Labelled conspiracy theorist

[Whatdidyoucallme]

Why am I labelled a conspiracy theorist as soon as I question something or oppose a decision made by the government? It's almost as if we are not allowed to use critical thinking anymore. I really find the word conspiracy theorist an insult as it discredits you immediately and puts you in a drawer. So annoying

Depends! What was the situation?

It depends whether you were in fact applying any critical thinking, or just theorising about a perceived conspiracy I suppose?

True, sorry I should have explained it more. There are certain things that I do not find logical and have a hard time to apply in my daily life because simply put it doesn't make any sense to me.
Topic mandatory Masks
The only time Masks truly work is when you apply certain hygiene steps such as not touching the mask and changing it every 2 lates 4 hours. Doctors and nurses have certain hygiene steps they apply before putting on a mask yet we are forced to wear it while shopping being outside etc ( depends where you live). Yet all I see is people covering their faces when they enter a shop and instantly removing it when they leave the shop. Then putting it back on while walking in the next store. People use the same mask for much longer than 4 hours, hang it on rear mirror etc.
Doesn't that mean that all the bacteria I carry in my system is also attached to that mask? And on top of that you are breathing in carbon dioxide. Isn't that extremely unhealthy after a certain time?
Yet people are wearing it without even questioning this as it's government guidelines.

As soon as I share these concerns with my friends and family I am labelled a conspiracy theorist.

Apart from the CO2 part, the rest you've got right. People aren't using masks properly but the point of them isn't to protect yourself, it's to protect others. So, there's no real push to get proper usage widespread, wearing any face covering will reduce your ability to spread, so it's enough of a benefit to mandate it. There are masks that are silver lined or designed to kill the virus (as well as other viruses and bacteria) as soon as they touch the mask - I use these as I don't want anything festering and find it easier to have a mask I can stuff into my pocket when I'm done. In normal masks this isn't the case and they should be washed / disposed of after four hours or when they are wet (terrible if it's raining!) I think if anyone is calling you a conspiracy theorist for comments on masks etc., they must not know what those words mean 😂 I usually keep a ton of pages from the WHO or other studies bookmarked so that I can provide it to anyone who hasn't heard the research / evidence or isn't convinced by it so they can see the details and form their own conclusions, it can help to have a nationally or internationally recognised institute saying the same thing you are, or having the evidence to hand that you used in forming your opinion 😊

What circles are you mixing in ?

I attend a Russel Group uni, have a job in a restaurant and go to church as well as having a large group of friends I’ve kept from school (saying this because I think they’re all quite different social circles with a wide variety of opinions and views on life) and I haven’t really met a single person who doesn’t question and criticise the government?

I hear you. I'm a (proper, not computer modeller) scientist and I see no scientific evidence that masks or lockdowns work. I'm at a total loss what to do, our normal lives have been confiscated on the back of unscientific lies. 2020 was the year science died as far as I'm concerned. The Danish mask study proved no protective effect for the mask wearer, this reinforcing all those flu studies that showed mask wearers get as many respiratory infections as non mask wearers (in a hospital setting).

@Maria1990 interesting. Do you know what these masks are called? The ones that kill any bacteria as soon as touched? With regards to your statement that it protects others rather you. Exactly my point. Because the bacteria I carry will also
Stuck on the mask meaning it can spread

@lu00 honestly I find it comforting to know there are These type of people. I clearly need to change my circle

@RoseParade exactly thank you. It makes no sense.

It's healthy to question things. Too many people blindly accept whatever the government or any authority throw at them. I've thought that masks are pointless for a long time, I work in retail and see hundreds of people everyday and they are often incorrectly worn or look like a homemade piece of single layer cloth. How anyone can compare them with a medical grade mask I don't know. Then there's the issue of people touching them constantly.....

I find the people who use the phrase "critical thinking" are often the least likely to be able to apply said "critical thinking".

As for this Danish mask study:

fullfact.org/health/danish-mask-wearing-spectator/

www.factcheck.org/2020/11/danish-study-doesnt-prove-masks-dont-work-against-the-coronavirus/

Sorry, you don't like wearing masks. Note: even the authors of the study say the results shouldn’t be interpreted to mean masks shouldn’t be worn.

Questioning any aspect of this gets you written off as a conspiracy theorist or 'covid denier' really. Its a little silly, and quite sad.

Yes, covid deniers exist (and are annoying as fuck to deal with, the outright deniers/5g people), but someone questioning the effectiveness of a mask, or pointing out the dodgy timing of Boris' 'new strain' thing..are not covid deniers in my view, not at all.

You are actually right OP. There was a recent item on BBC news I think it was that reusing a face mask/covering was actually more harmful than not wearing one at all.

SARS-Cov2 is a respiratory disease spread by a virus which is exhaled by those infected. The purpose of wearing masks is to protect others from asymptomatic transmitters who do not know that they have the disease. It is not, and has never been, to protect the wearer.

Surely everyone understands that?

^More bollocks.

Many HCP have had to reuse their masks, which is not ideal, due to lack of PPE. But for the average person, it is perfectly fine, as per, eg:

news.yahoo.com/reuse-disposable-mask-yes-steps-192223361.html

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

Just ignore all the name callers and only respond to the ones that are able to engage in sensible discussion. If they're not able to articulate themselves without resorting to insults what's their opinion worth to you anyway? That's what I'd be asking myself.

I gave questioned everything because to me, a lot of the 'rules' , mask wearing etc make no sense so I have questions. Drives my husband potty as he says I'm making the situation worse by questioning everything!

@Remmy123

I gave questioned everything because to me, a lot of the 'rules' , mask wearing etc make no sense so I have questions. Drives my husband potty as he says I'm making the situation worse by questioning everything!

It's absolutely fine to question. However, consider the answers carefully. Use a number of sources to research the answer to your question; this helps reduce bias. (For example, don't use a known conspiracy site to search for 'are masks effective?'). Phrase your searches to minimise bias as much as you can, ie. the above and not 'Do masks make you ill,' or 'Masks cycle your own bacteria'. Google will only throw those results back at you.

Learning how to approach the issue with intelligence will only help you.

@cbt944 Did you read the actual Danish mask study paper, or did you just read journalists or "fact checkers" opinion pieces? The Danish mask study found no statistical difference in infection rates between mask wearers and non-mask wearers.
No actual scientific experiment has shown that masks prevent onward transmission of viruses. Making it mandatory to do something when there is no scientifically proven benefit is deeply worrying to me.

@VulvaPerson

Questioning any aspect of this gets you written off as a conspiracy theorist or 'covid denier' really. Its a little silly, and quite sad.

Yes, covid deniers exist (and are annoying as fuck to deal with, the outright deniers/5g people), but someone questioning the effectiveness of a mask, or pointing out the dodgy timing of Boris' 'new strain' thing..are not covid deniers in my view, not at all.

This. Are you getting a lot of this in real life?

OP, I totally agree with you. I do not understand this blind faith in what ever is trotted out in main stream media and by the government. Labelling people as tin foil hats and conspiracy theorists is a handy way to shut down any critical discussion and uncomfortable questions. This has become a lot worse now and it really worries me. Putting your head above the parapet can have far reaching consequences for the person.

Yes there is some ridiculous theories (of all kind of subjects) but I still find it interesting to read and discuss them. Just because I am open minded doesn't mean I just believe any old crap.

In a group chat with friends I said I was shocked to find out that protesting is now illegal and that I find our civil rights are slowly being taken away. This was met with ridicule

Red “In a group chat with friends I said I was shocked to find out that protesting is now illegal and that I find our civil rights are slowly being taken away. This was met with ridicule”

Are they saying it’s not been out in law?

There are also antiviral masks - can't say whether they are a better answer but I found their existence interesting.

I thought that the benefit of covering nose and mouth was mostly so that moisture is prevented from being propelled very far ahead of you, especially in the case of someone coughing or speaking loudly. Within a certain amount of time, the mask will get damper. It does benefit others more than you but so does using a hanky or tissue once to blow your nose then dispose of it rather than stuff it in a pocket. There is a definite effect of relative humidity on the coronavirus family, both in helping and hindering it - this is where the strong/regular ventilation advice comes in as indoors it's usually possible to improve relative humidity.

@Maria1990

There are masks that are silver lined or designed to kill the virus

Yes, I would also be interested to know what brand of mask these are / where you can buy them

Thanks!

OP I agree with you.
I’ve noticed this too.
I’m amazed to be honest at how unquestioning, compliant and docile a lot of my family and friends have become since the pandemic started.
A lot (not all) seem to take absolutely everything our politicians and media say as total truth. They accuse me of being a conspiracy theorist etc just because I question things. Just because I sometimes question their words and actions.
I truly don’t think the current government have our best interests at heart. Just their own.
I do think a lot of it is driven by fear though.
People sort of ‘freeze’ and panic and ‘do as they’re told’ in these scary, unknown situations.