Thursday, February 12, 2015

On Mandatory Vaccinations

Of course we all want to be free from illness.  It's part of the innate desires necessary for life to prevail on the battlefield.  If we didn't have the drive to avoid death, well, we wouldn't be here.  Now, I'm not about to start trying to rationalize people out of their desire not to die or see their children die, so don’t hear me doing that.  But I think that once we start to succeed SO fantastically at stomping out various predators: weather, large meat eating animals, hunger, disease, etc. that we actually become a threat to the ENTIRE eco system, well, we should re-evaluate our automatic submission at all costs to this urge.  Not just that, but what cheating ourselves out of the evolutionary process actually means to the humans of the future (if we’re even going to have a future).  We are thinking beings, so evaluations of this sort are our responsibility.  One we've sadly failed at. 

Now, I have yet to do research on vaccines (I’m not planning children) so I continue to float in the middle of a decision of whether or not I think they are effective, or whether or not I think they have serious risks.  My position doesn't have anything to do with either factor.  I don’t assume that the big business of vaccines is a giant lie for profit, and I don’t assume that anti-vaxers just hate anything too sci-fi.  But what vaccines are if they ARE effective, is unnecessary cheating in a battle we are already winning to the detriment of ALL LIFE ON THE PLANET, and what they are if they ARE risky, is a purposeful violation to someone who didn't choose them (instead of a faultless natural risk).  If they are not effective and not risky, they're a waste of time, money, and resources.  So... either way... I don't really like them.  

What I REALLY don’t like is the idea that it’s ok to force people to force them on their children.  I've gone through the process before of painstaking research into a medical practice that everyone assumes is the best and MUST be good or it wouldn't be happening, only to find a giant steaming pile of lies, profit, and defensive perpetuation of harm on children; so I have no delusions about ethics in the business of medicine.  We should never force people to accept a treatment or intervention they believe could harm themselves or their child, especially if the child is healthy.  There are too many factors at play, and too much money involved to just forfeit choice in favor of the opinion of the people currently in power.  If the “greater good” can usurp a person’s right to refuse, then HOW LONG before doctors you have never met can decide on YOUR healthcare for you?  Let's not go there.
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