The Anti-Vaccination Movement

[Freyja]

"Vaccination causes autism"
"My son turned gay from vaccinations!"
You probably see lines like these across facebook and other social media, and hopefully all of you are aware that they are nonsense. Any person with basic knowledge of biology know how ridiculous these claims are, but nonetheless there is a huge movement behind it!
Most of all it enrages me that it is allowed for people to not-vaccinate their children with these arguments and risk the health of many around them with their idiocy!
"It's the parent's / child's right to choose!"
No, it may be their body, but they lack the knowledge behind their choice and thus are unable to make this decision. All the child sees is a needle and thus pain, so of course they wouldn't pick that.
The parent is dumb enough to believe the lies of non-scientific 'researchers' and will decline.

Autism is a mental disorder that can be found on the chromosomes 7, 15, 16 or 17.
Chromosomes are little pieces of data containing DNA. Your DNA is also called the Genotype, and as any first-grader has been told the Genotype cannot be altered by influences after fertilisation.
In short: Vaccinations cannot cause autism.
Let alone homosexuality.

Don't let me get started on all of the other idiocy I see people spew!

 

[Dervish]

Chromosomes are little pieces of data containing DNA. Your DNA is also called the Genotype, and as any first-grader has been told the Genotype cannot be altered by influences after fertilisation.

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure most of my first grade was spent gluing macaroni to pieces of paper and being told I was making art, not learning about genetics or anything that could be remotely considered scientific, unless you count Lego or plasticine-based architecture.

But I agree entirely with what you're saying an it's infuriating that there's an outbreak of long-cured and potentially fatal diseases like measles happening because of a bunch of ignorant assholes who are basically saying they rather their kids die than get autism, which is beyond fucked up. This is, of course, with the long-proven knowledge that vaccines don't cause autism or any of the other ridiculous claims B-list celebrities and pseudo doctors claim.

The worst part is, I'm pretty sure most of those anti-vaxxers have some extremely unhealthy lifestyle choices that are probably going to cause their kids bad health issues down the road on top of the repercussions of not fucking vaccinating your goddamn kids.

 

[Freyja]

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure most of my first grade was spent gluing macaroni to pieces of paper and being told I was making art, not learning about genetics or anything that could be remotely considered scientific, unless you count Lego or plasticine-based architecture.

Ah, sorry. I'm not from America, so I had a different school system on my mind. I mean like the first grade of middle school (7th grade?)
Although it is basic knowledge.

The worst part is, I'm pretty sure most of those anti-vaxxers have some extremely unhealthy lifestyle choices that are probably going to cause their kids bad health issues down the road on top of the repercussions of not fucking vaccinating your goddamn kids.

Considering they are so paranoid about pharmaceutical corporations being in on some elaborate conspiracy, vaccines are probably not the only thing they refuse. Hopefully not all of them are that stupid.

 

[Dervish]

Ah, sorry. I'm not from America, so I had a different school system on my mind. I mean like the first grade of middle school (7th grade?)
Although it is basic knowledge.


Considering they are so paranoid about pharmaceutical corporations being in on some elaborate conspiracy, vaccines are probably not the only thing they refuse. Hopefully not all of them are that stupid.

I read a couple months back that the richest neighbourhoods like Beverly Hills and Santa Monica in California have lower vaccination rates than the poorest African countries now since this anti-vaccination thing took off. It would absolutely not surprise me if they held even more extremely self-destructive behaviours and beliefs.

I'm from Canada, so we have grades 1-12, where middle/ intermediate school is grades 6-8 and high school is 9-12.

 

[Archwar]

If they don't want a vaccine, it is their choice. Just that they won't be able to handle diseases that pop up and violently reproduce inside their bodies. Sometimes it takes such things to convince a person that 'yeah, maybe vaccines are good!' You can try and talk to them and maybe turn a few, but you know how humans are. -_-

Though, I can see where they're coming from, but the reasons are just stupid. Or at least most. If I recall correctly some people are allergenic to vaccines, but please do correct me if I'm wrong. Anyways, aside from that, most reasons are just stupid.

"MY SON TURNED GAY FROM A VACCINE!"

What do you mean? He's happy?

But like a person once said,'Two things are infinite, the Universe and human stupidity.'

I thank Allah for making me have the proper knowledge and not from among the ignorant.

 

[Freyja]

I read a couple months back that the richest neighbourhoods like Beverly Hills and Santa Monica in California have lower vaccination rates than the poorest African countries now since this anti-vaccination thing took off. It would absolutely not surprise me if they held even more extremely self-destructive behaviours and beliefs.

I'm from Canada, so we have grades 1-12, where middle/ intermediate school is grades 6-8 and high school is 9-12.

It's concerning how more and more of these upper class diseases are coming to existence, especially when it comes to raising children.
For example diets. Many children suffer from malnourishment, due to this 'health craze', where they focus too much on the reduction of vets, sugars and aim to get mostly fiber and water in their system, while they forget the essentials. This along with an over the top sterile surrounding, causing many new variants of allergies and weak immune systems, probably don't go well with a lack of vaccinations.

 

[Minerva]

I take all my Boosters, I took all my vaccines. The only one who doesn't vaccinate in my family is my mom, and that's only the flu vaccine because she always seems to get sick after taking it.

The Anti-Vaccination movement sickens me. (Pun not intended.) because, if they get sick, they could potentially affect those that can't vaccinate due to health reasons (I have a friend who can't due to an egg allergy.), those that haven't vaccinated yet, and each other. This could potentially shut down systems and affect those who do vaccinate. So, basically, they are screwing everyone, even themselves, by vaccinating.

BUT, I do agree that the government shouldn't make Non-vaccinating Illegal, because that's just wrong.

 

[Hatsune Candy]

Okay seriously, I'm so sick of hearing about this. How stupid can people get? Even IF vaccines had a remote chance of causing Autism, would you seriously put your kid at risk for getting very dangerous and potentially fatal diseases over the small possibility that they might get some silly developmental disorder that's practically harmless in comparison? I know people with Autism, they've learned to live with it just fine, and I can safely say that they'd rather have that over Measles or some other vaccinated illness.

 

[Gwazi Magnum]

Speaking as an Autistic whose worked in Autism Therapy, and has a mom who does believe that Vaccines cause Autism?
The belief that they do is complete and utter bullshit.

Granted, the H1N1 proved not all vacciness are well enough tested and could do with better testing measures.
But there is no proof or evidence that vaccines cause Autism, and even *if* it did it's still a better alternative to a ton of children getting sick and dying over it.

 

[Kagayours]

I of course agree that the anti-vaccine movement and all "arguments" for it are bullshit, however, I don't think that trying to convince anti-vaccers that they're wrong -- at least the way we've been trying to convince them -- is really an effective way of doing things, as shown in this convenient little video;

Please note that this isn't an anti-vaccine video, though I admit the title sure does make it sound that way -- but rather an explanation as to why anti-vaccers fall into the mindset in the first place. Not because of any actual reason why vaccinations are bad, but because of faulty reasoning, biases, logic traps, etc.

And I think that maybe knowing and understanding those biases are a better way to try to end the whole anti-vaccine movement, since just shouting "vaccines don't cause autism" is apparently rather ineffective at actually changing anyone's mind.

 

[Gore]

can confirm. vaccines did, in fact, make me the most gay motherfucker on the planet. i've loved vagina ever since my last flu shot. this is an outrage.

i say we ban vaccines and all other forms of medicinal practices. let's just fucking return to the middle ages, who needs sanitation and advanced technology to increase our life spans? it'll all give you autism, and DEAR GOD, NOTHING CAN BE WORSE THAN FUCKING AUTISM. deadly diseases that could kill you in mere days are no match for big, spooky-scary AUTISM.

done with this arguement, done with modern parents, done with all forms of this bullshit. honestly. this whole debate is a joke.

 

[Gwazi Magnum]

I think that maybe knowing and understanding those biases are a better way to try to end the whole anti-vaccine movement,

As it is with all things, understanding how the other side thinks/operates helps arm one with the information needed to show them otherwise.
The issue here however is that just like the video said there doesn't really seem to be a way to stop this anti-vaccine trend until the actual cause of Autism can be found.

And parents putting their own and other children at risk for deadly diseases is making people who know better rightfully furious, yet at the same time have no real way to stop it.

 

[Kagayours]

As it is with all things, understanding how the other side thinks/operates helps arm one with the information needed to show them otherwise.
The issue here however is that just like the video said there doesn't really seem to be a way to stop this anti-vaccine trend until the actual cause of Autism can be found.

And parents putting their own and other children at risk for deadly diseases is making people who know better rightfully furious, yet at the same time have no real way to stop it.

What I'm trying to say is, it makes more sense to argue against anti-vaccers with "the reason why people drew a false correlation between vaccines and autism is because..." as opposed to just straight-up saying that one doesn't cause the other. Because while the former just might open someone up to a viewpoint they hadn't considered before, the latter is something they already disagree with outright so they'll be far less likely to listen.

Also, making people aware of such logic traps makes them less likely to fall into them later. So, essentially, it prevents people from being anti-vaccine (or at least strongly anti-vaccine) in the first place. Which is... a start, at least.

I dunno, I feel like I'm rambling at this point. I just thought that, somehow, it might be more helpful than just screaming "vaccines don't cause autism" at people who aren't listening, anyway.

 

[Gwazi Magnum]

What I'm trying to say is, it makes more sense to argue against anti-vaccers with "the reason why people drew a false correlation between vaccines and autism is because..." as opposed to just straight-up saying that one doesn't cause the other. Because while the former just might open someone up to a viewpoint they hadn't considered before, the latter is something they already disagree with outright so they'll be far less likely to listen.

Also, making people aware of such logic traps makes them less likely to fall into them later. So, essentially, it prevents people from being anti-vaccine (or at least strongly anti-vaccine) in the first place. Which is... a start, at least.

I dunno, I feel like I'm rambling at this point. I just thought that, somehow, it might be more helpful than just screaming "vaccines don't cause autism" at people who aren't listening, anyway.

Well yea, forming an argument being better than simply stating the end conclusion/result is always going to be the better tactic.

Though looking at the nature of the replies here I can see where the concern is.
I can't speak for the others, but the reason I didn't really aim to form a strong argument was because everyone here already seems to agree.
To form a decent point against anti-vaccines seems redundant in such a situation.
But if someone came in here believing that they caused Autism? Then I'd be probably be digging deeper into it.

+I tend to be a better reactionary explainer than someone who make's the opening argument.

 

[SacredWarrior]

There's actually a fucking movement going around about this shit? Excuse my language. I'm so done with society and people in general. I am seriously beginning to think that people are getting more and more STUPID and RETARDED in this day and age! Anti-vaccination should be made illegal definitely. The only reason anyone should be against vaccination is because of any allergies they may have. Seriously what the hell?

 

[Gwazi Magnum]

I am seriously beginning to think that people are getting more and more STUPID and RETARDED in this day and age!

Nah. It's just that the Internet exposes us to the entire world, as a result we end up seeing a lot more stupid shit than we would have without the Internet.

 

[SacredWarrior]

Nah. It's just that the Internet exposes us to the entire world, as a result we end up seeing a lot more stupid shit than we would have without the Internet.

Yeah true -_- I see stupid stuff both on and off the internet so I'm just losing hope in humanity regardless

 

[Gwazi Magnum]

Yeah true -_- I see stupid stuff both on and off the internet so I'm just losing hope in humanity regardless

I can relate, people can be pretty hopeless at times.

But we all have flaws.
Hell I'm pretty sure there's a lot of flaws I find in other people that I'm just as guilty of having.
I just don't notice it because people aren't wired to be that critical of themselves.

 

[Razilin]

So people have the right to refuse vaccines

But I once was treating a young dude who picked up meningitis, and for about a week he was having seizures, lost the use of the left side of his body, and developed a blood clot in his brain. All classic complications of meningitis, even if treated early.

So yeah.

 

[Mu]

"My son turned gay from vaccinations!"

Okay.

Really, vaccinations are there to help prevent certain diseases for your child. Like what on earth? Plus the pain is only about one second long and then it's just light throbbing, though I do understand the fear of needles.

Just had my last Hep B shot.
I got candy for it.
It's not that bad.