All your Anti-Vaxxers are belong to us. Hard right wing is wooing the anti-vax movement as the movement takes a startling shift from center to right

[Stokely]

Anti-vaxx isn't "center" it's just dumb people being dumb people. The right is now trying to capitalize it like bottom feeders.

Agreed. Anti-vaxxers can be apolitical but that's not center, that's just not connected to politics.

They are idiot wankers whether they are political or not.

Surely a coincidence, but almost all the ones I know are 1) religious and 2) right wing. Basically all groups that like to find facts to fit their beliefs instead of the other way around.

There's always been ridiculous conspiracy thinking but only now do the purveyors have the easy means to reach everyone--social media. Those snake oil guys used to have to travel with horse and buggy, now they just start a youtube channel. It's not that expensive or difficult to look legit. Probably most of them don't believe one word of what is on their channel--it's all about the money. Doesn't matter in the end, a bunch of rubes get hooked.

In a close election, a fuckhead like RFK (if he ran 3rd party) could spell the difference. aka Ralph Nader, the consumer advocate, who I hold partially responsible for up to a million Iraqi deaths. I hope he had a lot of sleepless nights, but something tells me an ego that runs for President when he knows full well he can't win won't be bothered.

 

[Jaskalas]

This is why conspiracy theories cannot just be ignored.

I agree.

Countering conspiracy bullshit MUST become a priority and a shit ton of money and production effort poured into it.

It is a question of indoctrinating people into our tribe, and ensuring that people we identify with follow the scientific method and are willing to admit when they are wrong. It is of educating kids, teens, and young adults. If we ever loose sight of the importance of this, if we ever let slip our grasp upon reality... then there is no rabbit hole deep enough to describe our future. Given the prevalence of those who are "other" to us, it may already be too late. Humans, tribal as we are, cling to false ideas and false idols. We fantasize and fanaticize until delirium takes us.

Our opponents, though suffering madness, are still formidable. Our open society protects their efforts to spread their ill begotten faith of insanity.
We must ask ourselves, what are we doing to maintain sanity, and is it enough?

 

[UNCjigga]

If the GOP is good at anything, it’s turning unassuming, low-income, low-information apolitical non-voters into rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth zealots.

They have that to a fucking science. ISIS would be proud.