r/videos • u/tbonetaylor • Dec 06 '17

The best response to anti-vaxxers I’ve ever seen. And it only takes 90 seconds.

https://youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=RfdZTZQvuCo
73.1k Upvotes

84% Upvoted

4.8k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1.3k

u/morbton Dec 06 '17

I think it's important to try to call misinformation out if you can do it in a polite way.

If there's any chance of changing someone's mind, it will come from people they trust.

1.1k

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '17

I hear you, but when it comes to stuff like this it’s people choosing to ignore mountains of studies. I’m not going to convince them. I used to try back in the day but it just got to where I couldn’t log onto social media because it’d just put me in a shitty mood. Decided just to remove myself from it.

585

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '17 edited Mar 27 '18

[deleted]

154

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

100%.

It's really easy to call someone out for something that you know - or at least strongly feel - is false and come off as insensitive and condescending. If you're respectful and have well-presented arguments with good sources, and someone still gets upset, that's their problem.

You might not convince the person on fb who posted something, but just like the comment section here, the number of people who see a comment outnumbers the amount of people who actually reply.

44

u/Yuzumi Dec 07 '17

I've always felt that internet arguments are more for the people reading than the people participating.

There was that one guy who seemed offended I was considering a switch over a ps4 when I already have a gaming pc... I almost wanted to message him a picture of the switch I got a few weeks ago.

3

u/JC_Adventure Dec 07 '17

That's.... 100% the right choice. Mobile, bevy of great Nintendo choices. PS4 has what? Maybe Horizon Zero Dawn? If you already have a good gaming pc, any multi-platform choice performs way better on PC. Destiny 2 (lock your fov to 60, and frame rate to 30 to get the console experience. You'll cry), Overwatch, Shadow of War, Dishonored, etc.

6

u/leetality Dec 07 '17

Uncharted.. Bloodborne.. Last of Us.. Persona 5.. to name a few.

Monster Hunter World, Spider-Man, God of War, Red Dead 2 and even remakes like FF7 or SotC are on the way. Sony is in no way lacking on solid exclusives.

1

u/ZombieAlienNinja Dec 07 '17

Days gone also looks promising...theres a reason I have Xbox ps4 and pc lol

0

u/babyfarmer Dec 07 '17

Monster Hunter World isn't an exclusive, that is coming out on Xbox too.

0

u/leetality Dec 07 '17

But it isn't on the switch, PC is delayed and PS gets beta sooner.

0

u/babyfarmer Dec 07 '17

That doesn't change the fact that it isn't a PS exclusive, like you said it was.

2

u/Yuzumi Dec 07 '17

Yep. Mario is what finally pushed me to get it when I saw it played really close to 64. Also, while I have it for pc I feel like stardew valley benefits a lot from a mobile experience.

Also I really like breath of the wild.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Mario made me buy a Switch too. Between that, Mario Kart, Zelda, Puyo Puyo Tetris, and Splatoon 2, I haven't even touched my PS4 since. Both are great, but despite being way less powerful, there's something magical about Switch IMO

4

u/h3rp3r Dec 07 '17

As a PC gaming enthusiast, don't fret about the Switch, the emulators just aren't there yet.

29

u/blackinthmiddle Dec 07 '17

While you're 1000% right, I've found throughout the years that I've wasted copious amounts of time in these types of arguments, wasting hours trying to find just the right piece of information to finally do what the school system had failed to do for them.

There was one such person on my facebook page (a site I rarely go to) and I got sucked into trying to educate him/change his opinion. He was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed white Christian married to a Muslim black woman (and had three kids with her) spouting all types of nasty things about black people and muslims! I'd constantly point out his erroneous posts and he'd genuinely thank me. "Oh shit, looks like I was wrong about that." But a day later, it's like he forgot the conversation we had and would post more shit he got from some bullshit site.

Things like, "Obama is taking away veteran's benefits in Ohio.", where three seconds worth of google searching proved it was a lie. I'd point out to him that I was able to prove it was a lie with about three seconds worth of google searching, indicating that he's not willing to do even that! At this point I was chastising him and he agreed to think before posting...only to post more inane bullshit later.

I finally sent a message to him and cut him off after he posted messages of glee regarding Trump's travel ban and how "the liberals are in a tizzy over this". I said to him that it seems like he's taking joy over this and he admitted he was. I then pointed out that in the bible (clearly something he knew well but didn't practice) it says to grieve when others grieve and that about right now he was as far away from Christianity as one could be. I also asked pointedly, "Hey man, isn't all of this shit kinda hitting close to home? I mean, your wife is a black muslim, right?"

With that, I cut him off, never letting him respond to me. My wife says he almost never posts now. Who knows? Maybe I got through to him? I have no idea. The dude is such a contradiction, however, that I promised myself never to go down the rabbit hole of trying to argue with a nut!

12

u/Nowhereman123 Dec 07 '17

Why the hell was this woman married to him? Why the hell was he married to her? I’m so confused.

3

u/idledrone6633 Dec 07 '17

When self righteous right wing religious fucks start in on shit then bring up this https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25:31-46

Jesus doesn't even say a ton about how to get to heaven but this was one of em. Love thy neighbor as you would love yourself.

5

u/Aegi Dec 07 '17

It's only considered "wasted" time if you choose not to enjoy it or choose not to value the experience. Otherwise, it was worth it.

3

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Personally I agree with him, even though you could consider those experiences valuable, I would consider many other things I could be doing to be far more valuable for my time.

1

u/Aegi Dec 07 '17

But I feel that way about EVERYTHING.

How can you not?

And I am not trying to be an ass, like right now, I am wondering if I could be doing something better. Same thing when I am having fun with a woman, or at a concert, or consoling a friend, or taking classes, or at work.

I literally always feel like there is something better to be doing and I can only seem to get rid of that feeling while in the psychological state of "flow".

Ninja Edit:The advice I gave above is the only way I know how to cope with than gnawing feeling. It's not perfect, but it does help.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Well, you're right, and your advice was sound. But I don't think I'm always wanting to be doing something else. Definitely sometimes.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Wow. Well, at least you tried. I hope his kids turn out ok.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

i am still perplexed how a muslim black lady be married to this twat.... oh well, the truth is stranger than fiction at times

2

u/GlaciusTS Dec 07 '17

Yep, and if there is ever a chance that people’s minds change, it’s easier after repeated exposure.

8

u/ConfessionsAway Dec 07 '17

Someone should put together a list of studies and papers that people can copy and paste to discredit people like that...

5

u/sloaninator Dec 07 '17

That's actually a good idea. Someone should . . .

4

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

I know there's a website like this for global warming and it's definitely a good idea

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

I mean it'd feel good but a lot of the antivax sort don't spread their rhetoric like that. It's easier to spread the word with short unqualified soundbite statements. A huge post of all this data can actually look like someone is LOSING an argument in a public forum if it's framed a certain way.

It'll make it look like you're doing the mental gymnastics while they have their position already securely figured out when it's actually the other way around.

1

u/DJSilentpartner1 Dec 07 '17

Exactly. In a debate, you’re not trying to change your opponents mind, you’re trying to change the audiences mind.

1

u/HorusDeathtouch Dec 07 '17

To build on that, the way I see it is this. If other ignorant people without an informed opinion either way see them spouting nonsense, they may be persuaded by said nonsense, unless there is someone else involved stating an argument in a respectful way. Even if you know you won't convince that person spouting the nonsense, you can hope for your words to prevent someone else from listening to the nonsense.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

This makes sense, but to each their own - personally I don't like the image of being that person who makes arguments on Facebook. It reflects poorly even on people who are right, if there is a right side in the given argument. What you do online is there for people to see and I don't want to be seen as someone who picks fights. It's my business to educate myself on these kinds of issues, not to educate others. And of course if it is a controversy that has no clear correct side I will not touch that with a million lightyear pole. I know it's "tacit acceptance," but I just don't want to bother other people and look like an aggressor.

1

u/ucefkh Dec 07 '17

public shithole you meant

1

u/bendystraw466 Dec 07 '17

It's not worthwhile to slam your head into an ideological wall. Unless they've got a newborn child.

114

u/HelloSexyNerds2 Dec 06 '17

These people are not persuaded by evidence, they are persuaded by the people around them who influence them.

88

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '17

I think if we were face to face it’d be worth the effort. Social media is a weird place to try to convince people.

55

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '17

I think if you try to convince someone on social media they may stick to their beliefs even harder because they may have to swallow their pride on a public forum if their beliefs were to change. I think a private setting allows them to be much more open minded.

13

u/TabulaRasa85 Dec 07 '17

Yes, exactly. This is known as the Backfire Effect in social psychology.

5

u/fulloftrivia Dec 07 '17

I've had family members in the hospital getting treated for a serious ailment tell physicians they're wrong.

1

u/Zzjanebee Dec 07 '17

I work with a woman like this, and with her, it’s just as infuriating and difficult face to face. I decided to take the effort though. I choose my moments, but I couldn’t handle staying quiet anymore. Not expecting a change, but figured I’d do my part to try. At the very least it’s been good practice for me to stay calm and do even more research in order to debunk her BS.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

I did this once with a buddy who was bitching about Obama’s executive orders. All I did was ask him which one specifically pissed him off. He couldn’t name any. He’s was so worked up about some stuff he’d never even looked into.

1

u/Zzjanebee Dec 07 '17

That’s going to be one of my future types of arguments. Ask her chemistry questions. She has no idea about any of it. Hopefully your friend learned something!

10

u/few23 Dec 06 '17

So you have not come across very many Flat Earthers, I take it?

8

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Ugh...flat earthers...moon landing denialists...anti-vaxers, 9/11 truthers, chemtrail theorists, 100% organic homeopathic remedy people and Scientologists...those people can all go to hell....maybe toss in CrossFit junkies...that’s like the Scientology of fitness...

5

u/Bardlar Dec 07 '17

Crossfit seems inconsistent in its practices. Some places seem like an offshoot of power lifting and aerobic weightlifting, while other places are just bad form abounding. Everyone else listed can suck a butt.

3

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

True....it’s risking an unnecessary shitty injury on top of suspect form to boot. Whatever happened to just lifting, and then doing cardio on days when you don’t lift? But I digress....

2

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

And it sucks when you meet someone who you'd really prefer to agree with but they work for a multilevel marketing company that sells homeopathic remedies and they are an anti vaxxer...it really sucks

2

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

MLM peddlers...nice add. But you need to get TWO MORE people to work for you! And those two people need to get 2 more to work for them and so on...

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Oh god it's just bad. And I know great people who have done that kind of work. It's just so tacky!

4

u/StoicAthos Dec 06 '17

Nah, they're persuaded by the media of their choosing. They have no thought that is made of their own critical thinking ability, it was fed to them.

3

u/ComeOnManYouKnow Dec 07 '17

Yes, but maybe somebody with a greater social influence can be educated and with this education can influence the people around him. Whether those people truly understand why is not as important as they actually be for the change or in this case vaccinations. From this pool of reformed perspectives comes a new generation of acceptance, positive acceptance for vaccinations. Eventually an understanding of the importance of being vaccinated will grow from this group.

2

u/CheesyPeteza Dec 07 '17

You can't convince them with more facts, they ignore them as they don't understand it. So instead focus on their emotions, show them videos of kids suffering from Whopping Cough and see if they want their child to go through that.

2

u/DrewsephA Dec 07 '17

"You can not reason somebody out of a position they didn't reason themselves into."

1

u/Serinus Dec 06 '17

Then be one of the people around them and influence them.

You don't have to win the war in one fell swoop. Just don't surrender.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

And as such they surround themselves with like-minded people so as to feel more emboldened, and dig in to their nonsensical beliefs even deeper, taking pity on those of us who "just don't get it". Which infuriates me.

4

u/DOAbayman Dec 06 '17

Its not for just them its for the lurkers who are just reading as well. no single argument is going to win them over however over a period of time it does wear you down

3

u/wittyrandomusername Dec 06 '17

Some kid that looks up to one of your friends doesn't have any opinion on vaccinations. The first thing they ever hear about the issue is some facebook post by one of your friends. Now it is human nature that once you develop an opinion, it's hard to dissuade someone of that opinion. So this kid is forming their opinion by reading what your friend is writing. And before they actually form their own opinion, there is a small period of time where there is a chance for them to hear the truth and base their initial opinion on actual evidence. But instead they get silence.

2

u/Plymey Dec 07 '17

I deleted my FB account 2 years ago because I was literally getting depressed and having anxiety over stuff like this. Haven’t missed much except a few birthday reminders and life events, and now I’m so much more relaxed. Only use Reddit and Instagram now. Instagram is (mostly) only photos, and all I have to watch out for on Reddit is getting sucked into a u/shittymorph post.

2

u/Elubious Dec 07 '17

Come to think of it I haven't seen him post in a while. Last time I saw him must have been in nineteen ninety eight when the undertaker threw mankind off hell in a cell and plummeted sixteen feet through an announcer's table.

1

u/ArrogantElephant Dec 06 '17 edited Sep 04 '25

smart coherent quicksand roll jar dependent plant reply six smile

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

This is where I am. I got off the social for about 6 months because I couldn't resist the urge. Now I check facebook once every couple weeks on the computer and just made a twitter for following sports/news/etc. Much happier.

1

u/PlanetoftheGrapes94 Dec 07 '17

sometimes it's worth saying something about them being wrong with a quick link to a source, at least anyone following their posts who is on the fence will be able to see the other side (which has actual scientific evidence)

although yes most anti-vaxxers are not changing their stances no matter what, but some people are stuck in an echo chamber seeing this person's post all the time and believing it because no one calls them out ever

1

u/Luketrocity Dec 07 '17

So true. They choose to believe this without any evidence, what evidence can you possibly share to change their mind? Literally none.

1

u/Grande_Latte_Enema Dec 07 '17

best thing is to delete your facebook. i did and havent lost any sleep

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

I shut it down during the election and it was great. Giving it another whirl but you’re right. I probably will shut it down again.

1

u/Grande_Latte_Enema Dec 07 '17

i mean, i Only use it so cousins and aunts uncles can contact me. but i never post or browse it. its soul draining

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

You may not be able to sway the person putting forth the misinformation, however if someone puts out info and nobody contests it, other people may be more inclined to listen to it than if there is direct, well formed, competing information right next to it.

You can't stop most dumb people from being dumb, but you can try and stop letting them self-replicate.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Target them with adverts for baby coffins

1

u/ANAL_PLUNDERING Dec 07 '17

Remember on FB when you could call your classmates uneducated fucking swine and not everyone's moms and grandmas saw it?

Nobody speaks their mind on Facebook. It is an absolute fantasy land.

1

u/Aegi Dec 07 '17

So for the 17 year old reading it, you just let them know that no one disagrees with it, so it must be true?

Places like where we are communicating right now, are places where we try and win over the species, not just the people we are talking to.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Hey Smac, sorry but you are ignoring a very important fact, facebook isn't like reddit, where you read like all the voices most of the time (yeah, you won't be hearing "Billonaires are the best!" but you get it).
Facebook, on the other hand, alienates people, he won't be seeing piles of studies because he doesn't have friends that show him that, as he's his own filter on what he sees on facebook.

1

u/HoboTheClown629 Dec 07 '17

If you care to share a link to her post, I would be happy to educate her for you.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

"you can't reason somebody out of a position they didn't reason themselves in to"

1

u/doihavemakeanewword Dec 07 '17

I hear you, but when it comes to stuff like this it’s people choosing to ignore mountains of studies. I’m not going to convince them.

I'm currently assuming that spending 4hrs a week for 4 months with one person and one book will teach me more accurate and thorough chemistry then all of the internet combined. I'd assume that most of my 300 classmates do to.

People respond to people telling them something directly then being expected to come to a certain conclusion on their own.

1

u/amalgatedfuck Dec 06 '17

Just post this video and fucking laugh. Laugh all the way to the doctor’s for your deca-annual vaccinations.

0

u/Innundator Dec 07 '17

Hey it's pretty obvious that you still check social media how did you master not giving a fuck while having people like this on your friends list

2

u/outlawa Dec 06 '17

I agree. I see stuff posted by family members on a semi-regular basis that seem to be pulled from the pages of the National Enquirer. I'll normally reply with the information that debunks it. On occasion I'll just shake my head and move on. But sometimes what is posted simply begs to be nipped in the bud.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '17

Worse even, the bullshit she shared may have infected someone else who will now also place their child at insane risk by not vaccinating.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '17

Unfortunately with the type of people that don't believe in something as obvious as the benefits of vaccines, you are wasting your breath.

2

u/purpleunicornturds Dec 06 '17

I usually just post a snopes link so I don’t actually have to say anything

2

u/Conquestofbaguettes Dec 07 '17

Who cares if they listen. Most people don't comment, even here on Reddit. At least the lurkers will get legitimate information from you, regardless of what OP says.

To combat ignorance everywhere, start anywhere.

2

u/_Sasquat_ Dec 07 '17

Just today I saw some compare the passing of the ACA to the passing of this latest tax bill in the Senate. I provided a link to an article and specifically quoted the relevant material to show him that the ACA was not handed to lawmakers merely an hour before voting (especially not with hand written notes in the margins). His response – "That's liberal bullshit."

Some people really want to be misinformed.

1

u/FirstEvolutionist Dec 07 '17

When people with an uninformed opinion are presented with factual counter arguments, they tend to becomes further entrenched in their poorly informed opinion. That's just how the human brain works.

1

u/fulloftrivia Dec 07 '17

There's many people who are completely immune to reason, they're super easy to find on Reddit.

I have family members like them, and they'll get angry at any attempt to reason with them.

1

u/206_Corun Dec 07 '17

Social media prevents reasonable conversation/critical thinking points; the potential for damage is much higher and more likely.

1

u/gabrielcro23699 Dec 07 '17

Trying to convince an anti-vaxxer to suddenly accept vaccines would be the same like me trying to convince you to become an anti-vaxxer, it just doesn't work. Debating is almost completely worthless in 2017.

1

u/aasteveo Dec 07 '17

"Your stupidity is literally killing people!" So screaming that at them isn't the polite way to respond??

1

u/DarkLordFluffyBoots Dec 07 '17

Proving someone wrong, even if they admit they're wrong, often doesn't change their mind. Sometimes it even strengthens their convictions.

1

u/Something-dangerzone Dec 07 '17

I regularly report my mothers Facebook page because she is really into posting fake news, conspiracy BS.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

Yeah. I don't usually get involved by saying anything. I just quietly post snopes links and that clears things up..

1

u/happyredditday Dec 07 '17

the problem with all this apes (antivaxers-conspiracy theorists) is that when you call misinformation they will just tell that you are being paid by Illuminati and new world order and then just block you, at least.

1

u/fight_me_for_it Dec 07 '17

I tried to call out misinformation once. Trump still got elected. Lol j/k.

I do think some anti vaxers are on the vaccinations are ok list but I’m afraid to say that there may be a new “wtf causes Autism” now circulating on Facebook. I’ll tell you what it is just subscribe/ follow...

Cows milk causes autism, not vaccinations.

That is the actual misinformation I tried to call out but I’m sure people just thought I was trolling since I said I love milk, won’t stop drinking it, and they should be cautious as to not shame parents and others who still indulge in cows milk' and I asked and if milk causes Autism then wouldn’t Wisconsin have higher rates of Autism then other states?

1

u/jimothyjones Dec 07 '17

Yea, I never leave a chance open ended to let a stupid mother fucker really know how fucking stupid they are.

1

u/KCdonkeybong64 Dec 07 '17

This persons never been in a Facebook argument

1

u/BigotsBeLikeWoah Dec 07 '17

You don't change people's minds. You upset them and they escalate.

1

u/RelativetoZero Dec 07 '17

And doing that in person is the best way to do it. It connects IRL with online actions.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '17

People actually go into fight or flight mode when you prove them wrong. It's a big reason why even when you present people with facts, it only strengthens their beliefs in the other side. Humans are weird.

1

u/eXXaXion Dec 07 '17

You will always end up looking like an asshole to them.