Notes on being a Nut
Notes on being a Nut.
I put this here - as this is likely to be the next 'battleground' (sadly playing into the war symbology game) - In order to keep the us and them division going ad infinitum /ab surdeum.
We will be split into those believing in a 'cure' and those opposed - whereas - as with all aspects of life, it isn't a black and white matter - and the grey areas are where the inclusive and more equitable, new 'normal' will flourish IMHO (but not necessarily IMHL - In My Humble Lifetime)
Notes on being a Nut
Just heard Boris Fibface calling me a nut.*
For the record, I'm anti Vax, because no vaccine is vegan.
I'm not going against life-long ethical principles because politicians and their corporate masters decide that this new unproven income stream is the new normal.
Remember - vaccines were NOT the main reason we have combatted a handful of diseases globally - it was mainly due to sewerage systems, access to clean water and wider knowledge of hygiene - check the facts. The text above was my original post (25/7/2020) - originally simply with this link to a BBC piece on Horseshoe Crabs**: https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-53333096
The initial comment to my first brief post was (perhaps somewhat tongue in cheekily):
“Thats fine if you dont want to travel anywhere.”
My response: How about if travel is limited to those with biometric implants - are you happy to acquiesce to any and all measures the government requires - whatever the cost to the planet, fellow creatures or your own ethical views?
I'm happy for you to be on a constant round of medication - your prerogative, but I'm personally against making such measures mandatory. I recognise that vaccines have a place to combat disease, I just believe that their effects are often willfully overstated - and know that their production abuses fellow beings. I also think in this particular case, this is a) business as usual (which most agree is an aspect of 'normal' that needs to change) and b) the thin end of a very unsavoury wedge for future generations. Please read this for more detail: https://charleseisenstein.org/essays/the-coronation/?_page=3
The main body (following) of this note was in answer to a further gentle question (thx Andy) of what I took to be a prompt for more explanation for my reasoning - probably to enable me provide a little distance from what seems to be a fair proportion of the more rabid Anti-Vaxxers out there - the ‘nuts’ of BJ’s rabble-rousing headline..
Oh, tis true. As with many aspects of life these days, the space on the fringes is getting congested with thoughtless You-tube 'informed' (deformed?) Alex Jones types that swallow tin hat madness for breakfast, then defend their right to amplify to the hilt.
As you know, my anarchic, off-center viewpoint has never been mainstream (although I believe the world is meandering my way at present re: animal cruelty, diet, climate change, anti capitalism, ecological awareness - as I'm aware you are aware (etc etc!))
Partially why I wrote the post.
a) I don't think the non-vegan status of all vaccine testing is widely known - and this troubles me greatly - especially as mandatory take-up is being widely mooted.
b) I'm not into compulsory medication of populations - this seems a worrying aspect of civil right erosion and the basis of many a bad science fiction dystopian backstory. 'Road to hell is paved with good intentions' etc (Hence the link to the Charles Eisenstein essay above)[Now out of order - this link appears below]
c) Hygiene is often left out of the hyperbole around vaccination - of how pharmacological input has 'saved us' from disease - regaining this perspective is useful I believe.
I take on board that many good people are working tirelessly to create medicines to help combat this present epidemic and other diseases, but reject the present methodology - using fellow creatures to test being one example. I am also wary of 'science' being used (not by scientists, who generally know it's limitations) by politicians / neo-dictators / marketers as a 'cure-all' with no (potential) downsides.
Yesterday I was reading of recent Crispr trials. They are still blundering around in the relative dark and having countless unforeseen issues with what has been widely touted as the new 'precise' form of GMO. Humanity's hubris on such matters astounds me. As you know I love science, I enjoy this aspect of mankind moving us forward - but I also respect the natural world and understand it's fragility. There has to be more 'precautionary principle' based checks and balances IMHO. (releasing gene edited trees into the environment could potentially kill us all, for example)
I firmly believe (but will hopefully be proved wrong) that Glyphosate is a major vector in many of today's diseases. Processed food is also a factor - and indeed yesterday obesity seemed to be recognised (by BJ) as an important agent of co-morbidity in this pandemic. We have many pointers into how to create healthier populations - recognised, obvious to most and fairly easy to modify culturally.
Sadly these changes would impact neolib 'market' interests - so even though they are well known, or easily provable avenues to assist in making humans healthier, they are not our 'go to' method in today's world. 'We' still insist in researching magic pills to 'cure all' rather than taking painful short term decisions (economically; for those vested interests in fast foods / chemical-based agriculture) to change the world to longer-term biased, sustainable ways of food production and consumption. As I believe you and I both realise - there is no money in this route for share-holders to grab hold of - so therefore it's a much more difficult political path to take.
I suspect in the long term - with soil erosion, future pandemics and general levels of disease we will have to face up to this solution eventually - and for me, the sooner the better.
Which will avoid us going down these short-termist solutions that seek to preserve the 'business as usual' abuse of every aspect of our planet (and in this case medicate billions with a hopefully safe substance (limited side effects)), until the virus mutates enough to circumvent our measures - which we all know it will!
OK - I did make most of that up, off the cuff - and it could be construed as defending the tin hat brigade I suppose - but I'm happy to be persuaded that I'm wrong in any of my fears - and be happier as a result.
You probably remember - I barely take a paracetamol - been years - and depend on my immune system and healthful living as my defense against disease. Sadly our bodies seem so collectively compromised, people are seeking to continue their poor lifestyles and are looking to science to negate the detrimental effects created by such. (Information is key of course - many are unaware of either aspect and our society still condones and allows promotion of these poor choices).
I realise that this viewpoint does seem to ally me with some libertarian nut-jobs - which is rather troubling - but not enough to stop me holding the views I do.
Help me! lol
Anyone seeking further info - I would urge them to follow the link to the Eisenstein essay - much more informative and eloquent - I tried to attach - but it failed (probably as it’s quite long) It is fully referenced and incredibly thought provoking for these times. That link again: https://charleseisenstein.org/essays/the-coronation/?_page=3
Peace.