Understanding people who believe COVID-19 is an elaborate hoax - August 2021


It's August 25th, 2021, and as promised, I'm reporting in "real life" the interesting history of the COVID-19 pandemic. And today I'd like to talk about a category that I have to admit worried me, people who are genuinely kind and concerned about other people, and don't want them to believe in the hoax.

Of course, I know that it's not a hoax, the same way that I know that there was actually a moon landing, or the Holocaust, or that there's really a Queen of England. And it's simply that it would be logistically much too difficult to fake all of this stuff. People would have to cooperate more than I've ever seen it possible, and so to me it can't possibly be an elaborate hoax. And speaking for myself, I've never been good at stuff like that, I'd forget what I was supposed to say, or my sense of humor would overcome whatever I was supposed to do.

But there are a lot of people who genuinely believe that it's just an elaborate plot (I won't say conspiracy, 'cause it upsets them), and they need to do everything in their power to protect people from it. At first, I really couldn't wrap my head around someone like a kindly little old lady discouraging a vaccination, or telling you not to wear a mask. To me, it was bizarre, as if she would unbuckling my seat belt, or taking off my bicycle helmet. But you have to see it from their point of view.

Historically, people have often been conned and cheated by unscrupulous people in power. My own personal favorite is a king or a queen, who lives in luxury, supported by people who often are living at a poverty level. Yes, this really happens, and I guess I can't blame people for being a bit paranoid about it. A little bit of paranoia helps to keep you from being cheated, you know!

I really am a believer than most people are kind, and good. So if a little old lady were to suggest that I add a little strictine to my soup, I'm inclined to think that she means well, not that she's intentionally trying to kill me. The net effect would be the same of course, as what happened to patients whose doctors recommended blood-letting, but the intention is the same: best intentions.

History proved that blood-letting was not a good thing to do for a sick patient, and at some point we'll all look back on 2021 and it will make more sense. Right now we're in the middle of an interesting time, which historically is a curse.

I hope this helps. Now go get the vaccine! And eat your veggies!
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