Q&A: NIAID’s Jeanne Marrazzo speaks on bird flu, mpox, and succeeding Anthony Fauci
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An interview with the director of the NIAID, Jeanne Marrazzo, on bird flu, mpox, the post-Fauci era and more.

Jeanne Marrazzo, new leader of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, everyone:

Can I make a quick digression? We recently had a long Covid [research] meeting where we had about 200 people, in person. And we can’t mandate mask-wearing, because it’s federal property. But there was a fair amount of disturbance that we couldn’t, and people weren’t wearing masks, and one person accused us of committing a microaggression by not wearing masks.

And I take that very seriously. But I thought to myself, it’s more that people just want to live a normal life. We really don’t want to go back. It was so painful. We’re still all traumatized. Let’s be honest about that. None of us are over it.

So there’s not a lot of appetite for raising an alarm, especially if it could be perceived subsequently as a false alarm.

Edit - thanks for the help in bypassing the paywall.

  • ihaveibs [he/him]
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    1 month ago

    Shame is an essential tool that prevents the proliferation of bullies in human society. Ruling classes have obviously historically weaponized shame in horrific ways (ahem Christianity), but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water.

    • iridaniotter [she/her]
      ·
      1 month ago

      Seriously? Shame realistically just enforces social norms. That's often violent.

      • Ivysaur [she/her]
        ·
        1 month ago

        Shame is a tool and it can be used to mold society in good or bad ways. I don’t see how this is controversial.

        • iridaniotter [she/her]
          ·
          1 month ago

          No, shame is reactionary. As a social force it is used as a tool of aversion, and cognitively it has wide-ranging negative effects. A culture that employs shame to discipline its people will inevitably create a culture where people cannot be themselves. You state:

          Ruling classes have obviously historically weaponized shame in horrific ways (ahem Christianity)

          But you cannot just cross off all the ways class society uses shame as weaponization.

          Most instances where you think shame could be helpful (presumably in some sort of harmonious socialist society?) is better suited to the revolutionary social force & emotion of solidarity & empathy. Whereas repeated shame crushes one's spirit, instilling a sense of solidarity will only create more positive outcomes both socially and psychologically.

          • Ivysaur [she/her]
            ·
            1 month ago

            I am not the person who wrote that, no. I do not have solidarity with people whose actions will kill me.

          • ihaveibs [he/him]
            ·
            1 month ago

            Shame is a universal aspect of human society and existence. Prior to class society, people used shaming rituals to prevent others from exhibiting dominant behaviors e.g. hoarding food in order to maintain communal society and prevent subjugation. I don't think shame is in and of itself a bad thing, it depends on who is wielding it.