As I work on a few different topics (as well as my taxes…) I wanted to get a feel from everyone as to their perspective on how the view the current COVID discourse. Whether it be on Substack, on Twitter, or any other Social Media or news outlet.
I ask mainly because I have been seeing some things that I find quite concerning, but instead of writing a post lamenting this fact I would rather see what all of your opinions are.
Do you think the discussions are good? Are there some concerning things? Do you think a lot of the discourse is deviating too far?
So I am opening up the discussion and would like to know what you all think. Please leave a comment, start a discussion, or really provide any feedback as to positives or critiques of this Substack.
Most just seem to want to move on and forget it ever happened. Especially the “vax’d”. But the “vax free” are still being locked out of certain aspects of society and that concerns me. We still have countries enforcing vax passports. The injured are still not being heard. It feels like it’s all being buried for political purposes. Ukraine is the new bright shiny object now.
I will personally say that many of us are likely feeling burned out. There's so much more to cover and every day it feels like more information is coming out. However, at the same time it feels like it becomes more difficult to read papers. I know my eyes reach a point where they gloss over a lot of COVID papers, especially ones on neutralization/antibody assays. A few days ago I took a break from reading COVID-related stuff, and do you know what I did? I started reading papers on BPA! I would rather read papers on plastic than read more about COVID, even though this area is extremely important.
I have two main topics of stuff I want to look into further, but I hope people don't see that the lower rate of COVID posts are because people have moved onto the next thing, but is likely because many people are just feeling mentally fatigued for the time being.
And I definitely feel with your sentiments about those who are unvaxxed. I left my job in fall 2021 because of vaccine mandates, and now I'm hearing that mask mandates are coming back in certain areas. It worries me that lockdowns may return or that vax mandates will always be a looming concern.
I understand. I feel very stressed out over this topic, and I’m just a reader! Not a serious researcher/writer. But I believe Moderna gave my mom a stroke, and killed her. It feels like they are going to get away with it, and probably much more to come. My own personal hell, I guess.
Wow, I am very sorry for your loss. That's such a struggle to have to deal with and it's understandable why someone would be extremely leery of everything going on. I've had a few instances in my personal life that made me really concerned. The only problem is that I don't really know because there isn't enough information out there. And that's the biggest issue we are having- the lack of transparency and information leaves us to have to speculate on these issues. I'd rather not speculate but when we are not provided any other information what else are we left with? It's hard to tell someone who lost a loved one that "well, we don't know for sure that it was the vaccine." The onus falls upon the medical community to provide clarity so that we don't have to speculate.
I regularly advise people that speculating is largely a waste of time and unproductive as emotions are often allowed to support any given point of view... and that really is unhelpful.
However, there are times when lack of information is so obviously evidence of malpractice when there's no logical reason why information is either being withheld or twisted deliberately by being completely at odds with information that IS available. That then doesn't mean speculation, but, at the very least, basis for hypothesis and open discussion.
When such discussion is summarily shut down and/or censored it's tantamount to evidence that the hypothesis was correct.
The medical "community" refuses to co-operate. The only speculation is as to why.
It does really make me leery when even the concept of trying to learn or asking questions is dangerous. If the facts are there, you wouldn't need to shut down questions and inquiry.
It's difficult because it's obvious that some people are sticking their nose up to this issue and acting like it's not a thing. At the same time I think other people are running down random paths in order to search for their own answers to the problem. It's hard enough being someone without a lab or money trying to understand things but when people who have the means to aren't it definitely becomes very frustrated.
Since being forced to retire (or face dismissal for my unvaxxed status) from the VA, I spend a lot of time on substack. There are several reasons for this...I learn so much, I have found a community of like minded friends, I can share what I think without the anxiety of being accused of 'wrongthought'. I have noticed that there are very few now who accuse the unvaxxed of being the cause of mutation in covid. I think this may be because people are starting to understand that the vaccines are responsible for the most part. The lies of vaccinated immunity have been exposed and the movement away from the strident narrative of those looking for someone to blame has ever so slightly shifted. FOR NOW. I am always careful about endorsing an idea that has no evidence to support it BUT I am appalled that at this point anyone could consider letting those who 1) created this virus in a lab using any excuse at all... In the name of science; to create a vaccine for a potential virus; or as a biological weapon. I constantly hear people calling for Fauci to be fired. FIRED! He and Francis Collins are not only responsible participants in this egregious crime but they have covered it up and accepted the adulation of millions of people. They and all willing participants should be prosecuted for murder. There literally is no punishment harsh enough to bring justice to this crime. 2) The scientists and doctors willing to use their credentials to malign and destroy those who worked tirelessly to serve and protect their patients (and in fact all of humanity.) These people should lose those credentials, along with any right to participate in a scientific study of any kind. They should be sued in a court of law for malicious slander. At this point the only response to the utter destruction of businesses, families and children is FURY. How many have lost jobs, or been forced to take this vaccine to keep providing for their families? Who could even have imagined this a year ago? No the discourse is not deviating too far. The same government that lied and cheated through the covid pandemic is now lying and cheating their way through a war. Why? Because the U.S. only murders human beings righteously? Because we don't engage in blatant propaganda? Because we don't interfere in the elections of other nations? The only way to change the discourse is to tell the truth...with righteous anger and consequences for criminals. If we are merciful to the psychopaths who have created this misery they will do it again. and again. and again. Psychopaths do not feel remorse. It may be too late, the "war" may already be lost but if we "move on" it will absolutely be lost and the consequences to humanity will be unimaginable. That is what I think.
The concept of unvaxxed causing COVID mutations came at a time when many still believed in the sterile nature of these vaccines. I think at this point the amount of so-called "breakthrough" infections have disabused the claims that vaccinated people cannot spread COVID and also serve as reservoirs for mutations.
As to how we deal with Fauci or any of those involved, it really is difficult to see an end result that would really satiate many of us. I think he's likely to fade into the distance and become a memory even if we would prefer a more righteous approach. We definitely need to pay attention to what is happening in the future and if there are changes that can be made. If anything, at least more people are aware and will be critical of what they see. Hopefully we can push for more transparency and put more pressure on those higher up.
You are a diplomat. I appreciate that and once upon a time (two years ago) I would have endorsed diplomacy. 15 months after January 6 the effort to punish people who allowed their passion to pose a threat to the peace of congress is beyond comprehension. The eagerness to punish those who pushed the boundaries is palpable. In comparison those who have lied, manipulated and crushed the citizens of this and other countries for 2 years should walk free?
What happens when we "pay attention" if we have no options. How do we push for more transparency or apply more pressure if there is no power to act? We have a constitution in this country that has been shredded. So we obviously can't invoke law if we have no power. I know the purpose of your stack is more geared to the science and I am sorry to have vented when that probably wasn't the intent of your question. I did appreciate your last (diplomatic) and intelligent response to the two theories and am looking forward to more. Maybe tomorrow I won't be so mad about everything. Thanks.
I certainly understand that perspective- in fact, I would say that I still think in such a similar degree. Why play by the rules when those who are in control are free do to as they will? But I'm realizing that that line of thinking is not personally healthy. Stewing in negative thoughts and having them cloud my judgement makes it difficult to be productive, and if that's the end goal of everything then certainly those in power would want that.
Now, I'm going with the belief that one of the worst things one can do to those in power is to keep living their lives. That's what the lockdowns and the mandates are meant to suppress. If you keep living your life and being happy it may be the worst thing for them.
Also, don't apologize for being angry. This place should certainly be a place to vent and let out frustrations! And if you are curious I have written some other non-science posts in the past including the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict. I would like to dabble more in the culture and science aspect and interweave them in the future as well.
Thanks for all that you do and write about, I find it very helpful. My main reading each day is substat, I have a Twitter account but don't use it much anymore. I like to read anything related to the pandemic on the vaccines, since it is forefront in my life here in california. I appreciate the people on substack who know more about statistics than I, so they can hash through data. I love any writing about the pandemic and the vaccines, since it's in the forefront in my life and I foresee more restrictions coming up again here in California in the fall. I really like it when the substacks disagree or have different perspectives, it feels like the writers and scientists are checking each other's work, or opening up different perspectives for each other, which is important. I feel a lot of community in the comments, and while it's not the same as in person community, I value it a lot. The online community got me through some really hard, dark times over the past year and a half. The substack writers also give me a sense of community too. 😁👍🏽🙏💕
California really is a difficult place to deal with all of this! I'm glad so many people are covering the statistics- just like you this really is outside of my wheelhouse (I prefer to look at molecules and mechanisms which is why I've been covering some more drug-related stuff).
I definitely empathize with the looming prospect of further lockdowns- it appears that mask mandates are coming back in my neck of the woods.
Overall I'm really glad you're finding a lot of fruitfulness from many of the posts here! And yes it's quite important that people disagree- it brings out the best in people!
In one of your replies you mention being burned out on reading studies RE the virus. I think that is the same problem for lay readers of Covid-vaccine skeptical substack - the plot is too messy to keep up with, so there's a ton of reader attrition. Really, I was already noticing that Covid-vaccine skeptical substack was in information overload back in November. So it's been 5 months of feeling like I have to be careful not to throw too much at the reader; they have enough on their plate already. In that sense it's hard to feel despondent about short-term dips in quality of the discourse, because I've been in one-foot-in-front-of-the-other mode for almost half a year already.
Still, it's sobering that substack totally replicates the same expert-layperson dynamic that leads to excessive trust in the experts: whichever voice refuses to acknowledge doubt or respond to criticism, becomes the "authority," even if all their predictions fall flat. In a way it's less surprising to see this in a social media platform vs in actual, official research, but on the other hand why are substack readers so trusting of anyone who can throw a graph together? Didn't they come here to hear truth, not snake-oil? Well, it is what it is.
Yes I certainly feel you Brian! When writing posts I wonder "is this worth it?" or "will people understand?" My anthology posts are definitely above the layperson's knowledge and I've neglected that a lot when writing those. At the same time I've noticed that science, as told to the layperson, is absolutely so reductive that it does not even provide any valid information. It's why the only thing people remember of science is "the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell." I don't even think those people understand what it means! So it's a difficult battle of not being too verbose and deep into the science literature while also sounding like so much of the nuance was stripped.
And honestly, your second paragraph is one of the things that I'm starting to find so concerning. I've commented several times that people should not trust what I write and look for themselves. I'm always open to criticism as well. One of the reasons why I post so many figures in my articles is 1. I'm a visual learner and like to look at figures and charts and 2. It puts the information in front of everyone and they can see if I misinterpreted something or lying.
I'm actually surprised at how many people don't actually appear to put in a good-faith effort to read some studies. There was another person's Substack who brought up a study on graphene and was criticizing the abstract. I thought the interpretation was off, read a bit of the study, and found out the person completely misunderstood the study. But at that point the readers have been riled up and they've already made a conclusion.
Maybe I have written about this in your comment section, but I've been lamenting what the meta for Substack will be in the near future, and in some aspects I think it will devolve into the same type of discourse seen on other social media sites.
At this point in time, the substacks are the most reliable and informative writings. Not always right, but always exploring the discoverable fragments in order to create an understanding - of what we have been through and what we are facing. No one source has the complete picture; our job whether writing or just reading and commenting is to connect the dots in a sparse puzzle.
Therefore I wouldn't worry too much about how this media might devolve in the future. Right now it is superior and for that I am grateful.
One of the things to always keep in mind is that, just as likely as the news may misinform and deceive, other people here may do the same. It's always important to keep an eye out for of things don't appear to add up, and always be willing to criticize when that happens. Like Brian stated above, I'm a little concerned that skepticism of mainstream media may lead people to blindly trusting what gets posted here and they may not decide to look things up for themselves.
But hopefully it's part of the ebb and flow of it all and will likely fade, but we will see.
Those of who understand what has been going on for the last two years.
Those who believed the propaganda and are relishing getting another toxic dose.
Those who have now seen through it but have followed the rest of the sheep up to this point but will go no further.
I had a discussion with one such lady today who had 3 doses but also a second dose of covid. Her husband has been similarly stabbed and had covid three times. Last week, the penny dropped when she realised, as she came out of her latest covid bout, that the only ones getting it had been “fully vaccinated”!
I don’t do facecrap or twatter so generally don’t have contact with mindless ramblings, but it is getting easier for people to see the light. The only problem is that they’re now feeling helpless because they know there’s nothing they can do about the genetic mutations wandering around their bodies.
They won’t help pursue those responsible as they’re not going to feel they can contribute or make a difference there either.
It’s down to us. Although we are a bigger minority than before, it’s going to take some serious power to break this up and take down Fauci and his band of criminals.
I'll admit that I'm a bit hesitant to immediately argue that it's the vaxxed who keep getting sick. Part of me would not be surprised if there's a relationship between booster doses and symptoms of hypochondria- those who are the most fearful of COVID are the ones who will keep getting vaccinated and keep getting tested. Many of us who have decided to move on with life may have the sniffles and brush it off as allergies and not get tested. I think there's unfortunately too much noise going on to figure out what's happening.
Apologies if it gets too personal, but do you know the age of the woman you talked to?
And I think we're at the point where we need to make sure people don't live in a constant state of fear. One thing I've been concerned about is that I'm seeing fear mongering happening all over from all sides. It's more important now than ever that people take control of their health instead of living in constant fear.
She is around 50, a teacher, felt a bit rough, tested herself, negative, so went into school in the morning. Felt worse in the afternoon, but teachers finish teaching just after 3 so no problem going home. She tested herself again when she got home. Positive.
The fact that she went to school at all would be enough to indicate she's not a hypochondriac and her attitude with me was certainly enough to show she's not bought into the narrative completely.
I asked her if anyone else had gone down more than once, as I said before, and her husband had done three times.
She's pragmatic enough to know that she can't do anything about what she's done so far, but won't be having any more. I feel that she will be like a mouse with this and take this information back to the nest and share it with everyone else she knows. She cannot un-know this now.
Interesting, so the tests were antigen tests? That provides some good context. It sounds like she may have gotten the vaccines and booster for her job then. I would wonder what about her situation put her and her husband in a position to continuously get sick.
And I brought up the hypochondriac because I know personally of anyone who thinks getting any sniffle is indicative of needing a PCR test and at that point that seems highly unnecessary.
She certainly can't retroactively remove the vaccines, but there's plenty that could be done with overall health that has been severely overlooked. That would be something I would look into.
Yes, we've been supplied, on demand, with LFTs for a few months, now stopped in the UK. Teachers were also regularly tested in school, but that's also now stopped, I believe, I didn't ask.
They've been indoctrinated, though, into thinking that they're all potential mass murderers of the children's parents and grandparents if they get sick, or are asymptomatic carriers. Funny how in the history of virology there's been no such possibility, but when people have been systematically lied to with the sole purpose of frightening them into compliance, they'll believe anything... especially if a "scientist" or "expert" (unnamed usually) has declared it to be the truth.
The last time we had a test was when we came back from Santorini in September, but it looks like we are going to have to "comply" with the idiots in charge in Greece when we return at the end of May. They've only just allowed people to stop wearing masks outdoors a couple of weeks ago.
Alone on a beach not wearing a mask? €100 fine! Of course, Greece is an economic basket case but shutting down businesses and making life difficult for tourists is hardly a recipe for boosting the economy!
Virtually all of our friends in Greece have been forced to get the jabs, it's not mandatory, except for over-60s, but if you want to travel anywhere, unless you have your own boat or plane, you have to have the jabs.
All of them, however, know it's fake and would get rid of the government in a heartbeat if they could.
The message that comes through though is "there's nothing we can do to stop this."
When you have the mainland and 227 inhabited islands a very large proportion need to travel, especially if their island, like Santorini, pretty much shuts down in winter.
It is really difficult. It's hard to try to give people hope when things seem hopeless, and insisting on being optimistic may come off superficial. I suppose it's really just having to figure out any pathways for trying to remove all of the hysteria. But it definitely is something difficult to figure out.
The paradox of apparently having long-term data on a short-term therapeutic. Like Bret Weinstein said, there's no way we can tell of the long-term safety data because they haven't been out for a long time! I hope more information comes out soon but like you said it may be years and we may still be left in the dark.
This whole thing has been set up to deny any valuable long-term safety data. Let's face it, it's pretty much irrelevant when the short term safety data has been trampled all over simply because it's not safe and the long term consequences have not been scheduled for monitoring and reporting at all.
We can certainly get some big concerns over likely long term side effects, simply based on the earthquake strong signals showing already! THAT should be a signal in and of itself.
Personally, the biggest issue is not that there may be long term side effects but what those effects are. One of the biggest issues is that myocarditis is not "mild" and likely has long term consequences itself. As for other things we may not know and if it's years into the future we may not consider it to be related to anything happening now.
Most just seem to want to move on and forget it ever happened. Especially the “vax’d”. But the “vax free” are still being locked out of certain aspects of society and that concerns me. We still have countries enforcing vax passports. The injured are still not being heard. It feels like it’s all being buried for political purposes. Ukraine is the new bright shiny object now.
I will personally say that many of us are likely feeling burned out. There's so much more to cover and every day it feels like more information is coming out. However, at the same time it feels like it becomes more difficult to read papers. I know my eyes reach a point where they gloss over a lot of COVID papers, especially ones on neutralization/antibody assays. A few days ago I took a break from reading COVID-related stuff, and do you know what I did? I started reading papers on BPA! I would rather read papers on plastic than read more about COVID, even though this area is extremely important.
I have two main topics of stuff I want to look into further, but I hope people don't see that the lower rate of COVID posts are because people have moved onto the next thing, but is likely because many people are just feeling mentally fatigued for the time being.
And I definitely feel with your sentiments about those who are unvaxxed. I left my job in fall 2021 because of vaccine mandates, and now I'm hearing that mask mandates are coming back in certain areas. It worries me that lockdowns may return or that vax mandates will always be a looming concern.
I understand. I feel very stressed out over this topic, and I’m just a reader! Not a serious researcher/writer. But I believe Moderna gave my mom a stroke, and killed her. It feels like they are going to get away with it, and probably much more to come. My own personal hell, I guess.
Wow, I am very sorry for your loss. That's such a struggle to have to deal with and it's understandable why someone would be extremely leery of everything going on. I've had a few instances in my personal life that made me really concerned. The only problem is that I don't really know because there isn't enough information out there. And that's the biggest issue we are having- the lack of transparency and information leaves us to have to speculate on these issues. I'd rather not speculate but when we are not provided any other information what else are we left with? It's hard to tell someone who lost a loved one that "well, we don't know for sure that it was the vaccine." The onus falls upon the medical community to provide clarity so that we don't have to speculate.
I regularly advise people that speculating is largely a waste of time and unproductive as emotions are often allowed to support any given point of view... and that really is unhelpful.
However, there are times when lack of information is so obviously evidence of malpractice when there's no logical reason why information is either being withheld or twisted deliberately by being completely at odds with information that IS available. That then doesn't mean speculation, but, at the very least, basis for hypothesis and open discussion.
When such discussion is summarily shut down and/or censored it's tantamount to evidence that the hypothesis was correct.
The medical "community" refuses to co-operate. The only speculation is as to why.
It does really make me leery when even the concept of trying to learn or asking questions is dangerous. If the facts are there, you wouldn't need to shut down questions and inquiry.
It's difficult because it's obvious that some people are sticking their nose up to this issue and acting like it's not a thing. At the same time I think other people are running down random paths in order to search for their own answers to the problem. It's hard enough being someone without a lab or money trying to understand things but when people who have the means to aren't it definitely becomes very frustrated.
Since being forced to retire (or face dismissal for my unvaxxed status) from the VA, I spend a lot of time on substack. There are several reasons for this...I learn so much, I have found a community of like minded friends, I can share what I think without the anxiety of being accused of 'wrongthought'. I have noticed that there are very few now who accuse the unvaxxed of being the cause of mutation in covid. I think this may be because people are starting to understand that the vaccines are responsible for the most part. The lies of vaccinated immunity have been exposed and the movement away from the strident narrative of those looking for someone to blame has ever so slightly shifted. FOR NOW. I am always careful about endorsing an idea that has no evidence to support it BUT I am appalled that at this point anyone could consider letting those who 1) created this virus in a lab using any excuse at all... In the name of science; to create a vaccine for a potential virus; or as a biological weapon. I constantly hear people calling for Fauci to be fired. FIRED! He and Francis Collins are not only responsible participants in this egregious crime but they have covered it up and accepted the adulation of millions of people. They and all willing participants should be prosecuted for murder. There literally is no punishment harsh enough to bring justice to this crime. 2) The scientists and doctors willing to use their credentials to malign and destroy those who worked tirelessly to serve and protect their patients (and in fact all of humanity.) These people should lose those credentials, along with any right to participate in a scientific study of any kind. They should be sued in a court of law for malicious slander. At this point the only response to the utter destruction of businesses, families and children is FURY. How many have lost jobs, or been forced to take this vaccine to keep providing for their families? Who could even have imagined this a year ago? No the discourse is not deviating too far. The same government that lied and cheated through the covid pandemic is now lying and cheating their way through a war. Why? Because the U.S. only murders human beings righteously? Because we don't engage in blatant propaganda? Because we don't interfere in the elections of other nations? The only way to change the discourse is to tell the truth...with righteous anger and consequences for criminals. If we are merciful to the psychopaths who have created this misery they will do it again. and again. and again. Psychopaths do not feel remorse. It may be too late, the "war" may already be lost but if we "move on" it will absolutely be lost and the consequences to humanity will be unimaginable. That is what I think.
The concept of unvaxxed causing COVID mutations came at a time when many still believed in the sterile nature of these vaccines. I think at this point the amount of so-called "breakthrough" infections have disabused the claims that vaccinated people cannot spread COVID and also serve as reservoirs for mutations.
As to how we deal with Fauci or any of those involved, it really is difficult to see an end result that would really satiate many of us. I think he's likely to fade into the distance and become a memory even if we would prefer a more righteous approach. We definitely need to pay attention to what is happening in the future and if there are changes that can be made. If anything, at least more people are aware and will be critical of what they see. Hopefully we can push for more transparency and put more pressure on those higher up.
You are a diplomat. I appreciate that and once upon a time (two years ago) I would have endorsed diplomacy. 15 months after January 6 the effort to punish people who allowed their passion to pose a threat to the peace of congress is beyond comprehension. The eagerness to punish those who pushed the boundaries is palpable. In comparison those who have lied, manipulated and crushed the citizens of this and other countries for 2 years should walk free?
What happens when we "pay attention" if we have no options. How do we push for more transparency or apply more pressure if there is no power to act? We have a constitution in this country that has been shredded. So we obviously can't invoke law if we have no power. I know the purpose of your stack is more geared to the science and I am sorry to have vented when that probably wasn't the intent of your question. I did appreciate your last (diplomatic) and intelligent response to the two theories and am looking forward to more. Maybe tomorrow I won't be so mad about everything. Thanks.
I certainly understand that perspective- in fact, I would say that I still think in such a similar degree. Why play by the rules when those who are in control are free do to as they will? But I'm realizing that that line of thinking is not personally healthy. Stewing in negative thoughts and having them cloud my judgement makes it difficult to be productive, and if that's the end goal of everything then certainly those in power would want that.
Now, I'm going with the belief that one of the worst things one can do to those in power is to keep living their lives. That's what the lockdowns and the mandates are meant to suppress. If you keep living your life and being happy it may be the worst thing for them.
Also, don't apologize for being angry. This place should certainly be a place to vent and let out frustrations! And if you are curious I have written some other non-science posts in the past including the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict. I would like to dabble more in the culture and science aspect and interweave them in the future as well.
https://moderndiscontent.substack.com/p/the-response-to-the-kyle-rittenhouse?s=w
Anyways, I hope you feel better tomorrow!
Thanks for all that you do and write about, I find it very helpful. My main reading each day is substat, I have a Twitter account but don't use it much anymore. I like to read anything related to the pandemic on the vaccines, since it is forefront in my life here in california. I appreciate the people on substack who know more about statistics than I, so they can hash through data. I love any writing about the pandemic and the vaccines, since it's in the forefront in my life and I foresee more restrictions coming up again here in California in the fall. I really like it when the substacks disagree or have different perspectives, it feels like the writers and scientists are checking each other's work, or opening up different perspectives for each other, which is important. I feel a lot of community in the comments, and while it's not the same as in person community, I value it a lot. The online community got me through some really hard, dark times over the past year and a half. The substack writers also give me a sense of community too. 😁👍🏽🙏💕
California really is a difficult place to deal with all of this! I'm glad so many people are covering the statistics- just like you this really is outside of my wheelhouse (I prefer to look at molecules and mechanisms which is why I've been covering some more drug-related stuff).
I definitely empathize with the looming prospect of further lockdowns- it appears that mask mandates are coming back in my neck of the woods.
Overall I'm really glad you're finding a lot of fruitfulness from many of the posts here! And yes it's quite important that people disagree- it brings out the best in people!
In one of your replies you mention being burned out on reading studies RE the virus. I think that is the same problem for lay readers of Covid-vaccine skeptical substack - the plot is too messy to keep up with, so there's a ton of reader attrition. Really, I was already noticing that Covid-vaccine skeptical substack was in information overload back in November. So it's been 5 months of feeling like I have to be careful not to throw too much at the reader; they have enough on their plate already. In that sense it's hard to feel despondent about short-term dips in quality of the discourse, because I've been in one-foot-in-front-of-the-other mode for almost half a year already.
Still, it's sobering that substack totally replicates the same expert-layperson dynamic that leads to excessive trust in the experts: whichever voice refuses to acknowledge doubt or respond to criticism, becomes the "authority," even if all their predictions fall flat. In a way it's less surprising to see this in a social media platform vs in actual, official research, but on the other hand why are substack readers so trusting of anyone who can throw a graph together? Didn't they come here to hear truth, not snake-oil? Well, it is what it is.
Yes I certainly feel you Brian! When writing posts I wonder "is this worth it?" or "will people understand?" My anthology posts are definitely above the layperson's knowledge and I've neglected that a lot when writing those. At the same time I've noticed that science, as told to the layperson, is absolutely so reductive that it does not even provide any valid information. It's why the only thing people remember of science is "the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell." I don't even think those people understand what it means! So it's a difficult battle of not being too verbose and deep into the science literature while also sounding like so much of the nuance was stripped.
And honestly, your second paragraph is one of the things that I'm starting to find so concerning. I've commented several times that people should not trust what I write and look for themselves. I'm always open to criticism as well. One of the reasons why I post so many figures in my articles is 1. I'm a visual learner and like to look at figures and charts and 2. It puts the information in front of everyone and they can see if I misinterpreted something or lying.
I'm actually surprised at how many people don't actually appear to put in a good-faith effort to read some studies. There was another person's Substack who brought up a study on graphene and was criticizing the abstract. I thought the interpretation was off, read a bit of the study, and found out the person completely misunderstood the study. But at that point the readers have been riled up and they've already made a conclusion.
Maybe I have written about this in your comment section, but I've been lamenting what the meta for Substack will be in the near future, and in some aspects I think it will devolve into the same type of discourse seen on other social media sites.
At this point in time, the substacks are the most reliable and informative writings. Not always right, but always exploring the discoverable fragments in order to create an understanding - of what we have been through and what we are facing. No one source has the complete picture; our job whether writing or just reading and commenting is to connect the dots in a sparse puzzle.
Therefore I wouldn't worry too much about how this media might devolve in the future. Right now it is superior and for that I am grateful.
One of the things to always keep in mind is that, just as likely as the news may misinform and deceive, other people here may do the same. It's always important to keep an eye out for of things don't appear to add up, and always be willing to criticize when that happens. Like Brian stated above, I'm a little concerned that skepticism of mainstream media may lead people to blindly trusting what gets posted here and they may not decide to look things up for themselves.
But hopefully it's part of the ebb and flow of it all and will likely fade, but we will see.
We now have three camps;
Those of who understand what has been going on for the last two years.
Those who believed the propaganda and are relishing getting another toxic dose.
Those who have now seen through it but have followed the rest of the sheep up to this point but will go no further.
I had a discussion with one such lady today who had 3 doses but also a second dose of covid. Her husband has been similarly stabbed and had covid three times. Last week, the penny dropped when she realised, as she came out of her latest covid bout, that the only ones getting it had been “fully vaccinated”!
I don’t do facecrap or twatter so generally don’t have contact with mindless ramblings, but it is getting easier for people to see the light. The only problem is that they’re now feeling helpless because they know there’s nothing they can do about the genetic mutations wandering around their bodies.
They won’t help pursue those responsible as they’re not going to feel they can contribute or make a difference there either.
It’s down to us. Although we are a bigger minority than before, it’s going to take some serious power to break this up and take down Fauci and his band of criminals.
I'll admit that I'm a bit hesitant to immediately argue that it's the vaxxed who keep getting sick. Part of me would not be surprised if there's a relationship between booster doses and symptoms of hypochondria- those who are the most fearful of COVID are the ones who will keep getting vaccinated and keep getting tested. Many of us who have decided to move on with life may have the sniffles and brush it off as allergies and not get tested. I think there's unfortunately too much noise going on to figure out what's happening.
Apologies if it gets too personal, but do you know the age of the woman you talked to?
And I think we're at the point where we need to make sure people don't live in a constant state of fear. One thing I've been concerned about is that I'm seeing fear mongering happening all over from all sides. It's more important now than ever that people take control of their health instead of living in constant fear.
She is around 50, a teacher, felt a bit rough, tested herself, negative, so went into school in the morning. Felt worse in the afternoon, but teachers finish teaching just after 3 so no problem going home. She tested herself again when she got home. Positive.
The fact that she went to school at all would be enough to indicate she's not a hypochondriac and her attitude with me was certainly enough to show she's not bought into the narrative completely.
I asked her if anyone else had gone down more than once, as I said before, and her husband had done three times.
She's pragmatic enough to know that she can't do anything about what she's done so far, but won't be having any more. I feel that she will be like a mouse with this and take this information back to the nest and share it with everyone else she knows. She cannot un-know this now.
She was supposed to have collected her Mac from me 3 weeks ago, but her health had been suffering during that time and only arrived today.
Others I know have been quite ill since having the booster and are now questioning why. The emperor and his clothes spring to mind...
Interesting, so the tests were antigen tests? That provides some good context. It sounds like she may have gotten the vaccines and booster for her job then. I would wonder what about her situation put her and her husband in a position to continuously get sick.
And I brought up the hypochondriac because I know personally of anyone who thinks getting any sniffle is indicative of needing a PCR test and at that point that seems highly unnecessary.
She certainly can't retroactively remove the vaccines, but there's plenty that could be done with overall health that has been severely overlooked. That would be something I would look into.
Yes, we've been supplied, on demand, with LFTs for a few months, now stopped in the UK. Teachers were also regularly tested in school, but that's also now stopped, I believe, I didn't ask.
They've been indoctrinated, though, into thinking that they're all potential mass murderers of the children's parents and grandparents if they get sick, or are asymptomatic carriers. Funny how in the history of virology there's been no such possibility, but when people have been systematically lied to with the sole purpose of frightening them into compliance, they'll believe anything... especially if a "scientist" or "expert" (unnamed usually) has declared it to be the truth.
The last time we had a test was when we came back from Santorini in September, but it looks like we are going to have to "comply" with the idiots in charge in Greece when we return at the end of May. They've only just allowed people to stop wearing masks outdoors a couple of weeks ago.
Alone on a beach not wearing a mask? €100 fine! Of course, Greece is an economic basket case but shutting down businesses and making life difficult for tourists is hardly a recipe for boosting the economy!
Virtually all of our friends in Greece have been forced to get the jabs, it's not mandatory, except for over-60s, but if you want to travel anywhere, unless you have your own boat or plane, you have to have the jabs.
All of them, however, know it's fake and would get rid of the government in a heartbeat if they could.
The message that comes through though is "there's nothing we can do to stop this."
When you have the mainland and 227 inhabited islands a very large proportion need to travel, especially if their island, like Santorini, pretty much shuts down in winter.
How do you give power to the powerless?!
It is really difficult. It's hard to try to give people hope when things seem hopeless, and insisting on being optimistic may come off superficial. I suppose it's really just having to figure out any pathways for trying to remove all of the hysteria. But it definitely is something difficult to figure out.
The paradox of apparently having long-term data on a short-term therapeutic. Like Bret Weinstein said, there's no way we can tell of the long-term safety data because they haven't been out for a long time! I hope more information comes out soon but like you said it may be years and we may still be left in the dark.
This whole thing has been set up to deny any valuable long-term safety data. Let's face it, it's pretty much irrelevant when the short term safety data has been trampled all over simply because it's not safe and the long term consequences have not been scheduled for monitoring and reporting at all.
Walensky has seen to that.
We can certainly get some big concerns over likely long term side effects, simply based on the earthquake strong signals showing already! THAT should be a signal in and of itself.
Personally, the biggest issue is not that there may be long term side effects but what those effects are. One of the biggest issues is that myocarditis is not "mild" and likely has long term consequences itself. As for other things we may not know and if it's years into the future we may not consider it to be related to anything happening now.