# Why do people hate anti-vaxxers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 13, 2016, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644 "2016-12-13T23:41:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/61 "2016-12-15T15:22:25Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I’m basically allergic to this type of argument because 1) a high percentage of victims are children who don’t have a choice in the matter, and 2) while morbidity from widespread preventable infectious diseases would cause considerable suffering, long-term complications and societal expense, the death rate (given current critical care standards) wouldn’t expand all that much. Given that the “argument” was only made for darkly comedic purposes, I’m not too upset that it doesn’t hold up. But maybe we could bring back smallpox. That’d do the trick, surely… ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/62 "2016-12-15T15:31:45Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Given that the “argument” was only made for darkly comedic purposes, I’m not too upset that it doesn’t hold up. > > But maybe we could bring back smallpox. That’d do the trick, surely… Captain Trips or bust. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/63 "2016-12-15T19:07:18Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > You left out “believing in homeopathic medicine”. Usually they only hurt themselves and with the placebo effect, homeopathic medicine works fine for many things. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/64 "2016-12-15T19:30:32Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Usually they only hurt themselves and with the placebo effect, homeopathic medicine works fine for many things. But never quit homeopathic medicines cold turkey. You might overdose. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/65 "2016-12-15T19:32:37Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > But never quit homeopathic medicines cold turkey. You might overdose. I drink a teaspoon of seawater each year, it gives me all the homeopathic medicines I need in maximum “X” potency. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/66 "2016-12-15T19:45:26Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Usually they only hurt themselves and with the placebo effect, **homeopathic medicine works fine for many things**. Wait, what? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/67 "2016-12-15T20:11:41Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Wait, what? The Placebo effect is amazingly powerful. Especially if a caring “professional” tells you it will work. [http://harvardmagazine.com/2013/01/the-placebo-phenomenon](http://harvardmagazine.com/2013/01/the-placebo-phenomenon) [https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=placebo+effect+studies&hl=en&as\_sdt=0&as\_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjS6e7YgPfQAhVLGZAKHe-7DqEQgQMIGDAA](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=placebo+effect+studies&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjS6e7YgPfQAhVLGZAKHe-7DqEQgQMIGDAA) ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/68 "2016-12-15T20:49:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I drink a teaspoon of seawater each year, it gives me all the homeopathic medicines I need in maximum “X” potency. 😛 Seawater! I urinated in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Australia last year, based on homeopathic ‘reasoning’ you must be getting a good dose of that as well. 😛 Also, all this talk of nails & screws in baby’s heads and not one mention of the healing power of magnets! For shame people! Implant or epoxy a good strong magnet to the kids’ head and you can hang the kid from any convenient steel surface or fitting. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/69 "2016-12-15T20:55:39Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Wait, what? I presume “many things” only includes treatment of imaginary ailments\*, minor symptoms, or diseases with absolutely no effective treatment. Given the placebo effect, that homeopathic headache cure will probably help some true believers at least a little bit. So what if ibuprofen is more effective? Of all the ignorance in the world that needs fighting, this is so far down the list that it barely registers as a problem. Homeopathic treatments for serious, treatable diseases are another matter. \*I have some old routers, maybe I can pulverize them, make a homeopatic preparation, and sell it as a cure for “wifi sensitivity”… ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/70 "2016-12-15T23:39:17Z")
> [@R3d\_Anonymous](#): > > Is being anti-vax a valid position? No. Not only was [Wakefield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wakefield) wrong but he faked the data behind his claims. And didn’t he have a financial interest in an alternative vaccine? Wakefield has been thoroughly discredited and was struck off the UK’s medical register. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/71 "2016-12-16T00:11:49Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Wait, what? Dehydration. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/72 "2016-12-16T04:13:21Z")
Here’s an example of what measles, for instance, can do to a person and their family. > **[Measles & My Sister - Measles & Rubella Partnership](https://measlesrubellainitiative.org/measles-sister/)** > > The measles robbed the landscape of our wonder years, broke in like a burglar and stole a normal sibling relationship right from under our feet. At the end of February 1960, my sister, a precocious, healthy child was halfway through the fourth grade... :eek: ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/73 "2016-12-16T04:21:58Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > No. Not only was [Wakefield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wakefield) wrong but he faked the data behind his claims. **And didn’t he have a financial interest in an alternative vaccine?** Wakefield has been thoroughly discredited and was struck off the UK’s medical register. Including holding the patent. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/74 "2016-12-16T10:00:33Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Including holding the patent. Double incentive - not only did he have his own single vaccine he wanted to market but he was getting paid by a legal firm to discredit the MMR vaccine for one of their cases (for which he made over £400,000 IIRC). Also, he took blood samples at a CHILDREN’S BIRTHDAY PARTY. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/75 "2016-12-16T16:06:05Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The Placebo effect is amazingly powerful. Especially if a caring “professional” tells you it will work. Yeah, but “homeopathic medicine” typically means bullshit like [water memory](http://inscientioveritas.org/water-memory-myth-that-wouldnt-die/). ---
**Author:** ![Dana\_Scully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Dana\_Scully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dana_Scully)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/76 "2016-12-16T17:03:38Z")
It’s bad enough they don’t care about the lives of their children but they mustn’t be allowed to sicken and kill other people. Here is Washington state we’re having a mumps outbreak and unvaccinated children are not allowed in public schools for one month. My pregnant dil insisted that everyone in the family be caught up on their vaccinations before she’d let them near her baby; and good for her for insisting. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/77 "2016-12-16T17:23:34Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Yeah, but “homeopathic medicine” typically means bullshit like [water memory](http://inscientioveritas.org/water-memory-myth-that-wouldnt-die/). Or how about some [Emoto emoting](http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1144934/masaru_emotos_wonderful_world_of_water/) at the water? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/78 "2016-12-16T18:43:51Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Yeah, but “homeopathic medicine” typically means bullshit like [water memory](http://inscientioveritas.org/water-memory-myth-that-wouldnt-die/). Yep. Homeopathic is mumbo jumbo. Still it works thru the Placebo effect. Why is Homeopathic still around after all these years? Because is it\* harmless. \* Before it, there were nasty, useless patent medicines, full of poisons, and harmful even deadly crap like bloodletting (which quite possibly killed George Washington). It’s more or less pure water and sugar. Doctors operated with hands covered with pus and gore from previous patients. :eek::mad: So until real modern medicine, in the 1940’s with antibiotics, Homeopathic was actually one of the better choices.:eek: Sad but true. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/79 "2016-12-16T19:32:19Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Why is Homeopathic still around after all these years? Because is it\* harmless. \* It was, but now there are sadly people who use it \*instead of \*effective treatments. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644/80 "2016-12-16T19:42:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yep. Homeopathic is mumbo jumbo. Still it works thru the Placebo effect. Not really. It works because most things take care of themselves without any medical intervention. That’s not the Placebo effect; that’s just problems going away. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-hate-anti-vaxxers/774644.md?page=5)