
One thing that isn’t getting stigmatized, right around Valentine’s Day, is candy.
A family-owned candy store, that’s been in business in New York, for many decades, has every kind of candy imaginable…
Old candy and contemporary candy. Candy from everywhere in America, and from other countries. British candy. Candy from Mexico and European countries. Candy from Israel. Candy from all over the place.
Such made-in-America candy treats, as Almond Joys, Good & Plenty, Reese’s Pieces, and Opera Cream candy. And chewing gum. I have fond memories of Bazooka Bubble Gum.
Spain has its nougat called Turron, a traditional Spaniard treat.
Poland has its Prince Polo chocolate-covered wafer.
Portugal… its Queijadinha, with grated coconut, sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, cheese and some other ingredients.
Israel has its Pesek Zman candy bars.
Korea… its melted sugar and baking soda sweet candy, called Dalgona, or, sometimes, ppopgi.
Do you suppose, if we could figure out how they communicate their emotions, that animals might be stigmatizing one another? I got to wondering about that, seeing something on TV about animals experiencing reproductive problems. There was an extremely rare, shy monkey, for example, that was being coaxed into romancing a potential soul mate.
And a porcupine that just wasn’t into relationships.
And a couple of sloths that zoo officials were hoping might take a liking to each other, but knowing that might require a whole lot of patience, and whole lot of time.
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.