I met a real life full on anti vaxxer today

[shiningcuckoo]

And some of her opinions were so out there and aggressive I had to walk away. Apparently if we hadn't vaccinated against measles we'd all be ok because measles provides immunity. And actually measles never hurt anyone. And polio never hurt anyone either. People being seriously ill was a conspiracy designed to get us to accept vaccines back in the day, al" heading towards the greatest conspiracy of all and that is population control and the existence of Covid. She apparently knows loads of "elders" who nursed people through polio. Apparently it's very mild. I asked her to define "elders" and she talked about my generation. My generation were vaccinated. No one had polio, never mind nursed others. And there is no Covid in Africa. And no Covid in Nepal. She knows this because she once went on holiday to Nepal. And she is applying to remove her children from Steiner to homeschool them because vaccinated teachers (it's mandatory here) are a poor moral example. Either that or are being forced . When I said that I didn't know a single teacher who had been vaccinated against their will (and I know loads having been a teacher for 20 years) she said that was just my opinion and one opinion counted for nothing. I had to leave her company.

Her baby wasn’t a neonate, he was 4 months I think, I assume he was on NICU because of the intensity of the nursing he required or perhaps PICU was full.

'I think a lot of antivaxxers (of the hardcore variety as opposed to the hesitants) are basically people who are mentally quite unwell and very lost and looking for something to grasp hold of."

I do think it is health anxiety, fear of the vaccines fear of needles which they feel a bit silly about voicing, so change their narrative to conspiracy and overreaction theories which they feel is more acceptable.

@Dontgetyerknicksinatwist

There was a large vaccination event at our local community hub recently and there were a load of anti vaxers lined up outside shouting abuse at the people queuing up to get their jabs.

That is really sad. Why can't they leave people who want the vaccination alone. Shame they are part of the problem with no solution (well apart from use your own immune system - duh if it was that easy people wouldn't be dying from void).

They are like a cult spreading their nonsense.

My science teacher at school 1970s) had survived polio, and walked with a pronounced limp. Lovely man, I remember him fondly.
My mum lost childhood friends to measles.

I have an anti vaxxer neighbour. She'll collar anybody she can to talk at them about it. They've all had covid, and husband had a night in hospital because he collapsed with it, but she still thinks they government are trying to poison us with vaccines. She knows because she's spent a lot of time researching. She's a lovely lady and I genuinely think she's trying to protect people by telling them not to get vaccinated.
Another friend is convinced that the nose swabs are contaminated so won't do the tests.
I've taken my chances on both.
I tend to think I'll go along with guidance and if that makes me a sheep, so be it 🤷‍♀️

In the late 1970's while working in Australia, I looked after this woman in her iron lung. She'd been in it since she contracted polio in 1949. She was in it for 60 years before dying, aged 83.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Middleton

I have genuinely come to the conclusion that within humanity as a whole there is an evolved desire to believe essentially unbelievable things. Humans have always done so. With the decline of religion other secular beliefs have taken their place. I think they have a social bonding function, as well as providing meaning and purpose. (which we all know we all need).

Can anyone explain WHY governments have invented covid? What is their motivation for this huge conspiracy? I've never heard an anti-vaxxer explain this.

I too had a science teacher who had had polio! She had a withered arm and a bad limp.

My mother said that during an outbreak people were terrified for their children and Woolworths and the cinema were considered particularly dangerous…. Ian Dury contracted polio he believes in a swimming pool.

@Decemberfinances

Can anyone explain WHY governments have invented covid? What is their motivation for this huge conspiracy? I've never heard an anti-vaxxer explain this.

Its taking longer than expected t change llama the batteries in birds.

@Ormally

Does anyone have any memories of how people regarded the early vaccines for polio, for example? And whether there were immune reactions for those who got a jab? Was there a similar swathe of antivaxx opinions?

I was surprised to learn that there was an anti -vax movement with the small pox vaccine (given how awful small pox was, read the descriptions of people having it - awful - you would have thought people would be delighted).

But lets face it, history has proved the vaccinators right. As they have ever since with vaccines, which really are inarguably a force for good.

Problem is, the motivations for anti-vaxx opinions are not rational, which is why you can't dissuade people from them with reason and evidence.

‘Yes but following this to its logical conclusion the elite if the world are more likely to want the remaining population to be the sensible sort who listen and follow government instructions rather than have the world's population depending on those anti vaxxers who come across as ranting idiots.‘

Now that’s proper logic

Their answer would probably be that advancements in AI will pretty much have negated the need for any humans by then so will deal with the 'Awakened' down the line after having culled 90% by the vaccine. They see a window if they awaken us that we can stop this eventuality from happening. Somehow the AI scientists must be in on the conspiracy as they will be refusing this vaccine so that the killer robots and their ilk can be created in oder.

WAKE UP SHEEPLE !

[quote OhLittleBoreOfWhabylon]In the late 1970's while working in Australia, I looked after this woman in her iron lung. She'd been in it since she contracted polio in 1949. She was in it for 60 years before dying, aged 83.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Middleton[/quote]
I've just been reading about those. Just remembered my fiends mum used to have to go into hospital for weeks at a time in one of those. Horrific (yet I'm inspired at the strength of the human spirit!)

My aunt lost twin babies at almost full term due to measles.

My arm still weirdly aches where I had my vaccines and booster, I reacted quite badly to all of them and yet I would have them again.

Debate is a wonderful thing until it dissolves to each side just shouting at each other.

Oh god! You can’t argue with stupid. I can see why you left

I have a friend who believes all the plandemic theories. Her whole family have been conspiracy theorists for a long time ie love D Icke etc. They are a large family and she moved away from them many years ago. I think she misses being part of a group of like minded people. She also likes to be part of a scene - think music. I think this particular conspiracy theory regarding C19 appeals to her because she says she has now found her 'sisterhood' amongst other female plandemic believers. She is prone to anxiety and it plays on her fears. It's a movement so she can spend her spare time on marches and demonstrations. It has been very alienating regarding our friendship and I find it narcissistic and arrogant that she thinks that we must listen to reason regarding her FB links to right wing entrepreneurs who are espousing their wacky ideas for followers and clout.

Tbh I'd question the mental health of anyone who had these thoughts because it sounds like paranoia.

According to the anti-vaxer I know, measles is a good thing because any woman who has measles won't go on to develop ovarian cancer.
My sister had measles as a child. She died of ovarian cancer. According to him, she must not have had measles then

@vera99

One conspiracy is that the billionaire class realise that climate change population numbers will destroy the earth and that the earth's population needs to be brought down to 500 million so that their families and class can continue. The virus was released to create the scare and that the vaccines will begin to kill everybody in the next 2-3 years otherwise known as 'The Plandemic' or 'Great Reset'. The ones that are aware of this are 'Awake'.

They also think folk like Piers Corbyn and David Icke are wise and great leaders.

Literally the plot of kingsman

So yeah, anxiety, belonging to a group and being part of a scene that gives a sense of purpose. Plus a sense of superiority are big motivating factors. She truly believes all the guff though

Mass conspiracies would have to involve hundreds of thousands of conspirators, none of whom ever speak out…..

Anti-vaxxer gold on another thread when someone spouted the examples of Eric Clapton and Van Morrison as people of whom we should take notice because of their anti-vac stance….

The Activaxxing "movement" rose with the Mmr debacle didn't it ? And that was a hoax

The one I know is really quite mentally unstable. But just found out DSS's girlfriend hasn't been vaccinated. She's young, well educated, but really doesn't think that vaccinations are right. She also believes in creationism though soooo....

@Decemberfinances

I have genuinely come to the conclusion that within humanity as a whole there is an evolved desire to believe essentially unbelievable things. Humans have always done so. With the decline of religion other secular beliefs have taken their place. I think they have a social bonding function, as well as providing meaning and purpose. (which we all know we all need).

I have been thinking this too. I also have some thoughts around the process of trying to steer a societal norm (as large a majority vaccinated as possible, and ultimately, globally) through a part of medicine (vaccination) that feels more specialist and remote than, say, something over-the-counter. Societal norm now very fragmented (if not worse) by social and mainstream media etc. We don't necessarily know the success rate or adverse reactivity chances before taking them in an individual case, of things like heart medicine, fertility boosters, or statins (a good example as statins can become more effective alongside non-drug changes to behaviour), but I think there would be greater 'accepted' uptake of those in a group if they looked to be indicated.

I genuinely feel sorry for people with such views.

However, look at social media recently. It’s full of ‘mediums and Crystal lovers’ it’s very easy to fall into a trap with such utter rubbish.

I know someone who nearly died of covid last year due to age, vulnerable underlying ailment and they were in hospital with it. We were told they might die. Luckily they didn’t.

That person is now unvaccinated due to their immediate family’s anti vax bollocks. If they get covid again, I don’t think they will make it and if they don’t, I will hold these people accountable for it.