How do you talk to corona deniers?

[Eagly456]

If they are actually your friend and you like them but they follow conspiracy theories?

I just wouldn’t engage in conversation about it.
Stop them dead and say, they have their beliefs and they should keep them to themselves.

Move on.

I'd just sort of laugh it off I think. No reason for it to be a big deal.

crosser62 Telling someone to keep their beliefs to themselves is ridiculous, everyone is entitled to voice their opinions.

From at least 4 meters. Just in case.
But it's just so much safer to... Not to at all. Safer for your body and your mind

What, like flat out denial that there is a virus?

I wouldn't be able to talk to them about it without laughing at them and I doubt they would want to be my friend when they realised just how ridiculous I thought their beliefs were.

Do they follow those awful conspiracy theory websites where the SPAG is painful and the text is neon green on a black background and 'sheeple' is a very popular word?

What do they say?

I don't know anyone who is a coronavirus denier. As most of my friends work in the healthcare industry, this is probably just as well!

I have cut back on my use of social media, as the sheer volume of lies and made-up 'facts' was annoying me. I went through my Facebook 'friends' and unfriended anyone who was not an actual friend or family (so people I'd met on holidays, work people I'd met at conferences, the gym, friends of friends etc). I don't use twitter, reddit, instagram (is that even a social media platform, or is it just photos?!) etc.

So the only place I see people with consipiracy theroies is on mumsnet - other online forms like Ravelry that I use, don't really have much social commentry. I can cope with that

I do wonder if that means I'm losing touch with what is going on 'in the real world' - but to be honest, I've enough going on in my own 'real world' to be OK with that.

A family member is very caught up in all of this, also thinks Trump is great and I think it goes hand in hand. I find it really hard to have a conversation about it with them without getting really annoyed. They will flat out claim that no one has been in hospital or died with this and all the NHS staff we've seen on tv telling harrowing stories are part of the conspiracy apparently.

I'd treat them the same as I would any other person I had a differing opinion with, try to find some common ground and If we couldn't just agree to disagree. No need to be rude.

There are a million+ other subjects you can talk about. For what it's worth I find all the speculation and fear mongering about Corona dreadfully boring.

We must all remember that we still have so much to learn about everything, that the leading scientific minds at one point all agreed the world was flat and politicians lie.... Blair's weapons of massive destruction...

I'd treat them the same as anyone else who was suffering with their mental health, with kindness and would also gently refute with rational responses

I probably wouldn't bother talking to them at all. I just haven't got the patience with that kind of thing any more.

Thankfully I haven't had to!

Working in a hospital and seeing it all first hand I struggle with the concept that anyone really does believe it isn't real!

I have a friend who is very into conspiracy theories, I think she has shifted her position over the past few months (from thinking this is just made up to scare us, to thinking it is real but still used as a tool to restrict freedom) and to be honest, so have I. I feel very uncomfortable about some of the changes in legislation about what people can do in their own homes. It's just because we have a police force with neither the capacity or the interest in enforcing this, that we are not affected. If we get on the topic, she acknowledges most people don't think like her and I have my own opinions, it's fine.

Maybe listen to them instead. Read what they share. Conspiracy theory is an easy word to label people who don't listen to mainstream media fully and seek their own answers. For me the horrors of Bill Gates plans, which are all available to read and view on video online made me sit back and not be struck with fear of the virus. Unfortunately those who label others as conspiracy theorists don't even want to see the actual published figures eg on CDC that less than 1% of people died which is sad too but in comparison to other illnesses is not as bad as others. On the other hand people around me have had their appointments and surgeries cancelled indefinitely as we've seen people mention on Mumsnet too.
When you see the bigger picture, you find a balance in life. Yes a lot of people even blame 5g which I won't deny has its own concerns but I don't blame it on 5g myself as it isn't even fully out yet. It's about being rational and seeing the points on both sides but really Bill Gates is not a doctor yet he has a master plan. Also concerning is how it is mentioned that there is no cure when several doctors across the globe have treated their patients successfully yet they are shut down. This is not just or fair.

Well, you can practice on the poster above...

I have a FB friend who posts all sorts of stuff.
5G is dangerous and the virus was made up to mask the masts being put up.

Any vaccine is made by big pharma and Bill Gates will put a chip in the vaccine and control us all.
Lots of tin pot things. I did start with a couple of laughing emojis.... he calls people 'sheeple' if we follow the mainstream news and scientists. He suggests we do our 'research' and stop being sheep and that people are gradually waking up.... I tried coherent argument and research papers - with links - he says that is just the big pharma and I am a sheep following them (the irony). I stopped bothering. He's an idiot. Obviously if he intended to burn down a phone mast I would report him but currently he just spreads fake news and ridiculous claims on FB.

There are a minority of loud people who actually do believe that Bill Gates wants to control us. That the virus is not real. The 5G is very dangerous (!). He posts a lot of anti vac stuff as well. Apparently vaccines do more harm than good.

It is very difficult and frustrating to argue with stupid.

oops meant anti-vax

I've got a 'friend' like this. I stay away as it's exhausting and crazy.

Don't mention Pizzagate. Really.

@babba2014 what is the plan?

Go on then @babba2014 - what’s the well-known philanthropist Bill Gates, who has given millions of dollars to countless good causes, really up to when he gives millions to fighting coronavirus? Other than doing what he does because he has more money than he can possibly need?

@SerenityNowwwww

They say these type of things:

"You might not want to hear this but forcing millions of people to wear masks is not to protect from a non existent virus but is an experiment to see who is a follower and who isn't"
"guess who hasn't stayed home, hasn't worn a mask or social distance and hasn't caught the virus - ME"
"I do everything my TV tells me to" Written over the top of woman wearing a face mask.
Picture of face mask with sheep all over it for wearing on the bus like good little sheeple.
"They're not even hiding it anymore...they are psychopaths. Notice the upside down cross of satanism. - a picture of the WHO and stay at home"
A picture of a sheep skull with "Stay home, flatten the curve, we are all in this together, we need a vaccine"
Some of the things said and a mass sharing of pictures lots with Bill Gates/vaccines/people saying they think the whole thing is a hoax/pictures of 5G masts etc etc

So I’ve googled - he’ll be putting microchips in us apparently. Useful for getting in through cat flaps, should the need arise.

Love - look. We all carry a phone with far more potentially for snooping on us than some injected microchip could possibly achieve. There’s no need. Plus as someone who’s reported on politicians for decades - the idea of a concerted, secret world order is just not something they’re capable of. They can’t even get child maintenance to work, launch a contact tracing app for Covid or get NHS computers to talk to each other.

@babba2014

You said "Bill Gates is not a doctor yet he has a master plan"

What is his 'master plan' - I am sat here ready to listen to what he is going to do...?

Let them get on with their conspiracy theories. It’s not harming you. Plus there is some truth in the fact that people are idiotically lapping up ‘truths’ spouted either by those in authority or by people on the internet. How many U turns have to be made before people stop lapping it up without question? The govt let Cheltenham go ahead, despite having a truck load of information and images showing the carnage in Italy. Oh yes, of course Cheltenham was safe. So....the attendees trusted the govt (again these people had seen images from Italy but nevertheless lapped up the govt’s shit). Coronabomb happens. Manslaughter and stupidity IMO.

I wouldn’t engage, just as I would waste any headspace or time on anti-vaxxers or flat earthers.
“We don’t agree on this subject and so let’s not talk about it.”

Oh man I’d just find this exhausting... we’ve lost quite a few to corona so it stings to hear this :( I’m not sure what the answer is - everyone can have an opinion, but they should respect when it upsets you.

Interested to hear about this bill gates master plan! I mean he’s getting on, wouldn’t he have implemented it by now... especially if the clintons and Obama were part of some higher world order? Wouldn’t it make sense that their plans would’ve been implemented then rather than when (apparently good?) trump is in power?

FWIW I think it’s all trash, and undermines real government accountability. Investigative journalism needs to be more active, the more you see that in action the less you’d believe conspiracy theories. I mean the Panama papers had material for years but the conspiracy theorists weirdly didn’t take TRUE revealed information and implement any kind of change so.... even if they found something true it’s not like they’d act (unless shooting up a pizza parlour).

Conspiracy theories give the illusion of importance and control... when in fact the theorists do zilch to actually help