• inshallah2 [none/use name]
    hexagon
    ·
    3 years ago

    they don’t even believe in it either way

    I don't agree. I think he's gone around the bend. In these comments somebody mentioned that even though he said he didn't want something shoved down his throat - he did have something literally shoved down his throat: a breathing tube.

    Before Trump the right-winger might have been very angry about his situation in life. Maybe he had trouble paying his mortgage or whatever. But now he's angry and scared. Even worse - I'm 100% certain he'd deny being scared about anything. Denial makes things far worse. When you're angry and scared - you can convince yourself to believe anything.

    He surely wants healthcare but he can't stop thinking that science and medicine is bad because it wants to "control" him.

    • PlantsRstillCool [des/pair]
      ·
      3 years ago

      He's probably pretty powerless in his life. He probably doesn't really feel in control. So by refusing the vaccine he is getting a sense of power and control. He's able to refuse something people are telling him to do and that's not something he can do at his work or any other part of life

      • Tao33 [none/use name]
        ·
        3 years ago

        I feel this but know a few "successful" business owners, one doing extremely well in the cannabis industry, that are anti vax. Maybe even the facade of financial control (i.e. ability to do pretty much whatever) is not an adequate substitution for self-autonomy divorced from a capitalist system. Like yeah you got the new truck but homie you're miserable.

      • inshallah2 [none/use name]
        hexagon
        ·
        3 years ago

        I’ve been wondering if it would be any better if the vaccine were being pitched to them by healthcare workers, in person…

        A lot of people on the news (many of whom deal with patients directly) have said patients can be reachable if somebody they trust speaks to them one-on-one.

        We are living through a scary time where many people's actual POV is - I believe in this nonsense so it's true. But I don't like these facts so they are not true and maybe they're lies as well.

          • nanoplague [she/her,comrade/them]
            ·
            3 years ago

            This.

            I run super-small vax clinics every couple of weeks. My ppl trust me amd my judgement and are slowly coming around (not a quick process). All of the messaging and outreach from fed/state has been geared at early adopters and there's v little actual effort at bringing late adopters on board (aside from guilting ppl, which clearly is v effective). Once I get one person, they usually end up bring a few of their contacts along later. I don't get everyone, but we are building a network.

            We've forgotten the vast amount of work prev vax campaigns have required and it fucking shows.

              • nanoplague [she/her,comrade/them]
                ·
                3 years ago

                So much of what I've seen of the hesitancy isn't denial, it's fear. This is something you can address with relationship-building not by slamming people for misunderstanding things, esp given the absolutely criminal messaging both admins have taken on COVID since last March.

                I gave a shot to someone last week after talking through their fears and understandings with them. It took TIME. Between myself and my colleagues, I spent a good month or so talking it over with this person. They finally got the shot and suddenly they're the biggest proponent of the vaccine and have been getting more ppl for the clinics.

                Meanwhile friends and fam are like 'what is wrong with them? How are they believing these lies?' Well, it couldn't possibly be because the only ones trying to reach these folx are those that benefit from their fear, cuz you sure as shit aren't doing anything.

                You won't get everyone, but so much of public health in a crisis is shoeleather, not done from the safety of an ivory tower and it is teeth-grindingly aggravating seeing it so poorly managed.

          • inshallah2 [none/use name]
            hexagon
            ·
            3 years ago

            Biden will never do it because he's old and he's well... Biden - but it seems to me that absolutely soon as possible he to needs to have an out-of-the-box plan to reach people. Off the top of my head the only thing I can think of is crazy and stupid. The federal government offers $10 for every person you can prove you helped vaccinate.

            Biden has to do something insanely bold that's probably also incredibly politically risky. Fall is coming and it from that point on the US will probably be a total horror show. "Following the science" is like using a bucket to try to put out a house fire.