Wearing a mask has external effects that are beneficial. It's like being a nice person. You bear a very small cost that is uncomfortable and hot. By doing so, you reduce the chances that you are symptomatically spreading a deadly disease to potential dozens of people. So it becomes a a duty sometimes to act against your own interests,. moral and lariyts a moral imperative. And masks are the cheapest.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb talks about the pandemic with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Topics discussed include how to handle the rest of this pandemic and the next one, the power of the mask, geronticide, and soul in the game.