How to deal with an anti-vax / covid scam / anti 5G mother?

obi604

JustAThought wrote: »

Why don’t you do what I did - send them a link or two to totally different but interesting podcasts on something they might be into and then try and discuss that with them? Ted talks are great as it is often ‘experts’ that do the talks and once you watch one they line up a few more for you to try next. Maybe email her the ten most populat ted talks - lots of diversity there & something might stick. Wired and Womens Way also did great articles on the best podcasts - with links - everything from Dr Death the serial killer neurosurgeon (yes!) to crime to trucking across America - lots to distract her with!!

Some people only like to discuss things and maybe covid & G5 being popular she has latched into these. you could also distract her with boards or reddit - thou that might be throwing more loons into the mix!!

We had a total conspiracy theorist LOON in work - I got collared by him one day and out of politeness let him have his say. It lasted over an hour - people were walking by and roaring laughing at me. After it became apparent he was a nutjob & no rational argument made sense to him I just let him have his monologue and just kept making mmm noises. He eventually ran out of steam. He later profoundly thanked me for listenjng to him as everyone thought he was mad and it felt great for him to be heard and not shouted down for once. I kept nodding and smiling & saying mmmmm. Some people may be crazy believers but they also want to belong and be loved.


As regards my own mother after listening to months and months of the same monologue half hour rant about a neighbours garden & how it was designed wrong I finally lost it and interrupted her & told her so what some people have real problems let it go its none of your business. Its been 2 months going on 3 Nd ahe still hasn’t talked to me again yet. I guess some people just want to rant, and have nothing else in their lives too. Which brings me back to the point about people wanting to be listened to, valued and encouraged/heard. Mmmm might have been a better tactic at home for me!!!! (Even if what I said was entirely justified and true!)

THIS THIS THIS x 1000 I know I’m going off topic now
Reminds me of my own mother. I could have had a day from hell in work dealing with all kinds of stuff, then have to deal with kids etc multiple things on my mind with work

And then I ring the mother and just listen to complete drivel, the absolute rubbish that they are concerned about - I couldn’t give a bOllOx if the neighbour didn’t bring their bins in etc or if such and such is building a house.

And then one day she has a very set attitude toward something. TheN the next day, she hears something from a neighbour, Joe Duffy or a cat........and the attitude has 360 degree changed.

bertiebomber

the way to avoid all these useless communications is too log off your phone and only accept verbal calls & texts close down the other apps & dont be allowing anyone to be in your personal space with their s.. hite. SIMPLE

ILoveYourVibes

Jequ0n wrote: »

The beautiful thing about most idiots is that they are unaware of being one, and consider themselves particularly smart.

Yeah.

Although genuinely pushing their brains to a limit can aid this....give them an actual book to read on a subject and sometimes they can realize how much they don't know.

I had to take anatomy classes not for anything big like medicine but just basic ones. I found them TERRIFYING.

Jequ0n

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

Yeah.

Although genuinely pushing their brains to a limit can aid this....give them an actual book to read on a subject and sometimes they can realize how much they don't know.

I had to take anatomy classes not for anything big like medicine but just basic ones. I found them TERRIFYING.

I had actually been referring to you in my post because I find it baffling how you manage to insert yourself into every thread just to talk about yourself. Obviously you didn’t get that.

I am the first to admit that I enjoy picking on others, but telling the OP to belittle his mother until she feels embarrassed is hardly constructive advice that will improve the situation.

Heres Johnny

Some craic when a certain generation who spent most of their lives as housewives and rearing kids find the Internet and get a smartphone later in life. They believe everything they read like the Internet is a giant encyclopedia. Myself and my brother have had enough with our mother sending us nonsense through WhatsApp and calling us in work to tell us the latest food that it cancerous. Bored. Too much time on their hands. That said, entitled to her opinion like everyone else but I wish she'd research a bit more rather than just believe everything. There's a few of my friends in the same boat.

Facebook seems to be her main source, I've since managed to delete my account and suggested she does the same as I see her friends and sisters do be sending her links through it. Very sad to see, they need a hobby.

Graces7

Simi wrote: »

Why aren't we seeing this on RTE? Irish news has become so insular over the course of the year, we rarely if ever hear about any other part of the world.

Of course conspiracy theorists are going to thrive if they're not forced to confront the grim reality of what's happening in countries that haven't been as lucky as we have.

For you OP, videos of people speaking about what has happened to them are most effective. Same as with the hpv vaccine. People respond to emotional stimulus far easier than scientific facts.

with family and friends overseas I hear a lot and it makes seeing the attiitudes dissing it infuriating.

Hannibal_Smith

Mod Note

I've deleted a few off topic posts and would ask posters going forward to remember that you should post if you have constructive advice to offer the OP.

Grab All Association you have been asked before to offer advice to an OP when replying to a thread IN PI/RI. If you have no advice to offer, please move to another thread.

Jequ0n please bear in mind that posters are welcome to offer advice to an OP and it is up to the OP to then decide what advice to heed or ignore. If you want to counter the advice someone has offered, please do so in a constructive way to the OP. If you feel a poster has broken a rule, please report it and the Mods will deal with it if appropriate.

Thanks

HS

ILoveYourVibes

Jequ0n wrote: »

I had actually been referring to you in my post because I find it baffling how you manage to insert yourself into every thread just to talk about yourself. Obviously you didn’t get that.

I am the first to admit that I enjoy picking on others, but telling the OP to belittle his mother until she feels embarrassed is hardly constructive advice that will improve the situation.

Hi Jeq. I am sorry you feel I do this. I must watch that in myself. Thanks for the insight though.

I don't enjoy picking on others at all.

Not belittle.

Give her a reality check. Some people need to know how much they DONT know.

She is definitely one of those people.

I know people like this. They will be the ones lecturing an engineering PHD on engineering with barely a secondary school education.

We have all had to be humbled in life. I know i have. Its always been good for me when it comes to knowledge.

Some craic when a certain generation who spent most of their lives as housewives and rearing kids find the Internet and get a smartphone later in life. They believe everything they read like the Internet is a giant encyclopedia. Myself and my brother have had enough with our mother sending us nonsense through WhatsApp and calling us in work to tell us the latest food that it cancerous. Bored

THIS

100% AGREE.

Now if its not an OBSESSION you can let it go to keep the peace.

But when its a serial obsession you have to give that person a reality check.

If you don't they end up further and further down the rabbit hole and in an echo chamber....because the mother is undoubtedly talking to others who agree with her and confirm her illogical views.

People can end up in their own reality. If you suffer fools ....they end up having to suffer being foolish.

job seeker

I work with someone with this same mentality, It's absolutely exhausting. When he hears anything on the radio at work about the government, Trump, Covid, etc etc. He says things like: "Oh, I am going to vote for Trump", "China are paying Ireland's government to post covid cases", "It's all fake scaremongering." "It's just like the cold", "Masks are to stop you from breathing", "The vaccine is a way to plant a microchip up your nose and find out where you are 24/7" and other sh1t. I've got good at laughing at what he says and brushing it off as nonsense. Then I leave it all behind me when I leave work.

It's a difference if it's family though. As I am sure that you care a great deal for your mother, but this can be quite the issue. It's also worth mentioning that a lot of people can get caught up with a certain thought process and it can be quite the challenge to change the person's way of thinking. I think the suggestions for showing her the social dilemma and the various videos that show the direct impact of Covid are quite good.

At the end of the day, all you can do is try your best to change her mind and after that, it's up to her ultimately imo..

LimeFruitGum

Captain Awkward is a great resource to help you figure out how to handle similar situations. Whatever about your mum, there’s a lot of focus on self-care & setting boundaries when dealing with issues as well.