# An interesting thought about science denialists **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 11, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-interesting-thought-about-science-denialists/595940 "2011-09-11T14:30:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![heatmiserfl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@heatmiserfl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heatmiserfl)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-interesting-thought-about-science-denialists/595940/221 "2011-09-19T15:12:12Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Getting back to science denialism, did anyone catch Bill Maher this week [mocking Michele Bachmann’s warnings about the HPV vaccine](http://mrctv.org/videos/bill-maher-uses-texas-hpv-vaccine-issue-call-michele-bachmann-mentally-retarded)? > > This is the same [Bill Maher](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Maher) who told Larry King during a 2005 interview that a flu shot “is the worst thing you can do” and that it causes Alzheimer’s disease. > > _“On October 9, 2009, on his HBO show, Maher debated the effectiveness of flu vaccinations with Bill Frist and stated, “Why would you let them be the ones to stick a disease into your arm? I would never get a swine flu vaccine or any vaccine. I don’t trust the government, especially with my health.” Maher also expressed skepticism about the seriousness of the swine flu and whether completely healthy people could die from it.”_ > > Looks to me like Maher and Bachmann, while poles apart politically, are very close in their vaccine denialist views. I wonder if Maher’s had a change of heart about this. I remember a year or more ago (when he was at the height of his anti-vax/anti-pharm rantings) he had Bill Frist, of all people, on his show. Frist, for once, provided very reasoned responses to Maher’s blatherings. Maher got unusually quiet and listened. AFAIK, I’ve never heard another anti-vax sentiment since then. I could be wrong, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’s changed his mind about something. ---
**Author:** ![Chen019](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@Chen019](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chen019)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-interesting-thought-about-science-denialists/595940/222 "2011-09-21T00:12:15Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Something just hit me about those who deny scientific advancements that they disagree with, find unintuitive, or just don’t like. Creationists. Climate denialists. HIV/AIDS denialists. Germ Theory denialists. The whole bunch. > > They are _ **incredibly** _ arrogant. Human biodiversty (HBD) denial is pretty big too. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-interesting-thought-about-science-denialists/595940/223 "2011-09-21T00:44:57Z")
> [@Chen019](#): > > Human biodiversty (HBD) denial is pretty big too. As it is the denial of the reality that human rights makes mincemeat of any policy ideas of the ones that think it is pretty big. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-interesting-thought-about-science-denialists/595940/224 "2011-09-21T03:39:03Z")
> [@Chen019](#): > > Human biodiversty (HBD) denial is pretty big too. You mean like [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrKrGkgeww4)? ---
**Author:** ![enigmatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@enigmatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enigmatic)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-interesting-thought-about-science-denialists/595940/225 "2011-09-21T09:17:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Among other things, I consider liberals to be immature, selfish and short-sighted and wrongheaded. Am I the only one here that tends to think that any chance of debate is doomed as soon as you start categorising people as liberals or conservatives? What’s wrong with “the person who disagrees with me on this specific issue”? I’ve had people tell me that they worry that about taking a stance on issues because they are betraying their “side”. Surely killing these people is justifiable? What the fuck is wrong with this species? There are people that do political “purity tests” so that they can check that they are believing the right things, I mean what the fuck? OK, rant over, carry on. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-interesting-thought-about-science-denialists/595940/226 "2011-09-21T11:18:46Z")
I agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-interesting-thought-about-science-denialists/595940/227 "2011-09-21T17:20:17Z")
> [@enigmatic](#): > > Am I the only one here that tends to think that any chance of debate is doomed as soon as you start categorising people as liberals or conservatives? There are people here who would rather label you than honestly debate. I suppose there are people out there who are totally conservative or totally liberal, but for the most part people are some of each. But those who label don’t seem to understand this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-interesting-thought-about-science-denialists/595940.md?page=11)