Recent outbreaks of measles have been tied to children who haven't been vaccinated. Many people still believe that childhood vaccinations are dangerous, despite scientific evidence to the contrary.
From:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150129-public-opinion-aaas-health-education-science/
Last week, National Geographic published the article above about differences in opinion between scientists and the "regular Joe." For this week you will first read the article above. Then, take a look at the graphic below:
The article states that both scientists and U.S. adults agree about the space station, but other than that the gap is enormous. If scientists say that childhood vaccinations are safe and should be required, why don't people believe them? Are you in favor of vaccinations? Do you know people that do not vaccinate their kids? If more children were vaccinated, would California be experiences an outbreak of the measles? If scientists have evidence to prove that climate change is the result of human activity, then why can't we accept the responsibility to fix the problem we created? Finally, as you are sitting down to enjoy your Super Bowl snacks, why do most people avoid genetically modified foods? What is causing the disconnect? Why are U.S. adults so hesitant to believe scientists? What do you think? What about the other issues?
After reading the article, you will write a scholarly response to the questions that I posed above. If you feel strongly about a specific topic or issue in the article, then feel free to focus on that issue. I expect a quality paragraph and evidence to support your claims. Additionally, you need to respond to at least one of your peers.
I believe people don’t believe in vaccinations because of religious beliefs or because of chiropractors. For me, I’m not a fan of vaccinations. The last time I got a vaccination was 2 years ago and it didn't go very well. I was getting my HPV vaccination and an hour later I had a huge bump on my arm from it. After that I didn't get any more. My mom obviously doesn't vaccinate us any more after that occurrence, but also because we attend a chiropractor. At our chiropractor they do lots of talks on how vaccines can be harmful to you, and I've witnessed it second hand. After my mom gets vaccines for the flu (her work requires it) she gets raging headaches and her hands and feet swell up. With genetically modified foods I think there is a huge gap on the agreement because the scientists are the ones who do it all! Genetically modified foods can be two foods put together or it has been modified to withstand crop spray. The biggest thing that has been genetically modified is corn so that it can kill weeds and insects harming the crops but not the crops itself. I think people try to avoid because some of them just are not natural and people think it’s not good for you. If you want to avoid GMO foods look for the NON-GMO label on your foods or shop organic.
ReplyDeleteI have never had a bad experience with a vaccine and I'm sorry that you did but I still believe vaccines are helpful and necessary for a majority of people. I mean could you imagine living in a world before modern medicine?
DeleteI agree with the fact that people do not get vaccinations due to their religion. For instance, my grandpa was not even allowed to go to the doctor when he was sick because they had a certain religion that kept them from doing that.
DeleteI agree, that we should eat the NON-GMO foods. It's not like GMO foods are any better.Unfortunately for us. Genetically modified foods don't kill all of the insects during processing, Most of the insects get taken out but not all of the fragments do. according to the FDA, a 100 gram amount of peanut butter can hold up to 30 OR MORE insect fragments.Yum!
I totally agree! I think there is dug a big gap because people find alternatives that work better for them, like not getting vaccines and going to a chiropractor. I also think there's a gap because people don't know a lot about the science behind stuff so they automatically don't trusty it.
DeleteI totally agree with you about the vaccinations. When I was getting my hpv shot I almost passed out in the car. Now me and my mother are wary of certain vaccinations. I think its terrible that doctors urge so many that you don't need. Also with GMOs I agree with you that people don't eat them because they think its un-natural and un-healthy. People are often wary of earing those types of things also due to the fact they don't know what the scientists have put into them.
DeleteI believe that people might be against these vaccinations or against what the scientists decide to do. But in my opinion, I think that these vaccinations are a good thing. They could cause an insane amount of protectiveness and immunity towards dangerous sicknesses. If everyone decided to get vaccinated, it would probably prevent many major outbreaks around the world. According to scientists, GMO foods are completely safe for us to eat. I believe that they are probably somewhat safe to eat, but I don't know if it is the wisest decision to eat. Some people also live on strict eating lifestyles where they will only eat healthy, natural foods. Many adults may not believe the scientists based on their different outlooks on life, such as following different religions and just overall having very opposite beliefs.
DeleteThe public doesn't trust scientists because they don't fully understand certain scientific topics. People are wary of childhood vaccinations because they're exposed to articles, studies, and accounts from friends or family that promote the "danger" of vaccinations more than content that promotes vaccinations, so they form their opinions more on the anti-vaccination side. I'm in favor of some vaccinations for dangerous diseases, but not all of them. I do know people that don't vaccinate their kids for the flu, but I don't know anyone personally that refrains from vaccinations for other sicknesses that are more dangerous. I don't know if vaccinations would help outbreaks in California because I don't know enough about the measles or its vaccine to have an opinion. On the subject of climate change, I think people don't act to change it because they aren't directly affected by it. They're aware of the problem but until it becomes big enough to be visible in their own lives they aren't willing to spend the time, energy, and money it will take to battle it. Finally, concerning genetically modified foods, I think people want to avoid them because they're a rather new scientific development and no one truly knows the effect they will have. Although scientists are confident in the safety of modified foods, the science hasn't been around long enough to determine what they will do to people in 25, 50, 75 years. Natural food, on the other hand, is foolproof and people know it won't harm you. I think modified foods are an interesting advancement in science, but it needs to be studied further before it's suddenly released to the public, just to make sure it's safe. That goes for all the subjects that the public is wary of. Scientists should test every nook and cranny of new science and make a concrete list of pros and cons that clearly lays out all of the dangers so the public can see eye-to-eye with scientists.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that the whole vaccination thing has been played to its full potential in the news. So many people have based their opinions off of what the news has put out. Overall everything that has been said by Rachel, I agree with.
DeleteI agree with Rachel, we need to get vaccinated on the big diseases but for the flu which is curable and not life threatening, we don't need to unless you have a very low immune system, which in that case, it is dangerous to not be vaccinated.
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DeleteI absolutely agree that vaccinations aren't promoted correctly, a point that needs emphasizing since so many people believe whatever they read on the internet. I cant keep track of how many times I pull up news article on my laptop and see advertisements for other websites “ explaining” how unsafe a vaccination is. We live in a day and age where whatever you say can spread across the world in a matter of minutes, so when someone posts status on facebook based off opinion that can't be backed up with evidence, it reaches across to millions of others to then feed into their unknowledgeable opinions. Even word of mouth burns through people like a wildfire. I can recall a day at school during the ebola outrage where an oblivious girl was explaining to all her friends that ebola was just another form of stomach flu and that the people dying from it were made up. So like you said, a lot of the controversy is made up of people who don't actually know what they are saying and just “heard it from a friend”.
I totally agree with you Rachel. Especially with your opinion on why people are so hesitant about many of these topics. I think your solutions to the problems are also very logical. This topic was super interesting and really allowed me to open my eyes!
DeleteThe article from the National Geographic explains most adults disagree with scientists about many controversial subjects. I think this is very unfortunate because if there’s anyone you would want to be able to trust, it would be doctors and scientific officials. Many times though, people shy away from scientists because they don’t fully understand what their opinion is. Despite the fact that they mean well, sometimes when scientific leaders explain themselves, using terms too outlandish for the everyday person to comprehend, people then turn away, and many times follow what the head of their political party believes. According to the article, only 68% of polled adults believe that children should be required to get vaccinated. On the other hand, scientists believe that 86% of scientists think that children should get vaccinated. I personally agree with the scientists because with all the diseases we have in this world, it’s in our community’s best interest if the illnesses we can prevent are prevented. Some are opposed to this requirement not because of a health standpoint, but because economically it’s not realistic. Although for people in that situation, there are many free health clinics in this area and stores like, Walgreens and CVS offer vaccinations for a pretty reasonable price. To close, I think that if people were more educated in controversial subjects they would have a better chance of understanding scientific officials, and therefore making a larger effort to take the scientists’ side.
ReplyDeleteSome people don’t believe that childhood vaccinations are safe because some people are so religious, they toss away science that clashes with readings of the Bible. Even though I hate needles, I believe that everyone should be vaccinated for their safety and health. I’m honestly glad I don’t know anyone that doesn’t vaccinate their kids. I think if more children were vaccinated then there wouldn’t be an outbreak of measles in California because vaccinations help prevent the spread of diseases. I think a part of the reason we can’t accept the responsibility to fix the climate change is because some people don’t believe in it, or that people don’t think they can do anything to help. Most people avoid genetically modified foods because they don’t know the real effects of it, or if it is safe to eat. The thing that is causing this is because scientists are altering the DNA of plants and food and people don’t know the long term effects of this. Adults of the U.S. are so hesitant to believe scientists because there’s conflicting information going on about different studies. I think U.S. adults are hesitant to believe scientists because they need to see actual proof. I think adults are also hesitant to believe that humans have evolved because in prehistory nothing was recorded, so we don’t have hard proof.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I'm scared of needles also, but I guess vaccines are just something that need to be done. If adults actually opened their eyes to the world around them, we would live in a different world.
DeleteAt first I though that vaccines were kinda pointless, but most of them are truly useful, such as for measles. Some though I don't really see the point for. Genetically modified foods are a bit confusing aren't they? Is it safe or not for humans, I wish they were more straight forward about that.
DeleteI also agree, although many are afraid to face the fact, vaccines is probably the best option to prevent diseases like the measles. I believe that we don't want to take place in the responsibility is because we don't believe that we are the reason in many problems.
DeleteI completely agree. I have a huge fear of needles, but fears like mine need to be overcome. Today in age, we need vaccines and need to express this more.
DeleteI agree! People should really be more open minded when it comes to things, and not only think about themselves! This disconnection is causing outbreaks of diseases and climate change. Who knows what could happen next?!
DeleteI feel that some people do not believe scientist because they have their own way of looking at things. I know that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but scientist who spend their days researching these things, I think that people should believe them. I am in favor of vaccinations. Even Though I hate shots and the thought of them scares me, I feel like if everyone got these shots then there would be fewer problems and diseases wouldn’t be spread as much. In elementary school I remember telling everyone that after school I was going to get my flu shot and I was scared to death, and then one of my friends said that they don't get the flu shot because their parents don't want them too. They backed up their statement saying that they have never gotten the flu. It makes sense why they haven't had the flu, because these shots have the virus in them to make your body more sustainable to the virus. But if they end up getting the virus, then they don't have anything to fight it off. I guess I see it from both end of the spectrum, but I would rather get the vaccination. I do not think California would be experiences this bad of an outbreak of measles if more kids were vaccinated. Even if scientist prove that climate change is the result of human activity, I think that we still can not accept the facts. Again, it comes down to most people who think they are making the right decisions. They have their own opinions and their own way of life, that they can't accept the fact of something new. Most people don’t eat genetically modified food because i think that we don’t know enough about it, and many people are skeptical. Scientist create it so they know exactly what is going on while us people don’t. It’s like a kid making a cake. The kid knows exactly what he did to make the cake and if he used all the ingredients, but if he were to offer it to a person, telling them that he made it himself, he most likely would not eat it. Or at least I know that I wouldn’t. What if he spit in it? I would ask myself all of these questions and I know I would be very skeptical. So I feel that the lack of knowledge is the disconnect. I believe that U.S citizens are hesitant towards scientist because they aren’t fully educated, as well as just not wanting to listen because of their own way of life. I don’t know exactly, that’s just my take on it. Overall, I personally feel that U.S citizens could possibly never wrap their head around the fact of listening to scientists, and that everyone just wants to do what they want. Sure, there may be a lot of people who are influenced by scientists, but as hard as they try, most people won’t open their ears to listen to these scientists.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mia on this. People are afraid to agree with scientist because of their lack of knowledge. Also, I agree with you on if the kids in California got their vaccinations, California wouldn't have this outbreak of Measles.
DeleteI agree with both Mia and Madie. People are afraid to admit to what they do not know. Yet, people also don't like to do things if they don't think they will need it. As with the Measles outbreak in California, that might not have happened if people would get their vaccinations.
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DeleteI understand that everyone has there own opinion but like you said, these scientist are studying this information daily in order to find the right solutions and theories. Which is why I feel it’s very important that we listen to what they are telling us and, fully understand it because in order to have a valuable opinion you must understand both sides to the topic before choosing one.
ReplyDeletePeople don’t believe scientists for several reasons, one being that it goes against their cultural beliefs. Another reason people detest scientific reassurances is that people are quick to accept the false statements of others, so when they hear factual disagreements to such statements they’ll refuse to change their thinking. It’s similar to rumors: The rumor spreads because it appeals to those it is spread to and then, when someone denies the content of the rumor, they’ll ignore any truths that their claim may provide. Personally, I am in favor of vaccinations. Not only does it make for one less thing to worry about, but it also saves children from experiencing an uncomfortable illness. In the case of California, for example, less children would have to endure measles if they were simply vaccinated. Besides that, California would not be experiencing an outbreak but merely a few cases here and there if vaccinations were a requirement. Climate change is another issue that scientists and the general public have been disagreeing about. Climate change is something that I think most of us know to be true but we continue to deny its relevance because we are too lazy to take action. To counteract climate change will take some major changes, changes that most of us aren’t ready to make, so we continue to prolong the proper recourse. Another matter, genetically modified foods, is controversial due to speculation that it leads to things like cancer and so on. Nobody wants cancer so they are unwilling to take a risk and confirm the scientists statements saying that they are safe to eat. In my opinion, I would agree that they are safe but that doesn’t make them healthy.Possibly, the health issues associated with genetically modified foods are related to them being eaten is excess. Anything that is unhealthy and is eaten in large quantities will have negative consequences ensue. At the root of the gap is our own stubbornness. We are so often stuck in our ways that we’ll turn a blind eye on reality. In relation to the topic of vaccination, I remember an article I read of a boy a recovering from a serious illness and his father’s quest to get the district to require vaccinations of all students. Basically, the kid would not survive if he were to catch any of the ailments these vaccinations would prevent. I’m all for the kid’s father because, like in California, it’s contributing to a great cause. Also it helps that this particular case pulls at my heart-strings.
I think that people should get vaccinated to help protect them from the measles. As far as I know, most people that I know are vaccinated for multiple different things; however, the vaccinations didn't completely protect them. I do believe that if more of the children in California were vaccinated, but it might not fully protect everyone.
ReplyDeleteTruthfully as I am sitting down enjoying my Super Bowl snacks I do not think about whether they are genetically modified or not. I am aware of the fact that genetically modified foods are bad for you which is why my mom buys natural, non-GMO foods. I think that scientists think that eating genetically modified foods are okay because they are the ones who created those types of foods and they just want money from it. It seems as if they are giving you worse quality food for more money.
That's an interesting point about genetically modified food. I've actually never even thought about it. I know food can be ridiculously processed and filled with a ton of other nasty things, but as long as it tastes good I don't really care. The more I think about it though, how much of what I eat is genetically modified? I've never checked.
DeleteIn response to Alyssa, I agree with you that vaccinations can help to prevent measles, but it can’t protect everyone meaning that it can’t get rid of them permanently. Just like you, when I’m enjoying snacks or some type of treat, it doesn’t appeal to me that I could be eating GMO foods. I do believe that people should avoid those foods before we have solid proof that they are safe, but it’s hard to tell which foods have GMO when those types of labels aren’t required.
DeleteOne reason people don’t believe in childhood vaccinations is because of their religion or that they may have had a bad experience with a vaccine. With some people vaccines may cause a reaction but that does not mean that they are effective and necessary for a majority of people. I find it completely illogical to not give vaccines to yourself and your children because of religious beliefs, religion should never conflict with your health and safety. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t believe in vaccinations but I have heard of people who believe that by just praying they can save a dying person. If more people were vaccinated it makes sense that Californian would not have experienced a measles outbreak. It’s not fair that children are getting sick because of their parents beliefs no child should be put at risk like that. Even though we have so much evidence to prove climate change is a result of human activity no one wants to make the effort to help the environment because we are not willing to change are comfortable lifestyles. Sure people recycle and that helps but not everyone wants to spend the money to buy a Prius or only shop at whole foods to make a real difference. I mean why go out of you way and spend money to help the environment when you go be happy and fat for less. Another reason people aren’t making an effort to help the environment is in our community we are not surrounded by the effects of climate change, most of us know it’s happening but are not that concerned because we don’t see it every day. What I mean is how often do we turn on the TV and see animals with nowhere to live or melting icecaps. In our little bubble everything is fine so why worry about how we’re hurting the world? The reason people don’t trust genetically modified food is because we do not yet know the long term effects of eating it and aren’t informed on exactly what they’re putting in our food. I think what is causing the gap between scientists and regular people is education. If people were better educated in science they could better understand today’s issues. I trust what scientists say but I don’t really understand the issues myself so I can’t always form an opinion. If people revived better education we would care more about what scientists have to say instead of just ignoring it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Josie because I also think that some people make decisions solely based on what they hear and not what is actually true. If people were more educated on ideas they would definitely be able to understand issues better.
DeleteJosie said, in her response, that she finds it, "completely illogical to not give vaccines to yourself and your children because of religious beliefs, religion should never conflict with your health and safety," I believe that this is an unfair and uninformed argument for a non-religious person to make because, for any religious person, that person's faith IS the source of that person's safety. For example, Christians believe that, if you put your life in God's hands, He will deliver you to safety, vaccines or no vaccines. These are just my thoughts; I'm not trying to put anyone down.
DeleteI don't understand what the huge deal is about GMO foods these days. The things that are dangerous are the foods high in unsaturated fat and sugars. Just because a food is genetically modified does not mean that it is poisonous or something. I can see the point that spraying crops with bug killer can wreck our nervous systems but genetically modifying something affects the growth of the item, not how bad it is for us. We are always so nervous about what foods we take in and how many chemicals are in them. What we should be worrying about is all the junk that we eat on a daily basis. It is good to keep an eye out for the GMO foods and I do think that organic food is better. Seriously though, don't blame genetically modified foods on every time you go home sick, it's usually your fault.
ReplyDeleteOrganic foods are definitely better than GMO foods. GMO foods are very unnatural and could make a human very ill/sick. GMO foods has all these chemicals put in your food at a laboratory. Think about it, do you really think it's healthy to put all these chemicals in your body? It's completely unhealthy and shouldn't be trusted. It's so much easier just to eat healthier with organic food rather than eating GMO foods. People should watch what they eat and make sure they don't eat unhealthy foods all day. GMO foods could make people sick and natural foods is the best route to go.
DeleteFirst of all, great job on thinking of others for once (i.e. "bomb shelter for myself")! Anyways, I do believe that we should take responsibility for we eat instead of making a big fuss. I also think that there is nothing harmful about GMO foods, but they are definitely something that should not be eaten in excess. Besides that I would like to mention that the last statements of your entries seem to be purposefully controversial in an attempt to strike a chord with our peers.
DeleteGMO's could be a contributor to the amount of people that get sick. These foods are grown with chemicals and some of which might not "agree" with your body. These could be what make you sick. Even though we eat them all the time and may not get sick, these chemicals are bad for us and are worse than the junk food we intake. We can always burn off the extra capprise but it's hard to clear your body of chemicals.
DeleteI agree with you here Mitch. GMO foods are said to be a lot healthier then fast food. To add on your statement i think that we should create GMO foods and send them out to country's that have little to no food. I'm pretty sure genetically modified food is better than no food.
DeletePeople might not believe scientists because of several reasons like their religion. I for one am in Favor of vaccinations. They make your body immune to whatever sickness it might be. I do not know anybody that doesn't vaccinate their kids but I'm sure I've met someone who doesn't. I think if kids got vaccinated the measles outbreak wouldn't be an issue in California. Most people will still probably decline we cause climate change and even if they do don't think they as one person can make a change. GMO foods are safe to eat according to most scientists but I think some people are just scared to put non natural foods in their body. Reasons like how they were raised or educated and maybe religion are reasons adults don't agree with scientists.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Trevor, I agree on how he said why people do or don't vaccinate is because of their religion or beliefs. As well as why people may not trust GMO foods because adults used to grow up on farms and have the crops all natural with none of the new chemicals given by the scientists.
DeleteI agree with Trevor that if kids were vaccinated than we would not have these serious outbreaks. And I also agree that people wont accept this because of their religion.
DeleteI agree with Trevor and he had some new ideas and perspectives like religion, how they were raised, and how they were educated could all be factors in believing scientists or getting vaccinated.
DeleteI agree with Alyssa. Most likely the only reason why scientists are encouraging the consumption of GMO foods is because their jobs are riding on whether or not the consumers buy them. Although it may be nice to have fruit all year round, I don't think it's right to see apples that are almost the size of a small child's face.
ReplyDeleteI think people don’t think childhood vaccinations are safe for their child because their afraid of the side effects and possibly allergies their child has that they don’t know of. Also, long term problems some vaccinations can possibly have. I think every child and adult should get their shots and be up to date on their vaccinations. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t vaccinate their kids. I think if the children of California all got their vaccinations there wouldn’t be this outbreak of measles. I think people can’t accept the responsibility to fix the problem we started because people don’t want to put the time into it. Most people stay away from genetically modified foods because their unhealthy, they have bad side affects, they have bad chemicals in them, and last they harm the environment. I think what’s causing the the disconnect from GMOs is how everyone wants everything healthy, so they stop buying things with GMOs. Also, peoples knowledge on it. I think U.S. adults are so hesitant to believe scientist because, everyone has their own point of views on what’s right and what’s wrong. Also, some people could be scared if one of the scientists theory was correct. Once again I think people are hesitant on other issues in the world as well because of their lack of knowledge on that topic.
ReplyDeleteEven though scientists may be persuasive, they aren’t able to convince everyone in the world what they believe. People don’t believe in vaccinations because either their religion doesn’t allow it, or they just simply don’t think it works. I am in favor of most vaccinations, the necessary ones at least, but the unnecessary ones (like Flu shots) I don’t believe in. There have been too many instances when they do not work; also, the body is meant to fight certain illnesses by itself. This reasoning is why many people do not vaccinate their kids. However, if more kids were vaccinated, I do believe that the measles outbreak would not be as big since it is proven that the measles vaccine works. I think that a lot of humans are in denial and refuse to accept responsibility for their actions, which is why we won’t admit to ourselves that we are the root of many problems. Lastly, people avoid eating GMOs because they have heard so many bad stories about them. The media is very convincing; once they say something bad about GMOs, people believe it instantly. In this case, it works out well, because the media is more relatable and believable than scientists. That is why scientists have a disconnect with your ¨average Joe¨: they don’t do a good enough job relating to people.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emma. Not every single person in the world will believe what a scientist says, but they need to be able to see the importance of getting vaccinated.
DeleteI agree, Emma, there’s no subject in the world in which everyone has the same opinion. Learning to respect others is the key.
DeleteI agree with Emma. Scientists need to start thinking like us. There is a rift there and scientists might not consider religion. I also agree that we are the root of the problem and we need to work on us as a whole. Not just the scientists, but as the world. We as people also need to start to push what we believe because people are followers. "Average Joe" is what we are because the scientists won't try to think from our perspective. Get on our levels and talk to us, not about us!
DeleteI agree with you completely. It's impossible for everyone to agree on a topic, but i think if the scientist campaigned themselves in a certain way, there would be more people sharing the opinions of the scientists
DeleteMany adults frown upon vaccinations because they are afraid of the long term side effects that could possibly be out there. When you go to get vaccinated they say it is normal to have a bump on your arm for a few days. Though, I know someone who got the vaccinations a year ago,and they still have a bump. Now they are afraid to go back. I do believe that even though these medications may cause a change, it would most likely be for the better in California. Then it would be harder for the measles disease to spread to so many people.
ReplyDeleteScientists have told us that climate change is the result of humanity activity. People just don't want to stop inventing new gizmos and gadgets even if they pollute the air. The human mind is always intrigued by new things and trying to create new things. Although, scientists also say that GMO foods are safe to eat, yet a significant amount of the U.S. Citizens disagree. One main reason would be the fact that they are afraid of the pesticides and chemicals that are used to kill weeds and bugs from ruining the crops. Again like the vaccinations, people are afraid from long term effects. Many of the U.S citizens believe that there are many side effects, just not yet seen drastically by the public. Plus, all natural foods are healthier than GMO products. I too believe that GMO foods should not be trusted all so well by the scientists who created them. Obviously they are going to say it's safe!
Yeah, I agree with what you're saying about how even though they say their foods are healthy when they really aren't, they still won't come out and give the truth because the last thing they want is for their business to go down.
DeleteI see your point of view on all of this and I did not think about it that way. I agree with what you are saying though. People are afraid of what these things can do to you in the long run. I also agree with you about the GMO foods. It seems that people are afraid of the chemicals used to produce them.
DeleteI agree with you that even through we know that global worming is our fault but we just don't want to admit it.
DeleteSome people don't understand the science of vaccinations, therefore they do not trust it. Also, many of the people who deny the use of vaccinations often follow a religion that says so. Even though I have had a bad experience with needles and vaccines, I think that the importance of getting vaccinated at this point in time couldn't be greater. They prevent children and adults from getting bad illnesses and diseases. I think that the measles outbreak in California is majorly because of the amount of children not being vaccinated for it. Switching to the subject of climate change, I think that people are not opting to change it because they either have a lack of knowledge or they are not directly affected by it. Lastly, I think that people are avoiding genetically modified foods for many reasons. Perhaps it is because they are finally being educated about what happens during this process, and we still don't know how it will affect our bodies. This is an advancement in science, but I think yet again that people are not believing scientists because they are getting a lack of education on the subject.
ReplyDeleteI think that another reason why vaccines aren't understood is that time period when some people thought vaccines caused autism. This is absolutely untrue and the person who made the study of it falsified the information. However a lot of people did believe this and did not follow through with researching . All of this mistrust against these things really is just plain old ignorance. There should be more ways of informing the public because obviously, it is necessary.
Deletethat is an interesting point it seem like some people may just blindly make decisions without looking at the cause and effects of their decisions
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ReplyDeleteEighty-six percent of scientists say people should get vaccinations while 68% of people believe they should. A reason why people may go against this is they do their own research or don’t think it’s best. I think some vaccinations are fine, but using them certainly doesn’t build up our immune systems, and we don’t need extra substances in our body that have the potential to harm us. Honestly, I do not know whether it would help less outbreaks happen, but it might decrease the strength of it. As for climate change, some aren’t be willing to change it. People don’t want to accept the responsibility for doing something about it because it is a huge task. But if we don’t stop it or reduce it, it might create future problems for generations. A project like that is humongous for one person or group of people to complete. It’s overwhelming to know where to start. If we attempt to get rid of it, the project needs to be a world-wide, continuous effort and everyone needs to be willing to help. On another note, people avoid genetically modified food probably because they know it is not naturally grown and don’t want to put extra chemicals in their bodies. People are realizing the negative effects it has on health and the body, and what diseases it may lead to. In all, I believe we are beginning to think more for ourselves about important and controversial matters and not leaning on the scientists’ knowledge as much, which is causing the gap. Don’t get me wrong, scientists do know a lot more about topics than an average person, but I think they’re reassuring us to do activities (eat genetically modified foods) that aren’t necessarily the healthiest or best.
I believe there will always be a gap in the response to scientific advancements because of America's education system or lack there of. Let's be honest, our textbooks and curriculum have become so altered within the last decade that there's no surprise the "average Joe" would be unacquainted with the importance of specific issues such as vaccination or global climate change. Regarding said disease prevention, I definitely support its requirement. My motto had always been "Build your immune system!" in regards to eating a chip that fell on the floor or sharing drinks, so I strongly trust the fact that exposure to a small amount of a bacteria or virus can save your life by building immunity. We could wipe out diseases if everyone got vaccinated. As for climate change, we've talked about human ignorance on this topic before. If it's not staring us in the face, we tend to ignore it. The article states "On their beliefs in human-caused climate change... the groups differed by more than 30 percentage points." That's ridiculous! I seriously hope that people come to their senses and recognize at least on some level that our technological advances, while benefitting to us, harm our planet. I can only pray that the space station investment most people supported in the survey will find another planet for us to inhabit should this one be destroyed by a radical climate disaster.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that everyone needs to build up their immune system and be able to "fight off" the bacteria. Also, I agree with the idea that everyone needs to recognize the fact that our technological advancements are damaging the atmosphere we live in today, which can impact our future immensely.
DeleteI definitely understand what Rachael's saying about textbooks/curriculum. The gaps are forming because it takes years for education on the subject to be published, so for years the gap grows wider and no one can do anything about it.
DeleteSo I don't really understand this article. Or maybe rather i should say I don't understand why enough people disagree with scientists that there has to be an entire article about it. It blows my mind that everyday people, no matter how smart they may be, actually disagree with scientific research and decisions enough to put their children in danger. Citizens need to understand that this is scientists job; this is what they have studied and tested their whole to life to research. They're pretty good at it, and most of the time, they won't make their research available knowledge to the public unless they're almost positive that it's correct. If citizens disagree with scientists about getting their children vaccinated, then they should research and study it themselves, instead of just saying they don't agree and putting their kids at a greater risk of danger. I don't think it is the scientists fault that people don't believe them. If you put a real plant that appears very fake in front of a series of average people and claim that its real, there are still going to be some who will argue that's it's fake because it looks like it. People will argue that children should not get vaccinations until their kids have something wrong with them. Which is honestly just stupid and they should stop being so stubborn and just get their kids the vaccinations that they need.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Camille because people should believe in what scientists are saying and not what they think is right, because they're probably wrong. Scientists spend their whole life studying what's right and what's wrong. So again I'm on the same page as Camille.
DeleteI also agree, scientists spend lots of time researching these topics, providing information that is most likely accurate. However, people's feelings may be altered as they read articles or stories about negative experiences/claims. One story can change someone's whole perspective.
DeleteI think people might not be vaccinating their children because they are trying to go the natural route. Especially in California, they are natural freaks! everything needs to be organic and to them, vaccinations aren't. I do believe in vaccinations, I get my flu shot every year, but I don't go crazy. If I have a cough I won't run to the doctor and I know my mom wouldn't either. I think if the children in California did vaccinate themselves for measles the outbreak out stop, but the parents need to decide what's best for their child.
ReplyDeleteGlobal warming is a big problem right now. It has been for a while. People need to start listening to the scientists and look at the facts. 2014 was the hottest year in recorded history! What does that say? Temperatures are increasing and it's because of humans. I think that we haven't listened to the scientists because we don't want to fell like we are wrong. It happens a lot. If you get into a fight with your parents, you are going to try to prove you are right, well that is what scientists are trying to do. They are us trying to get us, the parents, facts on why we should listen to them and right now, they are pretty convincing. All we need to do is listen to them!!
Genetically modified food is what the scientists want us to believe in, but when other people look at the nice naturally grown food and look back at the possibly harmful modified food, the natural, organic food is looking a lot better. People need hard fact evidence that it is not harmful. I googled genetically modified food and tons of articals came up on how it's bad for you, is it harmful, etc. Scientists need to start closing that rift between then and the people because if they don't we might have missed an important, new way of doing thing, but take it slow because people take time to change.
Chloe,
DeleteI like that you talked about global warming. So many people believe that global warming is just part of the natural cycle of Earth. Can you send me some of the articles you find about GMOs?
I totally agree that that if children in California got vaccinated, the measles outbreak would stop. But the ultimate decision is up to what the parents know is best for their children. We can't force the American public to believe in certain things, even when it may the for the best. Which is what makes it hard to convince them of the big problem of Global warming. I guess that is just what makes America, America. No matter what religion, culture, or beliefs we are one, and want the best for our country.
DeleteI feel that people don't believe that the vaccinations are safe because they could have had something in the past cause them to feel differently, also religion could also be problem. I feel, along with my family, that vaccinations are safe because every year get one or two and we never have to deal with that problem again. If I did know anybody that is cautious about vaccinations (which I don't), I would highly question their decision because, like I said, they have helped me get rid of, or prevent problems that could pop up in the future, like the measles. I truly believe that if more children in California had been vaccinated, then the outbreak of the measles would be not nearly as bad, or could even be non existent. People aren't taking responsibility for what they have created after scientists proved that it had been the climate change because they don't want to believe that we (the people) are the base of many problems. Lastly, people don't eat GMOs because of horrific things that they have done to people, not to mention the stories that are also involved. Also, people fall for what ever is in front of their eyes (t.v.). As soon as they hear the bad news, they will never trust these type of foods again. Scientists now are disconnected with any ordinary person because of this, scientists don't reach down and try to understand our point of view.
ReplyDeleteSeamus,
DeleteI think that most people automatically believe most of what they see on TV rather than thinking about who is paying to put the information out there in the first place. Reminds me of all of those political ads during election times. Who should we really believe?
I agree with Seamus, but I think we're leaving out a major factor here: fear. Not just the fear of getting something, but of the needles they use on them. If you think about it, a bunch of people are either scared of needles or anxious around them. It's actually much simpler thinking about it that way.
DeleteI think that people may think that vaccinations are not necessary and a waste of money but in reality they are very nice for keeping kids safe. I do not know people who don't vaccinate their children. I think they would not experience outbreaks if even one was safe. I think people do not like to get blamed for such a big thing even though its pretty obvious its our fault. I think people like natural stuff so they feel safe and not worried. I think the adults just don't want to accept change because they were already taught what was good and what was bad.
ReplyDeletePeople of todays age do not think that they should give their children vaccinations because of religious beliefs, in my opinion I agree with that but also disagree. If it is for religion I guess it would be ok, but you are still putting others in danger. On the other hand if people are not vaccinating their kids because they just simply don't want to is wrong. I am a strong believer of vaccinations because I would want myself and others around me to not get ill. I'm thankful that I know nobody that doesn't vaccinate their kids because I would be afraid of catching deadly diseases like the measles. If California has more than 98% of their population vaccinated, I don't think that they would be having this outbreak of the measles. But since not everyone chooses to vaccinate their kids more and more people are catching this highly contagious disease. People, like me never want to admit that they are wrong. With the climate changing and scientists saying that it is the human races fault for climate change people are getting angry. I agree with the scientists because we are polluting the air so much that it is causing global warming and drastic climate changes in certain places. I believe that adults do not like genetically modified food because it is harmful to our bodies. I think the same thing because they say "you are what you eat", which is true when you are essentially eating fake food. Adults have the struggle believing scientists because they want to think what's best for their kids and their families. GMO food just sounds bad for you all together. I think that's why adults are not convinced that GMO food is good for you, unlike scientists who do think it is.
ReplyDeleteKendall,
DeleteI think that most people do not like to admit that they are wrong. I struggle with the right decision about genetically modified food. Is that what is best for my kids or are they better eating natural food? Perhaps I am the one who is wrong?
Kendall, i totally agree with your opinion of vaccinations. You are not only putting yourself in danger, you are also putting others in danger as well. It confuses me when people believe that vaccinations are not necessary. I have met a lot of people who don't get vaccinations and it frightens me. They see people dying from terrible illnesses and they still do not find it important enough to get the vaccination and prevent the disease. In my opinion, vaccinations provide an excellent opportunity for you to keep your family and yourself safe.
DeleteIn my opinion, we need vaccines because they prevent illnesses and disease spread. It shocks me that some people don't get vaccinated when modern science tells us that this is the way to prevent the spread of disease, and eliminate life threatening illnesses such as Smallpox. I do see the belief that if you don't come in contact with the disease itself, you will be fine, but carriers of the disease could spread it without knowing, and it's not responsible to make everyone else suffer when their is an easy solution. Most people tend not to trust GMO 's due to the fact that we don't know much about them. If we knew how they are harmful, and how we could cure that, I think that more people would accept that solution to world hunger.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason science remains so controversial is because of different beliefs and cultures. Scientific theories battle against religion as well as rumor, and because of the disagreement with things such as the theory of human evolution or global warming, people are then more reluctant towards less controversial topics. Because of the doubt people have for scientists’ skills when it comes to anti religious theories, people have doubts towards everything else scientists come up with. Another thing science fights against are the negative promotions of it. So many times have I seen articles that spread pessimistic and not necessarily true knowledge about science. And the only time I really see positive facts about science is at doctor’s offices which promote vaccines to keep us safe and not to mention, make money. Because the only optimistic promotions science gets is out of those who will personally benefit from it, people no longer look at science as something to change the world for the better, but rather to scam you for your money. Personally I've had negative experience from vaccines, and therefore don't agree with all of them. However when it comes to vaccines against bigger diseases, I would definitely advise receiving the shot.
ReplyDeleteTo add the the controversy about controversy itself, I don't think it’s a bad thing that different people have such different opinions because it leaves more room for creativity and thinking. Different people creating solutions can also be a great way to solve things.. There are so many different arguments out there when it comes to science, and I think that’s fine. As cool as science is it does defy many religions, which to some people is quite offensive, as religion takes up most of their life. I think science will be fine, it’ll survive in the midst of thousands of varying opinions, it may even grow. If anything it just needs to improve its advertising.
Grace,
DeleteThis is well-written and very thoughtful. You are correct that all the different views and opinions are what makes the world such an interesting place. I enjoyed your response.
Its crazy to see how only on the advancement of the international space station and bioengineered fuel does the American public and scientists agree upon. That leaves so much out of what scientists have discovered and advanced in, that the american public doesn't agree upon. It’s true that scientist may not always be right (but they usually are) which may lead to why Americans are hesitant on believing them. I mean only even thousands of years ago we believed that the planets revolve around the earth, not the sun. So I believe the same goes to why not all people believe in childhood vaccinations are safe and required. I definitely believe vaccinations are important and should be required, but I don't really know anyone that doesn't get their kids vaccinated. But if more children were vaccinated they would be protected from an outbreak of the measles and so children everywhere would be safe.
DeleteI believe human beings have this sense of immortality. I mean we only live once, even though what we are doing is causing climate change because we are only here for a short time, what we do now will not affect us. But it will deeply affect our children their children and future generations. Also, we have this sense that nothing bad will happen to us. So we go upon are day with no real sense of repercussion. So when scientist say, this is bad. We’re like bad, nothings bad. Everything’s good. Science will always pull through, it has facts after facts that support their reason, and you can’t really argue about it. Just most people don’t know the depth of how much self-destruction they are causing upon themselves. Even when scientist have proved the reality of climate, GMO’s, and most of the world’s problems.
This entire thing is a God complex, in both uses of the term, (One believing they are god or playing god, the other being stubborn) it's human nature. We like to think that our God/gods are watching over us, and we don't want to see them, it becomes to surreal as soon we find something that affects the way we look at our god/s, the stubbornness of our ways comes to light. It changes the way we think, so it's wrong, it's why Joan of Arc was burned at a stake, she changed the way the French peasants think about women, and they didn't like it. So they burned her. Problem solved. Sadly, that was a much simpler time, and we can't burn those people, or their work. But my point stays clear; you can't make change without changing human nature, and it's not worth it to break every belief except your own to make this huge of change, that's why this should, past cures for cancer and such, be our medicinal and scientific peaks, we need not know more, but my words are in vain, for I cannot change, nor am I willing to break, human nature.
ReplyDeleteVaccinations are difficult topics to talk about. On one side, scientists believe that kids should be given special shots so they are at lower risk of getting a disease. They provide evidence and study the diseases and how they should be treated properly. But on the other side, some parents say they "know what is best for their child". This is very sensitive because when you tell a mom or a dad how to parent correctly, they get very defensive and they think that they know everything about anything. But what parents might not realize is that the world is constantly changing. There are new diseases, laws we have to follow, and new things out in the world that parents just don't know what it is. In my opinion, some vaccinations should be used and some should not. If there is no true evidence of a serious outbreak of a disease then shots are not necessary. But lets say you want to visit Africa. It is required by law that you get a large number of shots before you go and when you come back so you do not spread many of the diseases you might pick up. Like in California, I think parents are not trusting scientists anymore. I could see why too, because one day you'll hear on the news that for some outrageous reason, apples are no longer healthy if you consume too much of them. I find that ridiculous because they seem to find the smallest thing wrong with what people have known all their life to be fine, and now they just come out and say "yeah sorry to tell you this but that is no longer good for you". And then the next day, they reverse their decision and say that its healthy again. It's very hard to decide what to believe these days because so many people have their own opinions and it is nearly impossible for them to reverse their opinion by just saying that they're wrong.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Matt when he said parents might get defensive. This is a different point and it is very interesting and in most cases correct.
DeleteI agree that parents try to pretend they know more about whats best for their children, and are defensive. The thing is, logically, however, it's better to get a vaccine and not have a disease, than not get a vaccine, and get a life-threatening disease.
DeleteI am totally in favor of vaccinations, I don’t understand why people would put their kids at risk for some of the illnesses out there, when they are preventable. My Mom has never been totally for them, but luckily my Dad insists my sister and I are vaccinated. I do know people who choose to not vaccinate their kids, and I have never understood why. I do think that if more kids were vaccinated California would not be going through the measles outbreak. And on the topic of GMOs, I honestly don’t know what to think. There are so many different articles on how GMOs are good, but then an equal amount saying they’re bad. I think people are so hesitant because of false resources. The internet has a lot of unreliable sources and it’s easy to believe the first one you read. And I think that’s a big factor as to why people don’t trust GMOs. Also I think people are just uneasy about the fact that they don’t know when GMOs are in our food and when they aren't. I think if people just read reliable articles about some of this information they would be much accepting.
ReplyDeleteI believe that people don't trust the word of scientists of vaccinations being safe because it is very likely that their parents did not believe that either. People usually believe that what there parents say is true. So, over generations of presenting the same ideas, people have begun to distrust the judgement of scientists and scientific fact. I think that vaccinations are necessary because they protect you from sicknesses. There are some that are unnecessary though. I only know of one person that does not get vaccinations and that is because his religion restricts him from doing so. This brings be to my next point. Some people are very religious and do not agree with science. So, this leads to why some people may not want a vaccination, or there children to have one either. But, if more children got vaccinations, then there wouldn't be the measles outbreak in California for example.
ReplyDeleteAnother subject would be the problem with people not believing that the climate changes that are occurring are caused by humans. There is scientific evidence to back up that we are causing this, however we are not doing much to change anything. It is just getting worse. I believe that if we listen to scientists, the world will be a better place.
Personally I am in favor of vaccinations. I believe they are overall good and helping the world. Also I cannot rap my head around the fact that people don’t want to vaccinate their kids, or themselves. If everyone would get vaccinated then most likely California would not be having this outbreak. Also I can’t believe that people can disagree with scientists on matters. What I think is causing this is people don’t want to agree with scientist because they are not always right. Finally I think that the reason people don’t accept that global warming is our fault because it is hard to admit that something this big is their problem.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Max because people shouldn't be disagreeing with other scientist because that is their job its what they do for a living, There's a pretty strong chance that they know more than you on this controversy.
DeleteGlobal climate change happens naturally on Earth so global warming is not our fault but we do contribute to how fast it happens. On the topic of vaccinations I also think it is weird that parents are unwilling to vaccinate their child even if it is proven to help them.
DeleteI think that people don’t believe in vaccinations due to their religious beliefs or from reading articles and hearing negative stories about them. I personally am not a fan of vaccines. When my mom was younger she received the chicken pox vaccination, which is a common vaccine given to people during their check-ups. However, while having never gotten the chicken pox, she came down with them not long after receiving the vaccination. Because of this experience, my mom feels a little uncertain about this particular vaccine, and therefore neither my brother nor I have ever gotten it (or the flu vaccine as well). I think most people avoid genetically modified foods because there’s really no telling to what has been done to it and that makes it questionable whether it’s okay to eat. Some crops, for example, have been modified to rid them of any insects or other things that may harm it, while claiming not to affect the crops themselves. People try to avoid these types of foods because they view them as potential health risks, and I find that reasonable.
ReplyDeleteI was really surprised on how there is such a big gap between normal people and scientists. I feel like a lot of people don't always believe the scientists because of their religion or they don't feel educated enough on the topic and automatically don't trust the scientists. With the whole global warming issue, I think people don't want to accept that it was us who caused it. I think this is terrible instead of denying what we feel guilty for we need to accept what we have done and try and fix the problem. also I think a lot of people don't trust genetically modified food because they think organi food is the best and all the stuff they do to the food is terrible, which may not be true. I don't feel like I know enough on the topic of genetically modified food to make a stand on the topic, but I know I would feel more confident eating something if I make it.
ReplyDeletei agree that the we need to just accept global warming and just deal with it.
DeleteOverall I think that like many things in our world today most of these issues have been blown out of proportion with either media or opinions. I think that a lot of people have based their opinions off of other opinions instead of facts. The whole controversial on vaccinations really is just a matter of what someone heard and if they thought it sounded correct or not. In my opinion, I think that vaccinations should be left up to the parents. I really think that it is smart to get vaccinations for things like polio or measles but silly little things like the flu aren't necessary. But then again some people believe different things and that's ok. It is ok to believe that you don't need a vaccination because God can heal you, and it is ok to have parents that still want their kids to be vaccinated. Just like any other controversial topic their are going to be sides and people are going to get angry, but it really isn't worth it. Additionally, I don't think that one kid not getting a vaccination is going to cause an epidemic. Scientists may have all this information of topics such as these but I am hesitant to believe that our society is just going to drop their opinions on a matter because a scientist said otherwise. In regards to genetically modified foods, I think that people don't realize just how much goes into our foods these days. I know that there has been a huge push for organic foods and gluten free, etc. and quite honestly I do think that we have put a lot more things into our foods than necessary and it might be the reason for so many of the problems we have today. According to a recent study almost 1 in 3 kids have food allergies. I remember being a kid and living in a time where almost everyone could eat almost everything. So it makes you wonder, what is so different about our food now from 10 years ago? All in all, the change in our society has brought up some serious questions, questions that we want answers to.
ReplyDeleteI full-heartedly agree with you, Kim. It is the parent's decision whether or not to vaccinate heir children, but there are some necessary vaccinations. It is a bit ridiculous that there are so many opinions and stances on such a minor conflict that should be dealt with between the parents. And yes, I remember a time where I could bring peanut butter to school and not be reprimanded by a teacher to go sit at the "peanut" table. Genetically modified foods are so common-place now, and people don't realize that it could be the main cause of allergies in kids everywhere.
DeleteI totally agree with you Kim and how people hear of these issues and blow them out of proportion. Also I think today people want to just follow others and agree with there opinion while they can take a stand for what they think is right
DeleteOn the topic of vaccinations, all doctors recommend what is needed for a child. However, it is up to the parent to "go through" or essentially, allow for their child to be vaccinated. If they refuse, it is only how they believe they should go about with their child. If the child gets sick, it is then the parents responsibility to get them better. There are many diseases that can affect all of our lives today. In my opinion, most vaccinations should be required to protect school and businesses from major sicknesses. On the other subject of agreeing with scientists, I believe no matter what you are going to have people that disagree. Although, when scientists have the facts and can prove that humans are the main factor in climate increase, we should be working to fix this, not deny it. Finally, with genetically modified foods, I think people avoid them because they believe what they see on television and the internet. If the television has a commercial that says that foods with the GMO label are bad, immediately there is that question, "What if these foods are bad for you?" Without the knowledge that GMO foods are not bad for you, there is no evidence to back up what they already have implanted in their thoughts. People need the facts, you can't just tell them they're wrong and expect them to believe it. We're bullheaded. We have to see to believe. Even with the reality that we are the cause of most global warming, we don't know how to act upon fixing this.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Tara. We need to be given evidence to back up the support. If they don't give it to us, then we believe what we heard first. Like Tara said, television. It brain washes us and leads us to believe something that could be far from the truth. In order for us to understand scientists, then they need to have a counter- argument.
DeleteI believe that vaccinations should be required for children or if any thing i would highly recommend parents have their children vaccinated. I now we all hate getting them but think about it this way. One prick on the arm then its over you have now just saved yourself from ever having to experiencing the symptoms as well prevent the spreading of the disease, especially if it is a rapid spreading disease. Hearing now that their has been confirmed cases of measles in palatine i think now parents should really think about having their children vaccinated if they have not already because why go through it if you don't need to.
ReplyDeleteI don't really understand why people don't believe in getting vaccinations especially for their children. Maybe the reason why some parents don't is because they have a stuck up opinion and believe they know more than scientist for some odd reason? But i'm not really too sure. I do believe in vaccinations because scientist say it works and I trust them because that's their field where there specialized in, they would know more than us and I do not know any parents that don't vaccinate their kids. If more people in California got vaccinations, I would believe that then they wouldn't be experiencing that out break at all. I dont think we can take the responsibility for climate change because its too big of a problem for us to handle. Most people avoid GMO foods because they automatically assume that since its not natural its bad for you. Most adults are hesitant because most adults grew up in an environment where most things were all made natrual or produced naturally and now that those foods they grew up eating can be modified, they think it won't be as good or just don't want to “change”.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting article. The main reason that scientists have different opinions on matters than the average US citizen, is because scientists have research and facts, and the public average Joe only has the media and limited knowledge. People also do not believe them because parents think they know best for their child and parents would rather have a safer child than possibly giving their children measles. I am all for vaccinating children because it is proven safe and we can kill this deadly disease once and for all. I do not know anyone who is not vaccinated which is good because that there are less people not vaccinated. If all children were vaccinated there could still be outbreaks because you cannot get the vaccination until you are 6 months or a year. People usually avoid genetically modified food because the food can cause changes in your body and how you think.
ReplyDeleteEven though i hate getting vaccinated i agree that people should still get vaccinated. I do know some people who don’t vaccinate for certain illnesses but i also think that if the people in california vaccinated more they wouldn’t get the measles. The reason we can’t fix the problem we created is because nobody wants to step up because the major problems with climate change probably won’t show up in our lifetime and now it takes a lot to get any organization to do anything especially on the global scale with the amount of papers that wed need to fill out. I don’t know why other people avoid genetically modified foods but i know that my family likes organic food although genetically modified food isn’t dangerous i think that some people might associate them with pesticides. the disconnect is being caused because the more information we find the more dangerous it is to know that kind of stuff, and sometimes people want to believe their own things.
ReplyDeleteI thought this article was very interesting, especially when I saw how big the gap was on vaccinations. In my opinion scientists should be trusted in this matter, if vaccinations have been proved to be safe and are recommended, why not trust the people who have been studying this topic for years? I do not happen to know anyone who does not vaccinate their children. I think that if parents in California vaccinated their children, there would not be a measles outbreak. People are taking vaccinations for granted, without vaccinations everyone would still be in risk of diseases we eradicated. Image in Africa where most children are not vaccinated at all and because of it, many are sick and have died from diseases we have prevented. If parents of these children had the option, there would be no doubt that they would vaccinate their children.
ReplyDeleteFor vaccinations, I think people believe they are bad (while I believe they are good, and help people), because they see one source that says such, and believe it, despite other sources and scientists saying that they save lives. On climate change, people just generally are too lazy and cheap to give a large project a lot of time and money. And for GMOs, I believe people are uninformed, and hear the words "genetically-modified", and believe that they cause cancer, and are made of chemicals, as opposed to being the exact same, but with modified DNA. People don't believe scientists, because of the same reasons other conspiracy theories are believed by people: paranoia. They naturally think that the government is out to get them, and refuse to listen to any proof saying otherwise. Those are my beliefs on these questions.
ReplyDeleteI think that people don't believe scientists because of either their religion or that they just don't trust them with their children. Vaccinations can be helpful and can help you but just like everything it does not have a 100% chance of working. Some people could get the vaccination and might get sick the next day. If more children were vaccinated in California it would have help the outbreak be less severe but some people just get sick easily and may have still gotten the virus even after the vaccination. Genetically modified food does have problems relating to them but can also be helpful. These foods have many chemicals in them making them not very healthy but they do grow fast and could help reduce starvation. Organic foods are healthier and have no chemicals but if all food was organic we may not have the mass amounts that we do today resulting in minor food loss. People would eat less and this could be a good thing but there would be less food for people who actually do things and are active all the time.
ReplyDeleteVaccinations are extremely important, in my opinion. These help prevent virus, and this is why scientists believe for it to be so great. Adults have a hard time with agreeing, because they think that there's a small chance that their child could have that virus. They don't want to spend their money on something that won't happen for sure. The problem with this, is that the people aren't given enough information on why this vaccine would help out so much. We need to be given more information on the topic, in order to understand. Another big topic today is global warming. Scientists believe that it has to do with human activity, but we are to delusional to see it. We don't want to believe that we are destroying our planet. Scientists have put out the information, but we are to lazy to read it, which is what is wrong with our economy. Lastly, We are having problems with food. Everybody thinks that they can't ever eat unhealthy foods, because this is what the public is showing us- the models and the all stars and how beautiful they are. But reality is, we need to have some fat in out body, and stop going by what the public says. We need to start listening to scientists so that we can understand what we need to do to be healthier in a healthy way.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article it showed that majority of the adults disagrees with scientists views and they have they’re own opinion. I feel a main reason the public doesn't agree with everything scientist say is because they don’t want to believe the information they state. They may be afraid of the information they provide us or they are doubting their research. When we are told that vaccinations are safe and should be required, many still don’t believe this. In my opinion I think the people who don’t have their children get these vaccines feel like it’s not necessary, and their child will be okay but, the vaccine will help them reduce the chance of getting the virus. I feel that if you are told that you need to get a certain vaccine then I am for that because that means it should benefit you to help reduce the chance of you catching it. I feel if more children had gotten the measles vaccine then it would've changed the amount of children who have it now. Even though theses vaccines prevent you from catching the virus there is still a chance that you can catch it. Which is why even if majority of the children in California had this they still ended up catching it but, the children who didn't have this vaccine can catch it much easier because there body doesn't know how to fight it off yet. I feel the reason that humans don’t want to accept the responsibilities of climate change, because no one want to admit or change what they do. In my opinion I think we need to change and fix this huge problem we created and move on. We can eventually fix this but we need everyone's help to do so otherwise it’s just getting worse. I feel many believe that genetically modified food is unhealthy for them and even though scientist say that it’s okay, I feel what really makes this disconnected is all the debates about whether or not it’s okay for you really changes ones opinion on it, even when scientist say it’s okay. Overall, I feel that the reason U.S adults are hesitant to believe scientist is because they don’t know if they want to trust them or change what they believe in or do. I feel everyone has their own opinion but that doesn't mean it’s correct which is why everyone should consider what scientist have to say because they are the professionals. What they are telling you is usually meant to help you, so take the time to understand information that they give you.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I am all for vaccinations. Even though the majority of people choose to get shots for small things such as the flu, they aren't necessary or guaranteed to work. I feel people form their opinions based on the opinions of others before looking through all the facts and statistics. People tend to believe that everything they hear from the media is true, leading to all this debate about the truth in science. overall, I feel that minor vaccines aren't necessary but preventing major diseases from spreading is a necessity and needs to be done some way or another.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Camille, I also don't understand how so many people don't trust the people who make their living studying how to prevent not only normal people from getting illnesses, but also themselves. I also agree that they wouldn't show their findings to the public unless they were certain it was correct.
In my personal opinion vaccinations are good because when you get them it gives you a weak form of the virus so that your body can create ant-bodies against the virus. To me parents should have to vaccinate their child because if they do not they are not only making their child more vulnerable to the virus but they are also making it easier to spread the virus to other children and teens. When parents refuse to vaccinate their child or children it is selfish because if your child gets the virus it makes it easier for other children to also get the virus. Sometimes you have to do things you don't like to do for the greater good of others.Also on the topic of global climate change i do not believe that it is our fault. It has been proven that global climate change is natural for Earth. What i do believe is that we are speeding up the process of global climate change. The human race does need to watch what we do to the environment but we can not and should never try to stop natural processes because then we can truly destroy our environment. That is my opinion on the matter it does not have to be yours.
ReplyDeleteI agree that all kids should receive vaccintions. When they are surrounded by tons of other children at school every day it only makes it easier for a virus to spread rapidly.
DeleteAfter reading this article, it shocks me when I hear that some people do not believe or agree with vaccinations. Many serious and life threatening diseases and sicknesses have gone around for hundred of years. Vaccinations have been one of the only things stopping the illnesses from spreading to everyone. The outbreak of measles has scared so many people. I have seen parents worry that their young children will get measles since they have not yet received their vaccination. These illnesses are not something to joke around about. It is scary to have the possibility of suffering from this terrible thing. Vaccinations should be given to everyone to reduce the risk of these illnesses spreading in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI believe that people who don’t get vaccinations for their children don’t believe in them. Also some people distrust scientists and their opinions. I know my aunt doesn't give my cousin vaccinations due to the fact that she doesn't believe in them. she believes that make things worse and by taking care of yourself, or by using home remedies, you will be fine. Also some people believe that they can’t trust the vaccinations. Conspiracy beliefs feel there are things inside of them that aren't good for them or their children. Yes, I feel that if more children would have gotten the vaccine it wouldn’t have spread around as much. Many kids would still have gotten it but it wouldn't have spread around as quickly. Onto the climate acceptance, I believe people have a hard time with this one because its so very terrible and we feel guilty. People want to come up with different things so we don’t feel bad for changing the climate. People want to feel good about themselves not bad about themselves because they are hurting the earth. To me I believe people don’t like genetically modified food because, they don’t know what they are eating. They could be eating anything and the scientists could be telling them anything. People have a certain distrust for scientists. It can be from the beliefs that they have made cancer to, the belief of them stuffing food with things that can kill us. I know my mom believes the scientists make most of the common diseases for population control. Or as a distraction for a big thing that the government is planning.
ReplyDeleteThe huge gap that is present between scientists and U.S. adult citizens, in regards to several important topics, is created through a large amount of controversy on these problems and many of the adults don’t realize the effects some of these problems are making. Specifically, child vaccinations are extremely controversial because some parents are hesitant to give their child a vaccine, when they don’t know what is being put into their childs system. Although most vaccines prevent life threatening diseases, like the measles vaccine, some may be harmful towards the human body. I personally believe in some vaccines that prevent major life threatening diseases, but some vaccines are unnecessary and it seems as if the doctors just want to make more money by promoting these types of vaccines. Since the doctors are promoting these vaccines, a large majority of the parents are going to believe the information they are giving out and provide the vaccines for their children. In regards to the measles breakout in California, I am not sure if any cases of the disease would still exist if more kids got vaccinated, since I do not know a large amount of information about the disease.
ReplyDeleteI believe that some vaccinations are crucial to modern life, but there are some (usually optional) vaccines that may be doing more harm than good. For example, one year ago my family got a golden retriever named Leah. My mom decided she wanted to train her in agility and obedience. A lot of the dogs that are competitive follow a raw diet. Leah eats only raw meat, coconut oil, krill oil, and a variety of other supplements. It provides her with more usable energy, a better coat, and stronger, leaner muscles. After doing quite a lot of research, my mom found that the vaccines most dogs would typically get at a young age (kennel cough, “supplementary” vaccinations) reverse the benefits of the raw diet. The dog could grow up and have problems with their immune system, and even their vital organs. It is unhealthy and unfair to the dog. In my opinion, the same should go for humans. If we keep injecting disease into children, continuously, from a young age, there could be many repercussions to deal with in the future. For example, the flu shot has been proven useless, as many people who received the vaccination in 2014 developed the flu. Every time you get a flu shot, more of the disease is entering your body, essentially building a defense in your immune system. What is the point of giving your body small doses of poison if it doesn’t do it’s job? The answer: there is no point.
ReplyDeleteOf course there is no point to useless vaccines, but the ones that the scientists are supporting are vaccines that DO work. And mothers deciding not to vaccinate their kids with vaccines for measles is going to do more harm than good for their kid, and everyone's kids.
DeleteI think a main reason why many kids are getting the measles in California is because their not vaccinated. I think that having your child be vaccinated is huge because it will benefit your child in the long run. But on the other hand I think many parents don't want to have their child get a vaccination because they may be worried about the after effects. All of my friends and I have all gotten vaccinations so I haven't yet heard someone who hasn't, but I'm sure there are multiple people that haven't gotten them before. I think that a main reason why people have stayed away from genetically modified foods is because they have bad side effects, they are unhealthy, has bad chemicals, and they can harm our environment. I believe that people can't own up to their faults to the problem that we've caused. To be honest I think many just don't want to put in the effort in fixing the problem. Also, I think what is causing GMOs is how everything is heathy now so they have simply just stopped buying stuff with that. I feel that many adults don't want to hear the truth about vaccinations and how they can benefit you later on in life. Overall I think people should research and really get a deep understanding on the topic they are looking at.
ReplyDeleteOh, boy. As you can probably imagine, this is a sensitive topic for a lot of people. The question, though, is why? Why do people get defensive about things like religion and politics when we bring up the difference between scientific beliefs and the beliefs of the public. Why does it become a religious battle when we look at the difference over whether you should vaccinate your kids or not, or whether climate change was caused by humans. This sort of focus of linking religious or political views to things that aren’t really an option to argue against is, quite frankly, dumb. There isn’t a CHOICE to whether that vaccination is good or not- IT IS! There isn’t a CHOICE to whether humans have evolved over time, because we have evidence that proves it, and, until we run into opposing evidence, that is the only stance to take. The whole “Science vs. Religion” debates are stupid, because if the evidence conflicts with something you believe, are you sure you should be believing it? Yes, of course you can have your “free speech” and a right to an “opinion”, but when it comes down to it, the only way to argue with evidence is with more current and accurate evidence, and it you don’t have it, there isn’t an argument. Without evidence, we are left with a shouting match between two-year-olds, and that’s why we need science.
ReplyDeleteI think that most US adults know what scientists have evidence for. They know that evidence proves that vaccines will only do good rather than harm, and that evolution exists, and that it really is safe to eat genetically modified food. No amount of educational improvement will that, and until we realize this, nothing will change.
I believe not choosing to be vaccinated for illness such as the flu is a choice that is not highly impactful either way. However, I find the choice not to be treated medically due to your religion to make no sense. People, in my opinion, are resisting the changing world by not using scientific research to their full advantage. It makes no sense to endanger your life by not using the benefits of science. Now if you were to research the pros and cons of these things and make an informed decision based upon research that is completely understandable, but to simply deny these benefits science provides with little to no information to drive your choices seems ridiculous to me. At least make an effort to inform yourself before deeming something as unsafe or unhealthy.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Alex why would you risk your life and your family's life just to try and prove science wrong. People are just plain stubborn these days
DeleteI think that it is the parents choice in the end but I think the state should require each kid to be vaccinated. If you want to risk your kids health fine but as soon as you start endangering other peoples lives then it becomes an issue. Diseases spread so quick now a days someone could take their kid to target and now all of a sudden their kid has that disease and it keeps spreading
ReplyDeleteI agree that not getting your child vaccinated is a little selfish because you forget about the kids who have immune systems that don't properly work and catch diseases easier than normal, healthier kids. As well as bringing your un-vaccinated child around babies who can get sick because they are so young.
DeletePeople don’t believe in vaccinations, or anything scientists say due to their beliefs and culture in life. They don’t find this way of life ¨Natural¨. No, I do not know anyone who doesn’t vaccinate their kids. Many people don’t like taking the blame on themselves, and use other people to make them look better. Finally, we are eating genetically modified food because we really don’t care what it’s made of, only the price and the taste.
ReplyDeleteI think that vaccinations and modern medicine today is taken for granted. People in America don't really know what it's like to live in a world without medicine. Even our last blog showed that other countries people are struggling with diseases like the gunniea worm that some people didn't even know existed. I just think people should think about things more before they comment on things or argue with people on things like GMO's and evolution.
ReplyDeleteThe reason why many people don't use vaccinations, or makeup or anything else with chemicals is because they believe in using more natural and organic products rather than loading their child up with chemicals. Also many people believed that vaccinations and autism are linked, even though that isn't the case. As well as a lot of adults grow up to believe that certain things that were taught to them.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the biggest factors affecting the decision for people to take vaccines is religion. You hear about the families in the news who refuse to give medicine to children because of their beliefs, and something horrible happens because of it. I don't want to compare vaccines to not giving you child medicine, but I think that they both happen for a similar reason. I've been raised to trust vaccines and get them whenever possible for flu's and other outbreaks. Since people have free choice for vaccines, it seems like there's always going to be a separation between scientists and people as no one is forcing them to get them. With the California situation it's very obvious that it could have been prevented with vaccines because there's one specifically for it.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Emily, I agree that religion is a big point for vaccines. People also may or may not trust the science behind how they work and just don't get them.
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