Why are people still rejecting vaccinations despite the evidence that it works?

[bunyonb]

There are a lot of conspiracy theorists claiming that vaccinations cause autism and other harmful factors despite the accumulating evidence such as this and this,that vaccination is an effective method to prevent diseases and there is no link between vaccinations and autism. Some reasons from dissenters ranged from religious reasons, "Because it is against God's will" to political,"Violation policies violate personal liberties". Much of the opposition stems from a great distrust in their government. This is not an American problem alone. It is quite a shame to see reports like these from countries like France where the government is complaining that children are dying from preventable diseases like measles because of these hard-headed people.. They now have to make vaccinations of children from 2018 mandatory,where non-vaccinated children cannot attend state schools. The asinine ideas of the conspiracy theorists despite evidence that contradict their opposing claims about vaccination,proved to be a self-fulfilling prophecy when they complain about the infringement of their rights. Their stubbornness and unwillingness to examine the evidence that contradicts their theories, have brought others in harm's way because of their unvaccinated children become a public health hazard to others. Their rights to go unvaccinated ends up violating the rights of others who do not share their views.

What do you think should be done in bringing about understanding to these people about the facts and the possible flaws of vaccination if there is any?

[sarah]

@bunyonb who is rejecting it? Do I need vaccinations?

[bunyonb]

@sarah This is about parents who refuse vaccinations for their children and end up posing a threat to others in public spaces.

[Ara]

Well as a scientist I feel kinda upset about this @bunyonb You know, we have been working out to find the cure, or prevention against particular diseases, spending our years doing research and developing things before finally created and brought that products to you. But people just simply reject them without even want to know more about it :'(

[Ara]

I'll try to put it into words @bunyonb It's gonna be like this; the opposite, twisted version of what Ernest Hemmingway ever said: "I may talk. And you may listen. And miracles might happen." Lol

[bunyonb]

@Ara Exactly. It is not like these dissenters actually have reasonable arguments and evidence against vaccination. They are seeing the effects of unvaccinated children through the number of deaths rising in measles infections and they still deny it. Why is this? Their arguments are superficial or based on political feelings or religious dogma. What would it take for these hard-headed people to act in the name of public safety and children's lives to do the right thing regardless of what they feel or believe?

[Ara]

Yes @sarah most of us, especially infant and children (because they still have not-so-strong immune system) need vaccinations. They protect you from potential harmful diseases that might happen to you in the future. Take an example, women nowadays in my country are afraid of receiving Human Papilloma Virus vaccination which can protect you from getting cervical cancer in the future. It's important for sexually active women, or better if you are girl aged 12-24.

[bunyonb]

@Ara Right. Is it because of lack of education or information why people continue to push these anti-vaccine hoaxes? I am of the assumption that countries like France and others in Europe should have a fairly well educated population based on their education system. It's the US system that is always demonized and the leader in conspiracy theories of this kind.

[Ara]

That question is rather difficult to explain @bunyonb Some devout religious should learn to separate religious myth and facts, you can't just pray to God "Almighty God please remove all the diseases here so we can start living in harmony."
God doesn't magically create drugs, medicine, vaccines or antidotes. God direct us, the scientists, pharmacists, doctors through scientific enlightenments (lol), in creating those goodness for the world. Haha. That's what I got in mind when it comes to religions against science. It doesn't mean that I go against religions, not at all. I have some kind of beliefs, I suppose :}
I don't know pretty much about politics, tho.

[bunyonb]

@Ara Understood, I know it's a complex issue. I have heard of that nonsense a lot. The dishonesty of the religious. I am more agnostic and atheist leaning to be honest the more I learn about the world,history especially religious history and logic. It does not mean i hate the religious,but i hate what they do resulting from religious dogma and indoctrination.

[Ara]

Lol @bunyonb I built my own definition of God. And the more I listen to the nature, or the more I try to discover things in my laboratory works on daily basis, the more I adore God's work lol I don't search God in church oftenly, I speak with Him in my solitary moments. Sounds crazy, no? :D Like I can still believe in God eventhough I am a scientist, I am holding two contradictory things with me (>_<;)

[bunyonb]

@Ara I respect people's views and beliefs to a certain extent as long as they do not infringe on the rights and opinions of others. Everyone is entitled to an opinion/belief. The problem comes when they try to force it on others. I come from a household where my father was a deist at first and then became a full blown atheist. My mother was a protestant christian and she still is. You can imagine the many arguments about the bible and christianity lol but they are still getting along fine. My position is this. I need evidence to confirm these claims. Evidence makes all the difference,not faith. Faith is nice,it can be useful but it is not facts. I do not know if there is a god or if he exists. If he/she does exist, great! And i would have some questions for him/her. If not, oh well.

[bunyonb]

@Ara LOL there is nothing wrong with holding two contradictory ideas in your head. In fact that is one of the textbook signs of a critical thinker.

[Ara]

Hahaha I don't know how to explain @bunyonb I talk to God and listen to His voice echoing my heart every now and then. That's when I know God does exist. My Da was ex-muslim, and now a Christian, and my Ma was a devout Roman Catholic lol I am standing somewhere between Catholicism and agnosticism but it doesn't matter, truly. I'm more like "God is my religion" person >_<
Even when you say you don't believe in God, you just simply accepting facts with evidences and believe in them, doesn't it mean that you also have faith... in those facts? errr like faith in science or something haha idk how to explain faith tho. Even believing in yourself can still be considered as having faith in yourself. Hahaha

[bunyonb]

@Ara lol and this is why I said faith is not a bad thing in itself. Context is important. People trust science because we understand that the role of science is not about accepting beliefs without evidence, the evidence that science finds is scrutinized. Everything in science is scrutinized for their validity. We can have faith that the methods of science and the painstaking research that goes into a scientific endeavor would lead to people having some level of faith in the credibility of anything that the science community puts out versus a religious institution that will come up with many illustrations,stories,legends they might even try to blend science in somehow but as long as they cant provide irrefutable objective proof of their claims, then their arguments are more likely to be held in question and heavy scrutiny than secular works. Science does not have an agenda in proposing a belief,it is simply discovering and seeks to provide a plausible explanation. When it cannot explain a phenomena using scienitfic principles it has the honesty to say it does not know.On the other hand, religious dogma in general, are of the intellectual arrogance that not only are they right but they are right with full certainty and unwillingness to change when contrary evidence is right in their faces. Science is merely a formal process in observation and experimentation of the natural world and our interpretation of the evidence from scientific discoveries. It is from these scientific discoveries,the interpretation of their findings forms the basis for our beliefs and at the same time is a human weakness. It could be argued that scientific data can be deliberately manipulated to serve heinous agendas. We already saw this with the Tobacco Industry and concerns about the environment. But that is not the fault of science,that is the fault of people. When we say that we believe in gravity or the theory of gravity it is because we have falsifying evidence that there is a fundamental force called "gravity" as we have labeled it and its act on a falling body. It is no longer a belief or a theory in the purest sense because we can demonstrate it for ourselves. We can believe in scientific data because of its reputation in providing objective evidence with as much unbiased factors as possible and that which can be falsified. That is why when you quote scientific research form peer-reviewed journals,articles,clinical tests any argument you put forth that is supported by these bodies of research, it will add credibility to whatever you argue for or against. Science aims to explain and understand,not to indoctrinate and any "scientist" that indoctrinates violates scientific principles. Science as a collective institution aims to produce more and more accurate natural explanations of how the natural world works,what it is composed of and why it is the way it is now. Science is open to criticism and revision. What could be held as right today could be wrong tomorrow if someone discovered that a popular axiom or conjecture was based on something faulty or misunderstood then you will see a change. Finally,science does not know everything. There are things yet to be discovered and if somebody knows something to work they still have to somehow participate in scientific acts such as making sure that there is a link between the cause and effect,that it is falsifiable to establish some certainty that Y happens if you take X.

[A Former User]

@bunyonb same reason why 60% of Americans don't believe in evolution, STUPIDITY!!!

[karan11singh]

@bunyonb IIRC it all actually started because of some retarded "scientist" (don't remember the name) who actually published a paper on vaccines causing autism and it kinda snowballed from there. He was forced to withdraw the paper eventually, but the damage had been done till then - you know how the public gets hysterical and acts on what they hear on the news - actually, not even hear fully - without thinking for themselves.

Can't really pinpoint the root of the problem, though... But I believe that schools are absolutely not helping children learn how to think critically and question things, and this - what to call it - ignorance or attitude of docile acceptance is carried with them into adulthood. We need to learn to distinguish between facts and speculation, and not simply believe everything that we see and hear.

[Ilija Gromovnik]

Vaccinations nowadays have turned into a huge buisness for those big pharma companies that even go as far to create diseases and create a world wide panic just so they can sell their crappy products that contain amongst other things ''Mercury'' which is poisenous and extremely harmfull for your overall health and well being...

[A Former User]

@bunyonb faith is never a good thing.

[A Former User]

@ara Well. You're schizophrenic