What you're saying about masks isn't true. Unless they're N95 or similar masks, people with masks on were doing more to protect others than themselves. Cloth masks don't really impede the virus from floating in, but they do massively reduce how far expelled aerosols fly.

If that were true it'd be visible in the data but it's not. Masks did nothing yet a vocal minority forced everyone else to wear them and refused to accept the evidence it was pointless and harmful.

> With masks though people wearing masks didn't at all affect the people not wearing them.

People didn't just choose to peacefully wear masks though. There was a large militant group that pushed for mandates to force everybody else to also wear masks.

No people most certainly did. I live in an area where covid vaccine fears, ivermectin, all sorts of crazy stuff was routine convo but all businesses were okay with me wearing a mask. They rolled their eyes but accommodated me. the “militant” group was definitely not pro-mask. Also, it’s a facemask. Decent people would take a small hit to not get others sick. But it was more profitable to deny, sow doubt and stomp around screaming freedom.