George Santayana's adage, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" applies to all in power. Masks and shutdowns are a visible sign to a power hungry bureaucrat or politician that his or her coercion is affecting her or her victims. The totalitarian is gratified that his or her existence means something. What it actually means is that we the people are being controlled by those who know very little and what they know is all wrong.

My business increased a few weeks into the the shut down because I sought business outside of California.