I never lived in a communist country, but I did cross the wall to have a look at East Berlin in 1990 as the wall was coming down. Some of my family visited Romania in communist times and found it grim.

I am not sure how comparable the current situation is. My life is not too affected apart from not being able to go to the office and a lack of events (music and running). Is wearing a mask that bad? People have done it for years in parts of Asia with no outcry that I have heard of. It probably reduces the spread of various diseases besides COVID.

Of course some politicians and businesses are exploiting the situation, but then they also exploit the threat of terrorism and environmental threats. I see a lot of crap about all these topics, but people who may be seeking their own advantage. They may overestimate the cunning of our leaders.

I hope better times are ahead, but we have to be vigilant to protect our freedoms without descending into unwarranted paranoia.

Peace.