5 ms·

That's also the precise essence of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. I'd much rather have the information in front of me so I can evaluate it and make

That's also the precise essence of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. I'd much rather have the information in front of me so I can evaluate it and make my own determinations. If the parent commenter had their way I would've never seen this information. Now I can actually vet it out and do my own research. I think it's infinitely more dangerous to deprive people of information.

JumpCrisscross 4y ago
> much rather have the information in front of me so I can evaluate it and make my own determinations This is the danger. Most people, myself included, are not qualified to make that determination alone. In this case, as expected, it looks like it was crap [1][2]. I'm not arguing in any way for censoring anything. But there is legitimate danger when people, often desperate, compare legitimate medical research, which will be subdued, with quackery, which will be ostentatious, and then, worst case, reject the actual medicine or hurt themselves trying to administer rogue therapies. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35771376 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35771376 [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35771048 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35771048
- 1234letshaveatw 4y ago
  One notable exception to that is Kyrie Irving and other Covid vaccine skeptics, who were amazingly somehow able to "do their own research"
pfisherman 4y ago
Counterpoint. Historically people have not been able to evaluate these types of claims. See the history of snake oil salesmen and the origins of the Food Drug and Cosmetics Act. I don’t think it is a problem when people look at stuff, think it is interesting and try something relatively benign on themselves. For me the problem is when people start trying to play doctor without medical training or license.
- canadiantim 4y ago
  I agree with you in regards to the dangers of snake oil and snake oil salesmen and the general inability for the vast majority of people to properly vet medical information. That being said, I would say it’s unfortunately by necessity that people start trying to play doctor. I live in Canada, our healthcare system is currently in shambles such that it’s impossible to get timely care. Even the care we do get is time-limited and only focused on saving your life (which is great, but ignores the value of improving quality of life too). Also most of our medical interventions are so far behind the state of the art due to a Byzantine regulatory process that anyone actually trying to help a loved one with a health issue is forced to take matters into their own hands otherwise we fall through the cracks. The medical system is simply failing way too many people in Canada that it’s inevitable people Will take their health and the health of their loved ones into their own hands by necessity.

JumpCrisscross 4y ago

> much rather have the information in front of me so I can evaluate it and make my own determinations This is the danger. Most people, myself included, are not qualified to make that determination alone. In this case, as expected, it looks like it was crap [1][2]. I'm not arguing in any way for censoring anything. But there is legitimate danger when people, often desperate, compare legitimate medical research, which will be subdued, with quackery, which will be ostentatious, and then, worst case, reject the actual medicine or hurt themselves trying to administer rogue therapies. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35771376 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35771376 [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35771048 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35771048

1234letshaveatw 4y ago
One notable exception to that is Kyrie Irving and other Covid vaccine skeptics, who were amazingly somehow able to "do their own research"

pfisherman 4y ago

Counterpoint. Historically people have not been able to evaluate these types of claims. See the history of snake oil salesmen and the origins of the Food Drug and Cosmetics Act. I don’t think it is a problem when people look at stuff, think it is interesting and try something relatively benign on themselves. For me the problem is when people start trying to play doctor without medical training or license.

canadiantim 4y ago
I agree with you in regards to the dangers of snake oil and snake oil salesmen and the general inability for the vast majority of people to properly vet medical information. That being said, I would say it’s unfortunately by necessity that people start trying to play doctor. I live in Canada, our healthcare system is currently in shambles such that it’s impossible to get timely care. Even the care we do get is time-limited and only focused on saving your life (which is great, but ignores the value of improving quality of life too). Also most of our medical interventions are so far behind the state of the art due to a Byzantine regulatory process that anyone actually trying to help a loved one with a health issue is forced to take matters into their own hands otherwise we fall through the cracks. The medical system is simply failing way too many people in Canada that it’s inevitable people Will take their health and the health of their loved ones into their own hands by necessity.