Back in the day people- I suppose mainly men-tipped their hats to one another. That hat tip was served as a sign of recognition, respect, or gratitude. Or sometimes it just plainly was a “hello”. Nowadays, I’m not too sure hat tipping occurs. There was an annual live stream team fortress event called tip of the hats. Don’t ask me what that means culturally.

Nowadays, we have what I call tipping of the masks. It’s not a sign of “hello”. It is, however, a sign of recognition that you are about to pass someone on the street and you are lifting your mask up over your nose. There are many times when I am walking that the streets are empty (ish). As such, I let my mask down. But once someone comes around near me, I mask up.

It’s a funny movement and ritual. A sign of the times.