The Covid Screwtape Letters - Part 2

In Part 1, Screwtape and “Dr. F” trade missives on the deceptive origin of the virus. Today, they delight in masking - because, of course they would.

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My dear Dr. F,

I must say, your recent triumph with the humans’ mask-wearing habits has filled my chest with a satisfaction rivaling the deepest pits of our domain. How ingenious it was to take a simple piece of cloth and wrap it around their faces and their minds! A mere mask, you see, became the perfect tool for them to project their own insecurities, anxieties, and, most importantly, a delicious sense of moral superiority.

Observe how some humans wear it as a badge of virtue, a symbol that shouts to their fellow creatures, “I care more than you.” Oh, how they puff themselves up, not out of true concern, mind you, but out of the desire to be seen as good. And how quickly others rip theirs off, gasping for a sense of freedom, as if the fabric were a noose around their precious “rights.” Both groups, hilariously blind to the fact that they’re not so different after all — slaves, each and every one, to the narrative of their choosing.

Even better, they’ve descended into exquisite chaos about the effectiveness of the mask. One moment it’s hailed as the sacred talisman that will protect them from doom, the next it’s declared a mere prop in the great theater of hygiene. The constant flip-flopping from their “experts” — another masterstroke, dear Doctor! Keep them confused, for nothing sows discord more effectively than conflicting truths.

I particularly admire how the little beasts are now policing one another. Ah, to watch them snarl and snap over whether a mask is properly fitted! What’s more delicious than humans, once so proud of their individualism, turning on each other in the name of collective safety?

Continue this charade, and soon you’ll have them so consumed by the argument over masks that they won’t notice the larger, far more important liberties slipping quietly out of reach.

Your affectionate uncle,
Screwtape

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Dear Uncle Screwtape,

I must confess, your delight in the mask debacle has only encouraged me further. You’re absolutely correct — it has been a marvelous spectacle! The squabbling is, of course, only the beginning. Watching them frantically adjust their masks, wear two at once, or scream at the unmasked while suffocating in their own righteousness is more satisfying than I could have hoped.

But there’s something even more delicious I’d like to highlight: how easy it has been to turn the mask into a symbol of allegiance. With one glance, a human can immediately judge whether another is “one of them” or an enemy to be despised. It’s become less about protection and more about tribal identity — something you so wisely taught me to exploit. The beauty is, they think they’re divided over “science,” when, in reality, they’re simply reasserting their most primitive tribal instincts.

Yet, I have one small concern, dear Uncle. As much as I’ve enjoyed the chaos, there are whispers o weariness. The humans grow tired of the constant shifting narratives. Some have even dared to stop caring altogether! The insolence! How can I maintain the confusion long enough to ensure a permanent fracture in their already fragile bonds?

Yours in mischief,
Dr. F