"Scientists have become sitting ducks. We need leaders to step up and defend us"

[Model35mech]

7. Unfortunately, beliefs in medicine aren't just about science

There are multiple confounders that impinge on whether or not scientific understanding wins vaccine argumentation

Medical beliefs, especially belief in big medical events, interface with other big things besides science in our society... business, politics, populism to name a few in general.

Of these I have to say that populist political prejudices have serious impact on society that too often receives over-coverage for the wrong reasons. And not everything in science makes good Youtubes. Day to day science is pretty boring stuff wherein repetition builds 'N' that decision making so largely depends upon. It's not at all the sizzly thing around which 40 second news are made.

Rather, some of the hottest sizzle exists in popular distrust of the educated in general, and particularly for politically empowered educated bureaucrat scientists it runs rampant. Every educated person in charge of Public Health becomes a target of that distrust when it crosses low hanging high voltage power lines of the haters. The media loves creating coverage of the haters because their activity is intended to and it does succeed at generating sizzle. And that sizzle is the sound of frying the brains of the general population, the politicians eyeing their populist base, preachers trying to look empowered to their congregations, and in the conflicts that have broken between the populists and pretty much all the plans of educated, experienced most often competent Public Health Authorities.

If you live here n the US you know that everyone sitting on a high horse is as much a target for criticism and ridicule as they are positioned to lead a cavalry charge on a national pandemic response. As a nation we resent people who tell us what to do, on the false principle that we shouldn't be subjected to other people's opinions regarding our personal, religious or political beliefs. Who are you to tell me I shouldn't be swallowing a sheep wormer to cure my Covid? Who are you to cost me my time at work because I have to be at home doing things for which I'm ill prepared, such as providing all day parenting care and education to my children? Forget messing around house parties... you sure as hell have no authority to tell me not to go to my megaChurch.

If it was only a doubt about the science, that would difficult but not unsolvable.

But it is not, not by many miles.