to be slapping my forehead over conspiracy theorists about Swine Flu & vaccines

[Gentle]

In the last 2 days, I have heard swine flu conspiracy theories from 2 people in my life.

One says that swine flu was engineered as a biological weapon.

Another says that the vaccine is actually some sort of attempt to do "something" (very carefullly thought through and evidenced, then ) to most of the world population by frightening them into getting it.

Okay, if I put my Da Vinci Code head on, I can almost suspend disbelief for the first one. Even then, no point getting shouty about it because if it were true, what action could I possibly take against these mysterious bioterrorists? I suppose I could hang my head out of the window and shout "You don't fool me, you naughty bioterrorists, you!" at random members of the public.

The vaccine one really irked me though. I simply cannot believe that the human race is either organised enough, or cruel enough, to protect a secret global governing body who devise "Mwah - ha - ha!" type schemes in order to do "something" to billions of people in order to... what? Get the M25 to themselves? And if such an organisation exists, well, they could probably just round us all up and nuke us.

In summary - people talk shite when they're feeling a bit scared and ill-informed.

MIL nearly had an attack of the vapours when DH told her we're having pork this weekend. Apparently she thinks you can also 'get it' by eating pork

YABU

Everybody knows it's the pigs taking their revenge - haven't you seen animal farm?

Well, the world is overpopulated and in the past we've had natural culls like the Plague, the 1918 epidemic which have kept the population more sustainable. This cull is what they were really planning at the G20. Everything else was just a part of a cunning plan to distract us ...

lol people do talk shite don't they?

I think the problem with conspiracy theorists is that the upper echelons of government, security services etc., do actually engage in conspiracies. (Lies about dossiers, Iran/ contra etc.) But because so many nutters will believe anything about anything, it's easier for those who want to, to conspire, without anyone suspecting, because we all know conspiracy theorists are nutters.

It's a conundrum.

Ha ha MadreInglese. I had better make sure I keep standing on 2 legs then

I've had a mad aunt on the phone advising me to rush to Morrisons and panic buy.

PMSL - trying to 'do' something to us. There are far better ways of 'doing' something to us if they really wanted to. Water supply for example.... People are hilarious.

Hassled Should we start being a bit suspicious of policywonk then?

In light of just what animal has been implicated, it does just add fuel to the fires of conspiracy ...

Marthasmama - don't give 'em any ideas!

if you go to the conspiricy thread -t here are some very good news articles explaining how drug companies can make millions

its nice that you think that big pharmaseutical companies wouldnt do something shitty like either
release swine flu
or
actively promote panic

but naive

I'm just waiting until it's announced that it was all Gordon Brown's fault, everything else is doncha know

Oh yes, PW was in on it. She knew about the cull months ago.

Well, possibly, custardo, and it's right of course that pharmaceutical companies should be investigated and held to account with the amount of power they currently hold over humanity.

In the latter example though, I suspect the motivating factor would be money, again, rather than a James Bond villianesque desire to make everyone's willies shrink or "something".

Historically we are naturally "Overdue" a pandemic I dont hink conspiracy theories help anyone. They are counter productive and focus people away from the things they should really be concerned about!

I am actually quite sure that there exist many vials of things that havebeen engineered as biological weapons. tbh, I think it would be naive to think otherwise, given the number of ingenious ways mankind has developed over the centuries to kill one another.

But sometimes, the flu is just the flu.

But I wouldn't be remotely surprised if the drug companies were making money out of the panic. More people haveing jabs the better for them.

I think it's the echinacea dealers, myself. People will be doing everything they can to strengthen their immune systems.

Perhaps I haven't explained the vaccine story properly.

This person isn't saying that pharmaceutical companies would benefit financially and are therefore corrupt enough to encourage panic and create a market for their product. I could get behind that.

What they were saying is the the content of the vaccine is the thing to be feared, because it is being administered in order to do "something" to you.