Unmasking India

In a crowded country such as ours, the sight of hordes of unmasked people - even though we had to pay a heavy price in terms of human lives - shows public apathy of gargantuan proportions. And the governments that turn a blind eye to it betray equal unconcern. The received wisdom is that masks are most useful in crowded and indoor spaces, and that it is important to wear well-fitted masks and to continue education efforts to increase adherence. Whether most people become law-abiding out of habit or fear of consequences, to avert chaos or all of them depends upon both a culture of discipline and consent. The disorderly urban chaos that defines us is due as much to the lack of civic discipline as to a state wary of imposing it