Saturday, October 23, 2021

Pandemic Saturday

This video is appropriate when discussing the danger of the pandemic, especially when it comes to deniers and anti-vaxxers.  It is unfortunate (but apparently inevitable) that so many people cling to utter nonsense in relation to Covid-19.  As long as their numbers remain high (and there is no reason to believe they won't remain high) conspiracy peddlers on the internet will continue to cash in on these idiots.  Along with being "stupid" and a danger to everyone else, their condition is confounded by the Dunning-Kruger effect: a problem of metacognition - the ability to analyze one's own thoughts or performance.  Those with limited knowledge in a domain (and those who soak up misinformation) suffer a dual burden.  Not only do they reach mistaken conclusions and make regrettable errors, but their incompetence robs them of the ability to realize it.  What makes it even worse for the stupid is a little "confirmation bias".  They tend to seek out, interpret, and recall only information that confirms their preconceived notions and ideas.  In other words, people attempt to preserve their existing beliefs by paying attention only to information that confirms those beliefs and discounting information that could challenge them.  83,91,61,0,B

9 comments:

just.Bob said...

John, you are so smart.

JudithK said...

The more things change, the more we remain the same. https://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/history-anti-vaccination-movements

Todd said...

John you seem to have become very closed minded to the possibility that your view, while appropriate for you, may not be another person's view and what they see as appropriate for themselves.

Answer this, if you don't mind:

If a person is vaccinated, what difference does it make if another person chooses not to be vaccinated? I mean, person #1 is vaccinated, so they are good right? Why does it matter to them if their neighbor declined the vaccine? I don't understand.

Thanks John, hope you are well.

John Wells said...

Todd - not only is your comment off topic and ridiculous - considering the subject of this blog post, it is incredibly ironic. Because of the irony, I am not going to delete your comment and will try to help you understand a few things. I am "close minded" about my view because it is based on undebatable facts. To suggest that vaccination may not be appropriate for everyone is absurd. If you are still asking such a question about vaccination this late in the pandemic, you obviously are 1. Not paying attention to the facts. 2. Paying too much attention to misinformation. 3. You don't know the difference between the two. The internet is a wonderful way to increase your knowledge as long as you know how to discern between truth and bullshit. If you are still having trouble with that, you may find some answers by reading my blog post carefully and watch the entire video I posted.

pamit said...

That "views" like Todd's persist, is why Covid-19 will be with us for a long, long time. Folks who don't get the vax can and do serve as mutating vessels for Covid-19, causing new variants to threaten us all.

Yes, those who are vaccinated can still get Covid - but the chances of that are much, much, much smaller. Yes, if vaxxed people get Covid, they can still have a bad case and die - but chances of that are much, much smaller. With smaller viral loads, such as vaxed people are likely to have in those much less likely cases, come much, much smaller chances of mutation and passing it on.

See Dick run. Run, Jane, run!

It's like seatbelts, Toddy. You can still die with a seatbelt on, but chances are smaller. And an unbelted person in your car, can serve as a projectile and kill belted passengers. Capiche?

just.Bob said...

Folks like Todd may have had COVID and have immunity. Others may have had COVID and got the monoclonal antibody infusion, again better than the vaccine. CDC reported earlier this week that 40% of COVID deaths last week were fully vaccinated. I’m fully vaccinated, have had COVID Delta, and the monoclonal antibodies. I have a strong dislike for people who talk down to me or anyone else thinking their opinion is on the right hand side of XXX and everyone else is a raving idiot or worse. I personally fear for what the country will become when healthcare providers, first responders of all type- police, firefighters, pilots, military, & teachers, etc lose their jobs or quit over their personal decisions to do or not do what a over controlling government says as a mandate. Some of us may not be eloquent in words as others, but Im dang sure that does not mean their words or opinions are of more value than others. This is neither off topic or ridiculous.Thanks..
Wayne Kerr a.k.. “Wanker”

pamit said...

Wanker, you are spouting the rightwing, Koolaid-ish, talking points. And it appears you are cherry-picking your facts. If your CDC "fact" was from this report, please take into account all the info there.

https://katv.com/news/coronavirus/rise-in-breakthrough-deaths-should-not-cast-doubt-on-vaccines-experts-say

"A CDC analysis conducted in 13 U.S. jurisdictions as the delta variant began to spread between mid-June and mid-July found the fully vaccinated accounted for 16% of deaths, 14% of hospitalizations, and 18% of all new infections. Researchers said the frequency of breakthrough cases was higher than expected and reflected a possible decline in vaccine efficacy, but the vaccines still provided substantial protection against severe outcomes."

Like you, Wanker, I have a strong dislike for people who ignore facts to bolster a wrong-headed, ignorant POV. As Melania would say, "Be best!"

pamit said...

Wanker, you are spouting the rightwing, Koolaid-ish, talking points. And it appears you are cherry-picking your facts. If your CDC "fact" was from this report, please take into account all the info there.

https://katv.com/news/coronavirus/rise-in-breakthrough-deaths-should-not-cast-doubt-on-vaccines-experts-say

"A CDC analysis conducted in 13 U.S. jurisdictions as the delta variant began to spread between mid-June and mid-July found the fully vaccinated accounted for 16% of deaths, 14% of hospitalizations, and 18% of all new infections. Researchers said the frequency of breakthrough cases was higher than expected and reflected a possible decline in vaccine efficacy, but the vaccines still provided substantial protection against severe outcomes."

Like you, Wanker, I have a strong dislike for people who ignore facts to bolster a wrong-headed, ignorant POV. As Melania would say, "Be best!"

John Wells said...

Wayne...you are not very smart and your comment IS ridiculous. 1. The vaccine has been proven without a doubt that it is the best protection against Covid. Any other options are based solely on anecdotal evidence, misinformation, and conspiracy theories - and not based on real science. 2. The CDC did not report earlier this week that 40% of deaths last week were fully vaccinated. What was reported was a statement by a former director of the CDC who claims that 40% of the deaths IN MARYLAND over the past 6 - 8 weeks were fully vaccinated patients. This statement was made in response to news of the death of former Secretary of State Colin Powell (who was fully vaccinated but died because of a compromised immune system due to cancer treatments). Andy Owen, a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Health clarified this claim by stating that from Sept. 1 to Oct. 15, only about 30% of Marylanders who died of confirmed COVID-19 were fully vaccinated, and the majority of them had other health conditions that made them more vulnerable. Overall, well over 90% of deaths are still from the unvaccinated. Under the circumstances, employers mandating vaccination makes perfect sense while so many people still resist proven science and cling to fantasy (or try to present stupid evidence about the fully vaccinated dying). As I replied to Todd above - NOT ONLY IS YOUR COMMENT off topic and ridiculous - considering the subject of this blog post, it too is incredibly ironic. We are at a point in this pandemic where we are past coddling those who ignore the facts and there is nothing left than to point out their stupidity. If you are still having trouble with that, you may find some answers by reading my blog post carefully and watch the entire video I posted. Under the circumstances - your words and opinions have very little value.