Lol. You might as well said devout atheist - something that does not exist. Somebody needs to learn something about what an atheist is and not what his congregation feeds him/her.
The Obama = Anti-Christ people fascinate me. It seems to me that they should be thrilled by this - the antii-Christ returning is a sign that Jesus is returning and that the end times are here, right? That's supposed to be a GOOD thing, no?
Except people are not using the scientific method to question things. They are listening to celebrities and talking heads shouting about things based on anecdotal evidence and ideological arguments. Some basic research that anyone can do will show why Autism is on the rise. There is more reporting about it and more sensitivity in detecting symptoms of it. Kids have been known to have autistic symptoms for centuries but until the 20th C. it didn't even have a name. Now with classification of behaviors under Aspergers and Autism Spectrum (ASD) more and more children which in the past would've just been considered odd or going through a phase are classified as autism. This is part of the point of the article. The prevalence and persistence of conspiracy theories isn't about educated skepticism but is largely driven by ignorance. I agree people shouldn't just accept things on face value but at the same time in regard to things like autism and vaccines there is evidence very easily and widely available that counters such perceptions. It is both misleading and paranoid just to discount counter evidence by citing things that don't directly bear upon the issue.
You are missing though that these things do actually become dangerous. If parents are choosing not to get their children vaccinated because of they mistakenly believe that vaccines cause autism that is a direct threat to public health. Further the persistence and spread of these views affect policy. The wide spread view that Saddam Hussein had something to do with 911 helped to drive the push for war with Iraq. The persistence of the view that climate change doesn't exist is largely handicapping energy policy.
It is all advertising. EVERYTHING IS ADVERTISING The truth is what is marketed the most effectively. Facts don't really matter Rocket River
Ah. Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. John 18:38
. . . and people who think they too smart to be affected by advertisement Companies spend billions on advertising . . . because it doesn't work?? Advertisement in this country is like brainwashing consistant and constant . . without interruption Rocket River
We just had a student who has measles come to the U of MN gym and are now issuing warnings for students who are sick, or even think they are, to keep away. This wouldn't be an issue if we had enough confidence in Herd immunity but because there are so many people who aren't having their kids vaccinated we can't be certain. The same thing is going on with the outbreak of Measles at Disneyland. This is another reminder that the persistence of conspiracy theories about things like vaccines have real world consequences.
The outcome of this is going to be enough people getting sick that the federal government is able to require vaccinations. Only furthering governmental powers... which is part of what these idiots are fighting against. Irrelevant, other schools do not, and can still cause a U of M student to get sick.
What's even more ironic about that statement is that the link between vaccines and autism has long been debunked. As I stated in an earlier poster we know why there is more autism now. Better reporting and a broadening of a range of behavior to autism.
That is not true. If you think marketing and advertising aren't impacting your choices you might be letting your ego get in the way of self-truth. I've been in this industry for 15 years and everytime someone says that I can find the hole in their armor and it makes me chuckle. The idea that the goal of advertising is to manipulate people is also hilarious. It's not. That doesn't work. People believe in these stupid ideas because they want to believe in them, not because someone brainwashed them. By the way, it was a doctor who first suggested the link between vaccines and autism. So it had a credible beginning.
I don't deny that advertizing probably sways some of my choices. I use colgate because I like how it taste. I can't quantify that so maybe advertizing has swayed my decision. If I saw an ad for Tide that said Tide now 10% off I would probably buy it. That only goes though so far. If use Tide and a bargain soap and find that they both get my clothes as clean I'm going to stick with the bargain soap if I end up saving more money over the long run. The point is is that yes we are bombarded by ads so it is hard not to be swayed by them but in most cases with some simple research you can figure out for yourself what is true and what isn't and also figure out what works for you. It might've had a credible start as many things do but it was debunked and to continue to cling to debunked information is not credible.
It's entirely relevant as I was curious about it. That being said, if it is a requirement it shows that even vaccinated students can still get measles. Also, if students are required to be vaccinated for measles at the U of MN, then the chances for a serious outbreak at the school are lessened. By the way, I am pro-vaccine in case you think there is an ulterior motive to my response.
You can still get measels if you are vaccinated, but it is far less likely. The problem is, as you have fewer people vaccinated, you are putting everyone at risk, even those vaccinated. If you were just curious, I am sorry.... I assumed that you were arguing that required vaccinations at U of MN would 100% protect the student body.
