> The only reason anyone had any reason to distrust vaccines is because they "cause autism
With the covid vaccine specifically the reason to distrust appears to be totally different. It was the extreme rush "to production" with a new piece of biotechnology without a long term track record, mandating its administering to the public, and at the same time the total suppression of any discussion of the risk-benefit balance and the side effects. This was precipitated also by the mask communication fiasco (they are "useless" first, then they are suddenly required). I hope you can see that distrust is a very expected outcome in people who tend to think critically.
At the time, a friend asked why I didn’t want the vaccine. I’d done my research, and I knew my benefit was marginal and that my risk from COVID itself was close to nil.
But best I could articulate at the time was that it was too tied up with letting us visit public places (remember passports?). It seemed manipulative, too much about theatre and very little about public or individual health.
Didn’t want to ruin a friendship by being too honest, although I wish I had been now.
Right, but the only reason this even became a discussion is because a seed of doubt was planted 25 years ago. Otherwise, people wouldn't care about a rush to production because vaccines wouldn't be perceived as having the ability to cause harm.
> I hope you can see that distrust is a very expected outcome in people who tend to think critically
How very slick, implying I'm stupid. No, I am able to think critically I'm just also able to see the writing on the wall and string together events.
The Covid distrust did not happen in isolation and anybody who thinks so must be blind and deaf. It was a long time coming, as conspiracists increased in radicality and reach. Before Covid MANY MANY new technologies and treatments were already beginning their spiral of distrust. 5G, MMR vaccine, therapy...
As soon as Covid began I knew there would be a select group of people who will oppose the largest narrative, regardless of what that narrative is. It was obvious to me that people would refuse to wear masks. They had no reasons of course - wearing a mask is hardly difficult. But because you tell them to wear it, it's a problem. Because that's how these people operate. They don't care about outcomes, they care about authority.
Even if the masks are barely effective or might not work, there's no harm in wearing them. But to the conspiracists it doesn't work that way. They fear becoming sheep, so they oppose for the sake of opposition.
> communication fiasco (they are "useless" first, then they are suddenly required)
Something I think people don't understand about Covid is that it was a NOVEL disease. Have you ever had a circumstance like Covid in your life before Covid? No, right?
So what does that tell you? That clearly these were new waters. Yes, what is true DOES change because people actually don't know! People's understanding of Covid over time changed because they learned new things.
To be clear, I don't think distrust is a bad thing. But I do think that the particular brand of distrust around Covid was largely not legitimate. And I think everyone knows that.
I myself am a skeptic. But for the right reasons. Not because I enjoy being difficult, or because I'm inherently opposed to authority. The majority of Covid "distrusters" are anti-science, radical conspiracists - more along the lines of flat earthers. These are not critical thinkers, quite the opposite.
Just like blindly following advice makes you a sheep, blindly distrusting advice makes you a sheep too, just in the opposite direction. You need to analyze the situation and your sources. For Covid, that largely meant understanding Covid is a unique situation with therefore unperfect solutions.
With the covid vaccine specifically the reason to distrust appears to be totally different. It was the extreme rush "to production" with a new piece of biotechnology without a long term track record, mandating its administering to the public, and at the same time the total suppression of any discussion of the risk-benefit balance and the side effects. This was precipitated also by the mask communication fiasco (they are "useless" first, then they are suddenly required). I hope you can see that distrust is a very expected outcome in people who tend to think critically.