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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 16th, 2023

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  • I was talking specifically of covid vaccinations. Conflating the way covid was pitched and the reasonable doubt people had with it, and attributing the same label you to to those that questions other vaccinations is it’s own issue.

    Measles is one of the oldest vaccines out there. There’s generations of data on its efficacy.

    I have been labeled anti-vax because I expressed doubts about the Covid-19 vaccine. And that’s not an accurate depiction of my stance, or of the medical decisions I made for myself and my family both during the pandemic and since (or before for that matter). In fact we required family to get tdap boosters to see my premature daughter back in the early 2010s because of pertussis and the specific risks to newborns, especially premature kids. And I couldn’t bring her home because I had a fever at the end of her multi-week NICU stay.


  • Personally I think there are cultures of distrust built up by the government as an authority they have to overcome.

    The methods of testing and developing these vaccines are radically different than previous vaccines. And the qualifiers of who was “at risk” and would need them were basically wide open from a government messaging standpoint.

    So people naturally looked at it with skepticism. It then became a political battle. And medical officials did not do themselves any favors by making certain assertions using the same authority that turned out not to be true.

    For example the initial reports of the origin of the virus being from a infectious disease lab in Wuhan, China were vehemently denied and shot down. Even those with a history of more liberal stances like John Stewart were shouted down and lampooned. The reality was they had no authority or information to based their denial of those assertions and low and behold it blew up in their face.

    And here’s the thing. Even if their messaging was altruistic there have been vaccines in the past that made clearance and the. We’re recalled after testing because of side effects not found in testing. So there’s a history there. And the companies creating these vaccines have a history of covering up bad effects if it hits their bottoms line, such as the J&J aspiring or the talcum powder/baby power recalls. And that’s not to mention the history of testing on underserved communities that weren’t fully disclosed (ie:tuskeegee).

    So yeha, it would make sense that there’s some new virus we have never seen and suddenly some miracle cure comes out within weeks, and there’s a huge media blitz for everyone, even those in good health witb relatively little risk factors, HAVE to get it. There was no nuance and again, while the push may have been altruistic the history shows there little that will help when the side effects emerge. And “just trust us we’re scientists” isnt enough.

    Look at what happened with 9/11 cleanup crews. They have huge rates of cancer and such for cleaning those buildings up and now none of them can get treatment or even recognized that it’s a cause. Another thing Mr. Stewart goes nuts on.

    So the doubt of the claims, to me, was and still is justified.




  • That’s interesting. I kinda did the opposite. Was raised in a fairly liberal house and went to college.

    But as I got older and gained experience have drifted more towards some almagamation of a libertarian mindset. Libertarians suffer severely from a “no true Scott’s man “ thing. So i politically don’t really have a home and it depends on a candidate. And if you ask many they may write me off as an opponent or undesirable based on a single policy stance.

    Overall I feel the government means well but often doesn’t DO well or implement well as thus I am more hesistant for social programs as I get older. Like I’m not one of those races are theft people but just that government should keep to very specific and targeted programs and not try and be a regulation solution for everything. Only regulate when it’s clear a market can’t do so itself and negatively affects the people, like in banking.

    But when it gets huge and unwieldy things go south quick. Like healthcare for all would be awesome, but then you look at how Medicare is ran or the VA and I get big time squirrly feelings.

    Similarly with things like gun control. The theres no legislation that will solve the cultural issues that lead to all types of gun deaths. And what legislation is out there, even at the state level is often totally based on false premises and thus doesn’t solve the issues they intend to.

    So just like I feel abortion is a deeply personal choice and if someone is self aware enough to know they won’t be a good parent they should make that call, especially if the alternative is the government having to raise kids (cause foster care is a mess). I feel similarly about gun control.

    In most things I probs lean left on the American spectrum. But honestly there are few in our current political system that I can point to an be like “them, I really like them!”


  • Here’s the thing. There are now tips added to all sorts of checkouts. And it’s muddier than ever.

    As an American I don’t tip shit unless it’s a full service restaurant. Aka they are refilling my drinks for me.

    If I’m getting a sandwich at a sandwich line where you stand in line and call out what ingrediants you want and take it to go, I don’t tip. If I’m just getting a coffee black, I’m not tipping. Etc etc.

    The checkouts now though ask for tips on all sorts of stuff. I increasingly refuse to tip for things like self service places, takeout, etc.








  • I would argue the opposite. Kids are amazing. They see things clearer and arent jaded. They give you purpose. There are definately hard parts, and sometimes you dont get a break, but its not something I would trade for the world. They are little reflections of you, that you can improve on and watching someone with the wonder of awe of seeing and learning all these little things for the first time is pretty damn cool. Watching it “click” when they learn to do things like build stuff, ride a bike, swim, read etc etc is pretty awesome.