I'm not sure discussion is going to improve much unless we can all agree on a few basic facts which are somehow still in contention, the most important being that this virus is nowhere near as lethal as claimed in the early months. This just isn't up for debate, the fatality rate has dropped drastically. The reporting of cases, positives and deaths both, have been extremely liberal and deserving of extra scrutiny.
Masks help mitigate the spread when used correctly and with some distancing, but to what degree is unknown given how it seems so few people are using them correctly. For example, two people face to face with surgical masks are protecting each other, but increasing the risk of those at their side. Then there are countless examples like this where the mitigation offered by masks is completely undone by their actions and proximity to each other:
Which is my biggest problem with masks: If any government official has done a good job informing their residents about both the pros and cons I have yet to see it. It hasn't been done on the national stage in the US or in Canada, nor has it been done provincially or locally here.
"Wear a mask!" is like yelling
"stay hydrated!" or
"eat healthier!" - all three are simple messages that are easy to follow and, as the links explain, all three can get you killed if you aren't minding the details. Officials have the responsibility of diving into those details, something I imagine they don't want to do because it undercuts their mask mandates.
If anyone has an example of their officials treating them like responsible adults - giving them all the relevant info about masks and letting them make up their own mind - I'd love to see it.