COVID anti-vax is unlike the anti-vaccine movements that came before it. Traditional anti-vax is about fear of side effects. Moreover, traditional anti-vaxxers oppose vaccines for diseases that are under control. ...
Spotlight
Parliament issues blistering critique of ideology of “normal” birth
I’ve been writing for more than a decade about babies and mothers ...
Anti-vax is the quintessential contemporary superstition
In the 21st Century United States we speak disparagingly of superstition. Superstition ...
Anti-vaxxers — like drunk drivers — aren’t cool; they’re pathetic!
What’s wrong with anti-vaxxers? Why do they cling to absurd and nonsensical ...
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COVID anti-vax as a form of loyalty signaling
COVID anti-vax is unlike the anti-vaccine movements that came before it. Traditional anti-vax is about fear of side effects. Moreover, traditional anti-vaxxers oppose vaccines for diseases that are under control. The average person is unlikely to see a case of polio or diphtheria so they imagine that if they haven’t seen a disease, it can’t […]
How COVID got anti-vaxxers to promote deadly variants
Since time out of mind human beings and microorganisms have been engaged in an accelerating arms race. Diseases have found novel ways to infect us and we have found novel ways to fight back. First we evolved genes that help us resist disease; much later we learned to use natural antibiotics produced by other living […]
Doing your own research: what’s possible and what’s not.
Yesterday I posted a link to a piece about “doing your own research.” Unless you’re an expert in the field you’re “researching,” you’re almost certainly not able to fully understand the nuance and complexity of the topic. Experts have advanced degrees, published research, and years of experience in their sub-field. They know the body of […]
Parliament issues blistering critique of ideology of “normal” birth
I’ve been writing for more than a decade about babies and mothers whose lives have been sacrificed on the altar of the British midwifery’s “Campaign for of Normal Birth.” Radical midwifery theorists believe “normal” birth is birth without pain relief or interventions of any kind, even interventions designed to ensure safety. Parliament has now issued […]
Anti-vax is the quintessential contemporary superstition
In the 21st Century United States we speak disparagingly of superstition. Superstition is supposedly a feature of backward, primitive cultures, not our culture. According to Wikipedia: Superstition is a pejorative term for any belief or practice that is considered irrational or supernatural: for example, if it arises from ignorance, a misunderstanding of science or causality, […]
Anti-vaxxers — like drunk drivers — aren’t cool; they’re pathetic!
What’s wrong with anti-vaxxers? Why do they cling to absurd and nonsensical conspiracies despite the fact that they’ve never been right in the entire 200 year history of the anti-vax movement? The dirty little secret: They’re psychologically weak and emotionally needy; anti-vax eases their sense of powerlessness and fills a desperate desire to feel both […]
How to get fooled into believing in alternative medicine
I recently posted a series of memes on my Facebook page. They’re united by the theme: Conventional Medicine Wins! For example: No one calling 911 begs for a chiropractor of a homeopath. No one treats a venous snake bite with essential oils. Alternative medicine cannot cure fractured bones. In an effort to dispute my claims, […]
Neoliberalism, paranoia and vaccination
Contrary to the beliefs of its adherents, anti-vaccine advocacy isn’t about vaccines. It’s about the political philosophy of neoliberalism and the American predilection for paranoia. Neoliberalism places a premium on individual responsibility and minimizes the value of collective action. We see this in whose who venerate private industry and derogate goverment support. But we also […]
Trust doubt?
Is there anyone more gullible than a COVID denier? Hundreds of thousands of Americans are dead and deniers are still not sure the disease is dangerous. Mask use prevented million of cases but they wouldn’t wear them. New vaccines are dramatically effective with few reported side effects but they won’t take them. Why are they […]
Maternal request C-sections are SAFER for babies and mothers
It has long been known that C-sections are safer for babies than vaginal birth. Now a new study on maternal request C-sections shows that they may be safer for mothers. As the Times of London explains, Cesarean section no riskier for mother or baby: Women who plan to have a caesarean section are no more […]
Amy Tuteur, MD
Dr. Amy Tuteur is an obstetrician gynecologist. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard College in 1979 and her medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine in 1984. Dr. Tuteur is a former clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School. She left the practice of medicine to raise her four children. Her book, Push Back: Guilt in the Age of Natural Parenting (HarperCollins) was published in 2016. She can be reached at DrAmy5 at aol dot com... More
