5 ms·

There is a huge PR asymmetry. There are actually parties involved with huge financial interest who want to sell masks, vaccines, PCR tests, etc.. If they are s

by jansan 5y ago

There is a huge PR asymmetry. There are actually parties involved with huge financial interest who want to sell masks, vaccines, PCR tests, etc.. If they are successful in convincing the people that their offered products are a solution for the pandemic, they can make a huge profit, so it pays for them to financially support their narrative. For the sceptics there is not much money to be made if they succeed. So for masks, vaccines, tests, etc you have the opinion of people who sincerely think this is the right solution PLUS the marketing budget of companies with financial interest. On the opposite side you only have the opinion of people who are sincerely sceptical. In Germany we had some politicians suddenly became very active in the mask business. In Bavaria there was even an FFP2 mandate (which didn't achieve shit) to support their mask industry.

ceejayoz 5y ago
> For the sceptics there is not much money to be made if they succeed. Some of the skeptics have been selling supplements and miracle cures for autism, cancer, and anything else you can think of for years. Others are leveraging anti-masking for political gain. There’s plenty of budget on the anti-mask/anti-vax side of things.
- jokethrowaway 5y ago
  That's not a good answer. Political gain is the same for the mask wearing side. Political characters can have side gigs on both sides. For the sceptics, the money to be made is coming from tourism / small businesses. Small businesses are probably incapable to organise themselves, so that leaves big companies in tourism. If I were Booking.com or a flight company, for example, I would support the anti-vax side of things. On the mask / vaccine side, you have big pharma / big tech / the government.
  - ceejayoz 5y ago
    > Political gain is the same for the mask wearing side. Not really, no. It's pretty clear Republican politicians have been able to seize on the issue in a way Democrats have not. That may be a bit on the Democrats' tendency towards disarray in general, but if you want to be a prominent Republican right now, you're probably not gonna talk about being pro-vaccination too much. > If I were Booking.com or a flight company, for example, I would support the anti-vax side of things. That seems unlikely, given the damage to their businesses low vaccination rates cause. I recently traveled to French Polynesia; vaccination was all but required. Ten day quarantine if you aren't. They know what "people are dying there" headlines do to tourism. > On the mask / vaccine side, you have big pharma / big tech / the government. Big tech has been significantly responsible for the spread of anti-vax and anti-mask beliefs.
    - nradov 5y ago
      Nonsense. According to Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell: "Kentuckians and All Americans Should Accept the COVID-19 Vaccine". https://www.republicanleader.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/mcconnell-kentuckians-and-all-americans-should-accept-the-covid-19-vaccine https://www.republicanleader.senate.gov/newsroom/press-relea... He's the most prominent Republican politician in the country.
      - ceejayoz 5y ago
        > He's the most prominent Republican politician in the country. He really isn't. There's at least one you're missing. McConnell's currently trying to avoid having his party shut down the government over vaccine mandates.
        nradov 5y ago
        Which one am I missing? House minority leader Kevin McCarthy and former President Trump have also encouraged vaccination. https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/house-minority-leader-kevin-mccarthy-receives-covid-19-vaccine/ https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/house-minority-leader-k... https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/16/trump-americans-covid-vaccine-476479 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/16/trump-americans-cov...
        ceejayoz 5y ago
        > former President Trump have also encouraged vaccination Yes, Trump is the one. If you're counting Trump, you're reading "you're probably not gonna talk about being pro-vaccination too much" very differently than I intended. Trump similarily gave the occasional half-hearted "you should wear a mask" statement, but pretending he's a masking advocate would be silly. His latest half-hearted attempt at promoting vaccination resulted in booing from the crowd, and he hasn't really touched that live wire since. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-booed-alabama-rally-after-telling-supporters-get-vaccinated-n1277404 https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-booed-al...
      - 5y ago
  - MauranKilom 5y ago
    > If I were Booking.com or a flight company, for example, I would support the anti-vax side of things. How does that make sense? How does a more vulnerable population help booking.com? You'd think they'd want to overcome the pandemic too? Sure, they might be anti-lockdown, and might get lumped with anti-vax, but there is less than zero benefit for travel-related companies in advocating against vaccinations.
snovv_crash 5y ago
There are other incentives than financial. A lot is based on group identity - many people have no idea about vaccines, pros or cons, and just follow what someone they respect says. If you don't have the same recommendation as their 'guru', you're either an industry shill or a conspiracy theorist depending on which way it goes.

by jansan 5y ago

ceejayoz 5y ago

> For the sceptics there is not much money to be made if they succeed. Some of the skeptics have been selling supplements and miracle cures for autism, cancer, and anything else you can think of for years. Others are leveraging anti-masking for political gain. There’s plenty of budget on the anti-mask/anti-vax side of things.

jokethrowaway 5y ago
That's not a good answer. Political gain is the same for the mask wearing side. Political characters can have side gigs on both sides. For the sceptics, the money to be made is coming from tourism / small businesses. Small businesses are probably incapable to organise themselves, so that leaves big companies in tourism. If I were Booking.com or a flight company, for example, I would support the anti-vax side of things. On the mask / vaccine side, you have big pharma / big tech / the government.
- ceejayoz 5y ago
  > Political gain is the same for the mask wearing side. Not really, no. It's pretty clear Republican politicians have been able to seize on the issue in a way Democrats have not. That may be a bit on the Democrats' tendency towards disarray in general, but if you want to be a prominent Republican right now, you're probably not gonna talk about being pro-vaccination too much. > If I were Booking.com or a flight company, for example, I would support the anti-vax side of things. That seems unlikely, given the damage to their businesses low vaccination rates cause. I recently traveled to French Polynesia; vaccination was all but required. Ten day quarantine if you aren't. They know what "people are dying there" headlines do to tourism. > On the mask / vaccine side, you have big pharma / big tech / the government. Big tech has been significantly responsible for the spread of anti-vax and anti-mask beliefs.
  - nradov 5y ago
    Nonsense. According to Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell: "Kentuckians and All Americans Should Accept the COVID-19 Vaccine". https://www.republicanleader.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/mcconnell-kentuckians-and-all-americans-should-accept-the-covid-19-vaccine https://www.republicanleader.senate.gov/newsroom/press-relea... He's the most prominent Republican politician in the country.
    - ceejayoz 5y ago
      > He's the most prominent Republican politician in the country. He really isn't. There's at least one you're missing. McConnell's currently trying to avoid having his party shut down the government over vaccine mandates.
      - nradov 5y ago
        Which one am I missing? House minority leader Kevin McCarthy and former President Trump have also encouraged vaccination. https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/house-minority-leader-kevin-mccarthy-receives-covid-19-vaccine/ https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/house-minority-leader-k... https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/16/trump-americans-covid-vaccine-476479 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/16/trump-americans-cov...
        ceejayoz 5y ago
        > former President Trump have also encouraged vaccination Yes, Trump is the one. If you're counting Trump, you're reading "you're probably not gonna talk about being pro-vaccination too much" very differently than I intended. Trump similarily gave the occasional half-hearted "you should wear a mask" statement, but pretending he's a masking advocate would be silly. His latest half-hearted attempt at promoting vaccination resulted in booing from the crowd, and he hasn't really touched that live wire since. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-booed-alabama-rally-after-telling-supporters-get-vaccinated-n1277404 https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-booed-al...
    - 5y ago
- MauranKilom 5y ago
  > If I were Booking.com or a flight company, for example, I would support the anti-vax side of things. How does that make sense? How does a more vulnerable population help booking.com? You'd think they'd want to overcome the pandemic too? Sure, they might be anti-lockdown, and might get lumped with anti-vax, but there is less than zero benefit for travel-related companies in advocating against vaccinations.

snovv_crash 5y ago

There are other incentives than financial. A lot is based on group identity - many people have no idea about vaccines, pros or cons, and just follow what someone they respect says. If you don't have the same recommendation as their 'guru', you're either an industry shill or a conspiracy theorist depending on which way it goes.