Dealing with "I'm not having the vaccine because my friend had it and said his dick fell off" and other stories..

[flashbac]

Ok the dick falling off is an exaggeration but I'm just so tired of this. I now don't know anyone who isn't sceptical about the jab and my pleas fall on deaf ears because there's always some story of so and so "whose legs stopped working after his jab".

I'm just ranting really. Worried about loved ones.

'My pleas fall on deaf ears'

What do you mean? What are you pleading with people about and why?

Someone I know said she was surprised magnets weren't sticking to my arm after my first one.

She said it in all seriousness.

And to go alongside the title of this thread is this…

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/health/rare-covid-symptom-affects-penis-25931571?fbclid=IwAR34jLIYckgMkC3VcgLPtKfkjsbrmV1JidJ19rtAaMbzCJS9Ue5g7TRUQSA

And why do you have to ‘deal’ with these people who have made a different choice to you? What does ‘deal’ mean. It’s so patronising.

Just talk about something else.

Surely the skepticism and ire should fall on those who manage to catch covid because clearly they weren't doing everything right, and they are the ones spreading it to everyone else.

Just wanted to say how refreshing it was to read now5sos post referring to her DB as a non vaxxer rather than anti vaxxer. See, it is possible!!!

I had my first two jabs and my teen DC had all their childhood vaccinations. I am not having anymore Covid jabs and my teens will not be having any Covid jabs. We are not antivaxxers simply because we have chosen not to take these jabs which is at the end of the day, a choice. As it should be. ESPECIALLY for children.

Don't argue with them. Their vaccination status is absolutely none of your business!

Whenever I see someone say that intelligence level is to do with their vaccination status, it is invariably to do with the preconceived stereotype that unvaccinated = thick
Such a stereotype is all over this forum.

If the cap fits...

I used to engage. Try and sympathise. Now I just smile and wave. And judge.

@tilder
Do you judge all of their health decisions, or just this one?

@PirtonGorse

We are in the exact same position as you. Well said.

Smile and wave. Smile and wave.

[Smiles and waves]

To be fair, I have had all three of my jabs, and now do not have a dick.

How are people getting into these discussions? I dont ask people whether they're vaccinated or not and I'm not really asked either.
I was asked the other day, and a simple no was enough. They wouldn't let me use their services, but that was their choice and their loss. They didn't ask me why. I didnt ask if they were or not, and if someone tells me that they are or they aren't, I do not ask why.
Its none of my business and I really don't care if you are or not.

@XenoBitch

Vaccination is positively correlated with education level I believe, not specifically IQ or cognitive scores that measure intelligence

Will be tied to critical thinking, but also more complex things like socioeconomic status & deprivation

In a large US study specifically looking at the coronavirus vaccines, the strongest predictor was whether someone had repoted voting for Biden versus Trump

Whenever I see someone say that intelligence level is to do with their vaccination status, it is invariably to do with the preconceived stereotype that unvaccinated = thick
Such a stereotype is all over this forum.

It's the same playbook as Brexit. I'm guessing it's the same people doing using the phrase.

@TheNoonBell

Exactly. People seem to think ‘different opinion to me = hasn’t thought it through’. It’s so arrogant.

And what about the ICU consultant who has decided against having the vaccine. Is he thick?

Am I thick (Oxbridge degree) because I have decided against having my booster?

Ah but It's much easier to sling insults at people rather than actually having a discussion with them. That just shows their arguments aren't very strong though 😉

"I heard BJ et all say it on the BBC" doesn't hold much weight now so it's easier to spit your dummy out, froth at the mouth a bit and squawk "thick" in your bestest, most patronising grown up voice whilst screwing your eyes up and sticking your fingers in your ears.

It's not related to intelligence or ego or anything. The direct connection is the level of trust somebody has in authorities to look out for their best interests. In this case specifically governments and health authorities.

It would be much more helpful to look at why there are vast groups of people having such experiences that they don't have trust in these groups rather than mocking or shouting at each other.

@BertieBotts
I do think this is a valid point, but even that isn’t the whole picture.

As someone upthread said, choosing not to take a particular vaccine doesn’t mean you’re against ALL vaccines - it just means you’ve weighed up your own circumstances in that instance and have decided it’s not the best course of action.

We don’t berate people who are eligible for a flu vaccine and choose not to take it, because it’s none of our business. And we probably wouldn’t even blame them if they got flu and gave it to us. This aggressive evangelism and judgement about the Covid jab is new.

IMO it’s because there has been so much emotion surrounding the whole pandemic - we’ve been royally set against each other. And in my experience the ones who say non-vaxxed peoples are thick/selfish are the ones most likely to have had a very emotional response - whether that’s fear, blame, indignation, anger etc. They are acting out of emotion and not logic, which is why they’re so aggressive.

@BertieBotts

I do think that the failure to address or even believe in people’s adverse reactions to the vaccine has a lot to do with the mistrust though.

[quote BoPeeple]@BertieBotts

I do think that the failure to address or even believe in people’s adverse reactions to the vaccine has a lot to do with the mistrust though.[/quote]
I also think that for some, whether consciously or subconsciously, it is also about picking a "team" and then feeling the need to defend and fight for the team. Of course, that clouds judgement, which leads to a disconnect where any perceived slight against the team must be dismissed, minimized, or shamed away.

It's difficult because, even though the chances are that most of the stories are coincidental and would have happened anyway, to the person they happen to they are real, frightening and the vaccine is an obvious thing to blame. And there's no way to prove they aren't right.

My sister had a miscarriage a week after her second vaccine and another 2 days after her booster. Now, she was only 6 weeks pregnant both times and she was trying to get pregnant in the same year that she was having three vaccines. So there's absolutely nothing to say that the miscarriages were linked to the vaccine. But, as lots of women have reported gynecological problems, there's also nothing to say that they weren't. And it would make me extremely heartless to belittle her concerns and say it would have happened anyway. I think all you can do in this situation is listen and be sympathetic.

@blameitonthecaffeine

Your poor sister. And as you say, whether it was a result of the vaccine or totally unrelated, many people in her situation would be understandably reluctant to get another vaccine, especially if they were low risk for Covid.

Air’s a perfect (if very sad) example of where people like the OP and @tilder and some of the others on this thread are showing their own lack of intelligence and empathy when they dismiss people’s valid reasons for choosing not to be vaccinated with their first, second, third or whatever vaccine. Everyone has their own reasons and they are none of anyone else’s business.

I hope no one has had the disrespect to preach to your sister about vaccines.

*It’s a perfect