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I hope I get sent to the same re-education camp as Mike Rowe
PurpleThrobber
Member Posts: 44,737 
in Tug Tavern
Mike Rowe
March 4 223PM
The traffic on this page over the last few days has been extraordinary, and left me feeling somewhat obligated to respond to over ten thousand comments that arose from a post about the difference between “following the science,” and “following the scientists.” Obviously, I can’t respond to 10,000 comments, but here are a few paragraphs from a piece I just read, that speak directly to the topic at hand. The author, Jim Geraghty, is commenting on the CDC’s sudden decision to delay announcing its vaccine guidelines. He writes:
“Is the CDC afraid of how the public will react to the guidelines? You may recall that Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted in December that he had slowly and steadily changed his assessments about herd immunity, based upon what he thought the public could handle hearing. http://nyti.ms/3blN2J3
In the pandemic’s early days, Dr. Fauci tended to cite the same 60 to 70 percent estimate that most experts did. About a month ago, he began saying “70, 75 percent” in television interviews. And last week, in an interview with CNBC News, he said herd immunity would require, “75, 80, 85 percent” and “75 to 80-plus percent.” http://cnb.cx/3rm8d31 In a telephone interview the next day, Dr. Fauci acknowledged that he had slowly but deliberately been moving the goalposts. He is doing so, he said, partly based on new science, and partly on his gut feeling that the country is finally ready to hear what he really thinks.”
"Gut feeling?"
It’s hard to read that last paragraph and not think of Jack Nicholson’s famous rant in A Few Good Men. No, Dr. Fauci isn’t screaming at Tom Cruise – he’s talking very gently to a frightened and frustrated nation, with a bedside manner that many of us find pretty soothing. But from what I can tell, his message isn't all that different. He’s telling us that we can’t handle the truth about herd immunity and vaccinations. He’s giving us information not when he gets it, but when he thinks we can handle it. With respect, WTAF?
In the movie, Jack Nicholson played the bad guy, Colonel Nathan Jessup. But I’m not sure the bad guy was wrong about how much truth Americans can handle. How many of us really want to know the truth about what’s been done over the years to secure our personal freedoms, and our unique place in the world? How many devoted meat-eaters have never visited a slaughterhouse? How many who support capital punishment have never witnessed an execution? How many who favor late term abortions have never seen a fetus removed from the womb, one piece at a time?
Uncomfortable questions, I know, and I’m sorry to pose them here. But we have a long history of putting our heads in the sand when things get uncomfortable, and our leaders know this. And so, in the name of national security, or public safety, or some other version of “for your own good,” our elected officials tell us the truth they think we can handle, and no more. That sucks, but we’ve gotten used to it from our leaders. But from our scientists? Since when did the country’s leading epidemiologist go from, “Trust me, I’m following the science,” to “Trust me, I’m following my gut?”
Reasonable people understand that facts change. Circumstances evolve. Goal posts move as new information comes to light. That's the nature of science. But trust is something else. Trust is a fragile thing, and right now, it’s in very short supply. This is not because the American people are fundamentally untrusting, or overly skeptical, or too ignorant or too partisan or too frightened to come together. It’s because too many of us have become too sanguine with being treated like children.
If we want the truth, we must demand two things immediately – an objective press determined to challenge the people in power, and a community of experts who follow the science, no matter where it leads. Otherwise, I'm afraid Colonel Jessup will continue to decide just how much truth we can handle...
Mike
March 4 223PM
The traffic on this page over the last few days has been extraordinary, and left me feeling somewhat obligated to respond to over ten thousand comments that arose from a post about the difference between “following the science,” and “following the scientists.” Obviously, I can’t respond to 10,000 comments, but here are a few paragraphs from a piece I just read, that speak directly to the topic at hand. The author, Jim Geraghty, is commenting on the CDC’s sudden decision to delay announcing its vaccine guidelines. He writes:
“Is the CDC afraid of how the public will react to the guidelines? You may recall that Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted in December that he had slowly and steadily changed his assessments about herd immunity, based upon what he thought the public could handle hearing. http://nyti.ms/3blN2J3
In the pandemic’s early days, Dr. Fauci tended to cite the same 60 to 70 percent estimate that most experts did. About a month ago, he began saying “70, 75 percent” in television interviews. And last week, in an interview with CNBC News, he said herd immunity would require, “75, 80, 85 percent” and “75 to 80-plus percent.” http://cnb.cx/3rm8d31 In a telephone interview the next day, Dr. Fauci acknowledged that he had slowly but deliberately been moving the goalposts. He is doing so, he said, partly based on new science, and partly on his gut feeling that the country is finally ready to hear what he really thinks.”
"Gut feeling?"
It’s hard to read that last paragraph and not think of Jack Nicholson’s famous rant in A Few Good Men. No, Dr. Fauci isn’t screaming at Tom Cruise – he’s talking very gently to a frightened and frustrated nation, with a bedside manner that many of us find pretty soothing. But from what I can tell, his message isn't all that different. He’s telling us that we can’t handle the truth about herd immunity and vaccinations. He’s giving us information not when he gets it, but when he thinks we can handle it. With respect, WTAF?
In the movie, Jack Nicholson played the bad guy, Colonel Nathan Jessup. But I’m not sure the bad guy was wrong about how much truth Americans can handle. How many of us really want to know the truth about what’s been done over the years to secure our personal freedoms, and our unique place in the world? How many devoted meat-eaters have never visited a slaughterhouse? How many who support capital punishment have never witnessed an execution? How many who favor late term abortions have never seen a fetus removed from the womb, one piece at a time?
Uncomfortable questions, I know, and I’m sorry to pose them here. But we have a long history of putting our heads in the sand when things get uncomfortable, and our leaders know this. And so, in the name of national security, or public safety, or some other version of “for your own good,” our elected officials tell us the truth they think we can handle, and no more. That sucks, but we’ve gotten used to it from our leaders. But from our scientists? Since when did the country’s leading epidemiologist go from, “Trust me, I’m following the science,” to “Trust me, I’m following my gut?”
Reasonable people understand that facts change. Circumstances evolve. Goal posts move as new information comes to light. That's the nature of science. But trust is something else. Trust is a fragile thing, and right now, it’s in very short supply. This is not because the American people are fundamentally untrusting, or overly skeptical, or too ignorant or too partisan or too frightened to come together. It’s because too many of us have become too sanguine with being treated like children.
If we want the truth, we must demand two things immediately – an objective press determined to challenge the people in power, and a community of experts who follow the science, no matter where it leads. Otherwise, I'm afraid Colonel Jessup will continue to decide just how much truth we can handle...
Mike
Comments
If you can't see the difference in the view of life between leftards and conservatives and yet still choose to live as a sheep, you aren't fixable.
They flounder under freedom, because they have no work ethic and fear competition.
Let's not forget that generous 1400 bones Nancy and Chuck were able to secure for those affected by covid. Your average Afghani Tranny researcher will get more.
Fuck these fucks.