@Mangymutt, thanks for your comments. Cultural norms are, as Karl has stressed, extremely important in how this has developed and how it is playing out. Your notes on Japanese homogeneity are spot on. The diversity conflict dynamic is marginal at best here. The reflex antiauthoritarianism also. "The nail that sticks up gets hammered." is well understood here. For my part, it is "when in Rome, do as the Romans do."

When I was in NYC in mid-March, folks were just beginning to realize what was happening. Some on the subways wore masks and gloves. I had no sense whatsoever that these folks were signaling anything to do with social justice mongering. Since I wasn't wearing masks, just using sanitizer, early adopters is what I figured they were.

Once artifacts are politicized, of course, there is no denaturing the symbolism with which they are freighted. Thus masks, headscarfs, Maga hats, and other nearer-my-god-to-thee regalia become more important for their message than for their inherent value or lack thereof. Fortunately, I never watched US news, other than CSpan, so I can claim lack of meme infection, so to speak.

More and more I hear echoes of Kurt Vonnegut. So it goes. Thanks again.