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This unhinged, delusional, conspiratorial piece of science denialism (literally claiming science is propaganda**), seemingly disconnected with reality, and desc

This unhinged, delusional, conspiratorial piece of science denialism (literally claiming science is propaganda**), seemingly disconnected with reality, and describing the "totalitarianism" of science and pandemic restrictions (eyeroll), fails to recognize that the people exhibiting the most violent, totalitarian tendencies are the anti-science, anti-masker, anti-vaxxers the article claims to defend. Just as an example of the actual dehumanization of scientists being perpetrated by the author of the article himself (emphasis mine): "*They* do not believe in anything that is related to personal experience or what is visible, but only in what *they* imagine, what *their* own statistical models say, and the ideologically consistent system *they* have built around it" You read that right: it's us vs. them, and 'they' are scientists, with statistics, and we are better, with nonstatistical feelings. 'They' don't believe in anything personal! 'They' don't believe in anything visible! 'They' only believe in imagined things! Let's all of 'us' defeat the 'they'! Wait, what was that about dehumanization being bad or something? ** - the relevant quote; It seems the core conceit of the article is that the author has chosen to claim any information they don't like is "propaganda": But there is another even more sinister element that totalitarian propaganda historically uses to cajole the masses into following its lead through fear and that is “the use of indirect, veiled, and menacing hints against all who will not heed its teachings (..)”, all the while claiming the strictly scientific and public benefit nature of its argument that those measures are needed. Both the deliberate instrumentalization of fear and the constant referral to “follow the science” by political actors and the mass media in the Corona crisis has been extremely successful as a propaganda tool.

theandrewbailey 5y ago
The Nazis rationalized their actions in their own eyes. To them, they thought they were doing the right thing. So it doesn't matter how right you think you are if you're manipulating people's emotions in the same ways to end up in a similar place. No, it's not different this time. Australia is already denying people their rights for their own good and putting them in a fancy prison, not for some obvious harm they did, but for something they might have.
- ImPostingOnHN 5y ago
  > The Nazis rationalized their actions in their own eyes. To them, they thought they were doing the right thing. So it doesn't matter how right you think you are if you're manipulating people's emotions in the same ways to end up in a similar place. Actual benevolent charities also rationalize their actions in their own eyes. To them, they think they're doing the right thing. For that matter, the author of this deceptive blog post probably thought they were doing the right thing, too. So you're right, it doesn't matter how right you think you are. Indeed, what matters is actual reality, which science helps us get closer to, and posts like this, lambasting science and attacking & dehumanizing scientists, take us further away from. Ultimately the goal of science deniers like the one who penned this blog entry is for expertise to be nonexistent, and for the dominant voice to be the loudest and angriest one, rather than the one most factually correct. Those are the actual beginnings of totalitarianism.
  - throwaway248329 5y ago
    The ends don't justify the means. If the benevolent charity starts putting people into camps, it's evil.
    - ImPostingOnHN 5y ago
      "The ends don't justify the means" is an opinion that varies based on the ends, the means, and the person making the opinion. It's certainly not a substantive, much less convincing, argument in defense of this blog post's discrediting of science and dehumanization of scientists. Do you believe the ends of making their point justify such means?
      - deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
      - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
        > "The ends don't justify the means" is an opinion that varies based on the ends, the means, and the person making the opinion. How many societies that went down the totalitarian path that would do it again? We're not talking about spending 4min/day brushing your teeth to stave off gum disease in old age here, the means comes with some pretty damn serious downsides.
mynameishere 5y ago
I hope you get all the required boosters.
- ImPostingOnHN 5y ago
  Your hope for my health is the nicest thing I've read today, thank you, friend. Indeed, I have gotten vaccines and boosters when necessary for my entire life.

theandrewbailey 5y ago

The Nazis rationalized their actions in their own eyes. To them, they thought they were doing the right thing. So it doesn't matter how right you think you are if you're manipulating people's emotions in the same ways to end up in a similar place. No, it's not different this time. Australia is already denying people their rights for their own good and putting them in a fancy prison, not for some obvious harm they did, but for something they might have.

ImPostingOnHN 5y ago
> The Nazis rationalized their actions in their own eyes. To them, they thought they were doing the right thing. So it doesn't matter how right you think you are if you're manipulating people's emotions in the same ways to end up in a similar place. Actual benevolent charities also rationalize their actions in their own eyes. To them, they think they're doing the right thing. For that matter, the author of this deceptive blog post probably thought they were doing the right thing, too. So you're right, it doesn't matter how right you think you are. Indeed, what matters is actual reality, which science helps us get closer to, and posts like this, lambasting science and attacking & dehumanizing scientists, take us further away from. Ultimately the goal of science deniers like the one who penned this blog entry is for expertise to be nonexistent, and for the dominant voice to be the loudest and angriest one, rather than the one most factually correct. Those are the actual beginnings of totalitarianism.
- throwaway248329 5y ago
  The ends don't justify the means. If the benevolent charity starts putting people into camps, it's evil.
  - ImPostingOnHN 5y ago
    "The ends don't justify the means" is an opinion that varies based on the ends, the means, and the person making the opinion. It's certainly not a substantive, much less convincing, argument in defense of this blog post's discrediting of science and dehumanization of scientists. Do you believe the ends of making their point justify such means?
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
      > "The ends don't justify the means" is an opinion that varies based on the ends, the means, and the person making the opinion. How many societies that went down the totalitarian path that would do it again? We're not talking about spending 4min/day brushing your teeth to stave off gum disease in old age here, the means comes with some pretty damn serious downsides.

mynameishere 5y ago

I hope you get all the required boosters.

ImPostingOnHN 5y ago
Your hope for my health is the nicest thing I've read today, thank you, friend. Indeed, I have gotten vaccines and boosters when necessary for my entire life.