That's my view of it, although our analysis and takeaways are probably different. There is a reason people are quite happy with draconian measures. Someone earlier typed something to the affect that being controlled makes people feel safe and comfortable and subsequently those people are turned into Kens and Karens to enforce that control because it is now their duty to make sure others are safe and comfortable. These people do not question the source of the measures, don't think through the logic of the measures, and certainly don't question whether or not there is an agenda tied to the measures.
Covid was a very ugly full up display of this. The question is why are people like this? This is where I likely part ways with most of the folks on this forum. I see manifestations of this all the time, in every aspect of life.
HOAs immediately come to mind. Like good little citizens, they are named covenants instead of mandates. And god help you of a Ken or Karen catches you violating one. I cannot imagine living like that in a country where you don't have to. In the public school system they are named guidelines or charters instead of mandates. Woe unto the person that uses the wrong door, turns the wrong way in the car line, asks to go directly to the student's classroom to talk to a teacher, or any other number of government mandates that serve no useful purpose.
This is the why according to a filthy liar. And this is where I part company with most everyone on this forum. We used to be pioneers. That's an important word - pioneer. We used to push west and deal with everything on our own, or at least as much as a wagon train could handle. There were all kinds of threats. But there was no government to save the wagon train. Then we built communities, institutions, and started relying on a centralized agency to oversee these types of things and to provide essential services. Then we REALLY started relying on this centralized agency to make sure things were available. Little things, like say - food and water. We somehow figured that this was the best path forward. And now we find ourselves in a situation where 85% of us are not even semi self-sufficient and in a situation where we depend on that centralized agency.
So when that agency starts taking draconian measures, it is perceived by many of that 85% as not only necessary, but moral to preserve the community. And they would be dead if the grocery store ran out of food. I take a different path, and yes I realize that I'm one of those weird people who live out in the woods. But I don't depend on the government for much, especially on what to do to protect myself. Mask mandates, grocery store quotas, vaccine requirements, etc are ludicrous to me and everyone out here where I live. Again, not expecting everyone to be a weirdo and live out in the woods and be self-sufficient like me, but that is my explanation for the eagerness for some of the 85% to adopt draconian measures.
Final disclaimer - I know we're not in the 1800s and plenty of intelligent people choose to live in the city and burbs. In fact, most of them do. But when something bad happens I don't need the draconian measures or heavy government overstep that they might. That's important to me.