Thread by @ErrataRob

We are not morons.
99% of the people getting vaccines do not know how they work, they aren't "smart".
Instead of intelligence they simply have faith in their leaders. Yes, some leaders are often failing their followers, but both sides kinda suck at that.

https://twitter.com/MarcGoldwein/status/1385576164840951808

No, it's not "listen to the scientists". Scientists get corrupted by politics like everyone else. The science is much more equivocal than people think. People aren't reading the science or listening to scientists -- they are listening to their political leaders claims of science.

People have legitimate and reasonable questions. For example, a friend gets stuck in bed for 3 days after a vaccine, which makes them worry. Nobody answers their concerns-- all they get is toxic responses "SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET A VACCINE MORON".

The CDC makes this clear that instead of such toxic responses calling them morons, you should reply with empathy.

But none of you really listen to the CDC, do you? Just your political Party leaders that tell you to be toxic.

https://twitter.com/CDCgov/status/1379884947566133255

I just had a conversation with somebody refusing to get a vaccine. Yes, it's very frustrating listening to his bad arguments. For example, he's been working with strangers this entire time and hasn't gotten sick, so thinks he's some how protected already.

The reality is that it's just statistics. It's only infected 10 percent of the population. There is no God looking out for you, you aren't especially strong, it's just that most people in your situation wouldn't have gotten sick anyway.

He's an older (late 50s) portly gentleman -- exactly the sort of person who really, really should get a vaccine. But I could do nothing to convince him. And that was frustrating.

But then, I'm sure he was frustrated he couldn't convince me.

Neither of us went all toxic, however

It's quite likely that not enough will get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, and that's going to cause problems for all us. It'll mean we have to continue to wear masks. It means schools will have to keep testing their students and close temporarily due to outbreaks.

So I'm not particularly happy with all the people avoiding vaccination. But at the same time, I'm still convinced that toxic behavior, such as calling them morons, is not the way forward.