Anti-vaxxers

growleaves wrote: »

Unless you think the third group is purely a cover for the disingenuous then you are mad to throw out insults.

The government will have leaflets, TV adverts etc. to convince such people.

Threads like this do nothing, they are a hindrance by presenting a medical issue as if it were a partisan political issue.

I think threads like this do demonstrate that a lot of people are willing to disregard how we've all been raised on things like consent when it comes to an issue we don't agree with others on.

I would find myself stumped when anti-vaxxers pull the "my body, my choice" card. Even if I know they are being disingenuous I don't really have a comeback for the argument.

It's not like you can reasonably turn round and say "ha, we will just force you to consent so now what are you gonna do".

It's like I understand that the person doesn't want to be vaccinated for whatever reason. I understand that it's not cool to force people to do things that they don't want to do. Yet, I am also thinking "yeah but if we just deny them access to social services and essential needs then they'll be forced to do it".

As you say, the government will have leaflets and ads etc and you're going to have experts who will tell us why it's a good idea to get vaccinated.

This will immediately be undone by people who don't know how to accept that a section of the population will not consent. So they'll try to outdo each other with "witty" comments putting down idiotic and stupid anti vaxxers and equate them with fascists (which is a bit specific and a bit weird) and now we've really made a mountain out of a molehill.

You'd have to think that willingness to take the vaccine will be extremely high. Once we get through the first 6 months of so of vaccinating those who need it the most then the stragglers will probably be even more willing.

Yet we are still going to have the usual smug gits who need to make a song and dance about the small percentage of people who are not willing to be vaccinated. Don't let them travel! Take away their benefits! They are fascists! Etc. Etc.

The main thing I would like to see us do is not allow the anti-vax movement to grow any more than it already has been growing. I don't see how "well we'll just shame you into consenting by telling the world how dumb you are" is an appropriate response to any of this. I don't see how that doesn't just galvanize the entire movement.

We need to accept that some people are not going to consent to being vaccinated because they feel like it's not safe or not worth the risk or whatever. Then we need to see if we can reassure and inform and get them on board.

The best thing is we have months ahead of us to do that.
The UK reckons they will have done 20 million vaccinations by summer.
So I guess we will probably go at about the same rate as they will.
Meaning 6 months or so from now we are probably only going to have a third of the country vaccinated.

Nah. Let's insult them and shame them and come up with the most uncharitable strawmen and tear them down. That'll work.

Igotadose wrote: »

Not this one. It's about two "sides" where one is, "Vaccines are bad because I say so," and another patiently (at least for awhile) stating the facts that prove vaccines are the most successful form of medication invented by humans for the benefit for humanity.

Eventually, the anti-anti-vax side loses patience when the "I don't care what you say I am going to shout piercingly and call you names" like our most recent contributor Howeird, who has no data, not facts, and basically slings insults.

Don't come here if you're looking for pity for spouting off against science and fact. Come here with data to debate. Otherwise, f*ck off to Facebook and the threatening, violent anti-vax world that exists there.

I'm really hoping here that "Howeird" is an insult term for "Howard" that you've used in the same sentence where you moan about people throwing insults.

Have we really had anti-vax violence in Ireland? Disappointing if true.

Sometimes I can't help feeling like we import a lot of American political drama and then just run with it. I would not have know that there was a lot of anti-vax sentiment in Ireland that results in violence.

I do know people who feel that they don't want to vaccinate their kids and yes that comes from a mistrust of major companies and government and just anything that they don't see as natural. That's a very small number of people, surely?

Problem there is that you can't really argue that major corporations have never gotten up to some dodgy and corrupt dealings and the Irish government are not exactly squeaky clean either.

I definitely wouldn't want to spout off against "science and fact". That would be terrible.

We'll see how things shake out IN IRELAND with the COVID vaccine but I'd like to imagine that the vast majority will get vaccinated and those that don't won't need to because we'll have this whole thing under control anyway. I wouldn't have much confidence in America though.