4 ms·

We have a terminology problem, and nobody seems to notice or care. Everyone is using sloppy language and has been for most of this thing. In reality, there are

We have a terminology problem, and nobody seems to notice or care. Everyone is using sloppy language and has been for most of this thing. In reality, there are more bits here than just vaccine status, and even that isn't binary, unless you start talking about the moving target of "fully vaccinated". An unvaccinated person who has been infected and recovered is not at all the same as a person who has not. Yet here you are righteously and confidently proclaiming that "these people are a clear danger to the public". Your statement is a serious accusation, and it is sloppy and imprecise, and plain wrong for some significant chunk of the people it is being lobbed at. Yet not many people will bat an eye, because its the same sloppy language everyone else is using.

simonh 5y ago
We can’t make special rules tailored to every individual. That’s completely untenable. How long ago did they get covid? How can we be sure? Vaccination status can be recorded and tracked, and supplemented with booster shots to maintain efficacy, so it’s a reliable indicator.
- ifyoubuildit 5y ago
  Does what you just said somehow make it better that you (and virtually everyone else I see talking about this stuff) is saying things that are more than a little inaccurate? What do you think that does for good will in these kinds of conversations? When you (the royal you, not just you specifically) are going to get into proclaiming what we all can or cannot do, it seems like there should be some care paid to being precise, and being correct. Its no skin off your back if you're a little loose with your terminology, but there are many millions of folks that you're maligning by doing so, folks that you need to come along with whatever policies you're proposing, unless you want to go full on despot mode. Better terminology would go a long way towards getting people on the same page.

simonh 5y ago

We can’t make special rules tailored to every individual. That’s completely untenable. How long ago did they get covid? How can we be sure? Vaccination status can be recorded and tracked, and supplemented with booster shots to maintain efficacy, so it’s a reliable indicator.

ifyoubuildit 5y ago
Does what you just said somehow make it better that you (and virtually everyone else I see talking about this stuff) is saying things that are more than a little inaccurate? What do you think that does for good will in these kinds of conversations? When you (the royal you, not just you specifically) are going to get into proclaiming what we all can or cannot do, it seems like there should be some care paid to being precise, and being correct. Its no skin off your back if you're a little loose with your terminology, but there are many millions of folks that you're maligning by doing so, folks that you need to come along with whatever policies you're proposing, unless you want to go full on despot mode. Better terminology would go a long way towards getting people on the same page.