No Talking to Dumbshits

 

I have friends who know a lot about specific subjects. If I have questions about those subjects, I know who to ask. Vintage cameras and photography? Ask Morrow. Music theory? Lynn Davis. Bass guitars? Ed Friedland. Technology? John Worthington. And there are lots of other examples, from actual rocket science to Beatles facts and lore.

 

I personally remain woefully ignorant about almost everything. Do not trouble me with advanced math. I can’t fix your car. There’s a long list of Shit I Know Nothing About.

 

In my defense, I do remain curious. I always want to know more about human history and so I read books about that. Language fascinates me, so I’m always up for a good language book. I can probably answer your questions about Spanish grammar or why the verb ‘to go’ becomes ‘went’ in the past tense. And I’m a voracious reader about zoonotic diseases. How a virus can sometimes pass from its original ‘animal’ host over to humans. 

 

I’ve learned, however, that it’s impossible to inform anyone who relies on a belief system. This, you cannot do. If that person is, say, a devout, fundamentalist Christian, it’s a waste of time trying to tell them that the Bible isn’t true, there wasn’t a global flood, there is no proof of a god and so on. Faith is usually like that – belief in invisible and illogical stuff cannot be altered by factual information. And we’ve learned over the last few years that science can hardly ever keep its head above water when challenged and beaten with a baseball bat by high-ranking grifters/liars. Humans often prefer a big, fat simple lie over the usually complicated truth. 

 

For instance: “Masks don’t work.” This is a belief, not a fact. Sure, there is ample evidence that masks DO work. Surgeons aren’t buffoons. But once ‘masks don’t work’ becomes an ingrained belief, all facts can go take a flying fuck at a rolling donut. 

 

Also, “The COVID vaccine doesn’t work.” See how big, fat lies work? You could fit them on a bumper sticker! (This is more important than you think.) Again, you can’t argue the complicated truth to someone already convinced by the simple lie. “I know this guy one town over whose cousin’s girlfriend worked with a guy who died after being vaccinated. No, it’s true.” In fact, sometimes it’s ALL vaccines. “This dude I went to high school with was married to this chick who had a friend who knew someone who never got the flu shot and NEVER GOT THE FLU!” So, yeah, anecdotes about imaginary people clearly supercede decades of research and undeniable statistics, right?

 

Or, “The COVID vaccine is dangerous!” This is generally from people who have no fucking clue how any vaccines work, much less a modern mRNA model. They’re pretty sure it’s kind of like a flu shot – which it is not. Or, they say, not enough research has been done, ignorant of the history of this vaccine and that we’ve been working on them since 2002. 

 

As an aside, those same people enjoy telling me that Trump alone was responsible for cutting through all the red tape, allowing the rapid development of the COVID vaccines. Yeah, so…not really, but in any case, they ain’t getting no dangerous shot! Which their favorite ex-president probably personally mixed up in a bathroom sink, but logic has no place in that discussion.

 

Besides, COVID has a 99% survival rate! If that were the entire story, I can see why some might chance not being vaccinated. But of course it’s not the whole enchilada. There’s a wide variety of unpleasant and near-fatal experiences, including long hospital stays and lingering effects. "So-called COVID long-haulers were healthy people but have consequences from COVID that can last," says Dr Katie Pasarretti, an infectious disease specialist. "Yes, they survived, but it impacts quality of life, function and what-not." So it’s not only about surviving, it’s about surviving WELL. And protecting the community and the most high-risk individuals. But keep spouting your statistics that you don’t even come close to fucking understanding. Some other dumbfuck will listen to you and run off and die – or infect granny or some poor sick baby. 

 

I’m not currently debating the science. Not with people who don’t understand the science and who already have a belief system in place. You must be this tall to ride this ride. If you are, let’s talk. If you’re just a bit short, sorry. Come back later when you’re an adult.