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I'm starting to feel that when people protest things they disagree with that it has less to do with the actual issue than with a desire to voice a contrary opin

I'm starting to feel that when people protest things they disagree with that it has less to do with the actual issue than with a desire to voice a contrary opinion in general. I suspect that the opposition—even anger sometimes—is a lot less about vaccines, or abortion than some other unmet need that finds expression though this kind of opposition. And I also think that even discussing these issues with the intent to persuade is futile and giving the protesters exactly what they are seeking. I think it's deeply ironic that an army of well intentioned people fan out on the internet to 'educate' people who are against X actually end up giving the protesters what they actually want, free therapy for some sort of frustrated need to be heard.¹ Even funnier is that both sides are playing out this psychodrama while being completely ignorant of the actual motivations behind their behaviour. 1. Or maybe the need to exercise the power expressed by holding an entire state or country hostage via a virus...?

raxxorrax 5y ago
It is reactionary for the most part and certainly the animosity towards those advertising vaccines is more important than the vaccine itself. The people more actively trying to educate others are in it for their own form of therapy. Their fear lets them ride the soothing assurance of authoritarianism. They are safe if everyone is one the right level. I wouldn't call that well intentioned for the most part. I fear irrationality isn't vaccine-able. It is a serious disease and people should take care. It is actually quite a privilege if you could get a free vaccine, other people might be glad about that. On the other hand, people that got the disease just plainly shouldn't take it and business requiring me to be vaccinate and identify myself can search for other customers. People have to accept that others are less fearful than themselves.
sudosysgen 5y ago
Congratulations, you have discovered reactionary politics. When people feel like society is not going right and that they're missing something that abstractly they had at some point in the past, you get mindsets like these.

raxxorrax 5y ago

It is reactionary for the most part and certainly the animosity towards those advertising vaccines is more important than the vaccine itself. The people more actively trying to educate others are in it for their own form of therapy. Their fear lets them ride the soothing assurance of authoritarianism. They are safe if everyone is one the right level. I wouldn't call that well intentioned for the most part. I fear irrationality isn't vaccine-able. It is a serious disease and people should take care. It is actually quite a privilege if you could get a free vaccine, other people might be glad about that. On the other hand, people that got the disease just plainly shouldn't take it and business requiring me to be vaccinate and identify myself can search for other customers. People have to accept that others are less fearful than themselves.

sudosysgen 5y ago

Congratulations, you have discovered reactionary politics. When people feel like society is not going right and that they're missing something that abstractly they had at some point in the past, you get mindsets like these.