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> DHH has called for the ethnic cleansing of Europe; he is also an antivaxer, a Covid "truther," a proponent of the "lab leak" conspiracy theory, an 'anti woke'

> DHH has called for the ethnic cleansing of Europe; he is also an antivaxer, a Covid "truther," a proponent of the "lab leak" conspiracy theory, an 'anti woke' weirdo, and is virulently anti-DEI Leaving aside all the rest of this, I thought "lab leak" was considered a reasonable hypothesis, although not especially likely, these days, rather than some kind of fringe theory.

dgellow 1mo ago
The lab leak isn’t considered reasonable outside of pundits as far as I’m aware. Unfortunately the pundits are the ones with the microphone
- petesergeant 1mo ago
  > “I thank each of the 27 members of SAGO for dedicating their time and expertise to this very important scientific undertaking over more than three years,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “As things stand, all hypotheses must remain on the table, including zoonotic spillover and lab leak.” [but] “the weight of available evidence…suggests zoonotic spillover” ... so I think your framing there is too strong. https://www.who.int/news/item/27-06-2025-who-scientific-advisory-group-issues-report-on-origins-of-covid-19 https://www.who.int/news/item/27-06-2025-who-scientific-advi...
  - dgellow 1mo ago
    Thanks that was an interesting read
anthonj 1mo ago
I believe it was disproved, but regardless, there is a lot between accepting an hypothesis and possibly valid and building a conspiracy around it. I don't about this case, but this conspiracy typically degenerate in anti-science behaviours, perosonal attacks (on researchers or just chiense people) and similar nice things.
ShinyLeftPad 1mo ago
It's a result of political division in US. If you are on the left then you have to see lab leak as a racist rightie conspiracy theory or you will have issues fitting in. Also lab leak is rejected as a side effect from being confused with intentional leak/bioweapon theory, which is entirely radioactive. Political right is the other way around. It is not conclusively proven one way or the other, but most people just made their conclusion: left that it's the market, right that it's the lab (or bioweapon for especially out there).
- carrychains 1mo ago
  It is both a racist rightie conspiracy theory and a plausible possibility worthy of serious consideration. Any reasonable person needs to recognize it as both simultaneously and will have no trouble fitting in among anyone outside the fringe at either end of the political spectrum.
  - ShinyLeftPad 1mo ago
    It can't be two mutually exclusive things simultaneously. I don't think it's just the fringes, at least it wasn't the case in 2022, now it's just not something many people talk about anymore
    - ball_of_lint 1mo ago
      What is mutually exclusive about those two things?
      - ShinyLeftPad 28d ago
        "conspiracy theory" specifically means choosing the crazy explanation while more reasonable explanations exist. If you say the explanation is NOT crazy because it deserves investigation then it's automatically not a conspiracy theory.
        ball_of_lint 28d ago

dgellow 1mo ago

The lab leak isn’t considered reasonable outside of pundits as far as I’m aware. Unfortunately the pundits are the ones with the microphone

petesergeant 1mo ago
> “I thank each of the 27 members of SAGO for dedicating their time and expertise to this very important scientific undertaking over more than three years,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “As things stand, all hypotheses must remain on the table, including zoonotic spillover and lab leak.” [but] “the weight of available evidence…suggests zoonotic spillover” ... so I think your framing there is too strong. https://www.who.int/news/item/27-06-2025-who-scientific-advisory-group-issues-report-on-origins-of-covid-19 https://www.who.int/news/item/27-06-2025-who-scientific-advi...
- dgellow 1mo ago
  Thanks that was an interesting read

anthonj 1mo ago

I believe it was disproved, but regardless, there is a lot between accepting an hypothesis and possibly valid and building a conspiracy around it. I don't about this case, but this conspiracy typically degenerate in anti-science behaviours, perosonal attacks (on researchers or just chiense people) and similar nice things.

ShinyLeftPad 1mo ago

It's a result of political division in US. If you are on the left then you have to see lab leak as a racist rightie conspiracy theory or you will have issues fitting in. Also lab leak is rejected as a side effect from being confused with intentional leak/bioweapon theory, which is entirely radioactive. Political right is the other way around. It is not conclusively proven one way or the other, but most people just made their conclusion: left that it's the market, right that it's the lab (or bioweapon for especially out there).

carrychains 1mo ago
It is both a racist rightie conspiracy theory and a plausible possibility worthy of serious consideration. Any reasonable person needs to recognize it as both simultaneously and will have no trouble fitting in among anyone outside the fringe at either end of the political spectrum.
- ShinyLeftPad 1mo ago
  It can't be two mutually exclusive things simultaneously. I don't think it's just the fringes, at least it wasn't the case in 2022, now it's just not something many people talk about anymore
  - ball_of_lint 1mo ago
    What is mutually exclusive about those two things?
    - ShinyLeftPad 28d ago
      "conspiracy theory" specifically means choosing the crazy explanation while more reasonable explanations exist. If you say the explanation is NOT crazy because it deserves investigation then it's automatically not a conspiracy theory.
      - ball_of_lint 28d ago