Despite all of the scientific evidence made available by medical professionals, there are still a lot of dedicated anti-vaccine parents out there. These people’s false vaccine beliefs are not only unfounded but also dangerous. Unfortunately, as one Facebook post by an anti-vax mother shows, people who are against vaccines sometimes live in an echo chamber.
The Facebook status posted by the anti-vax mother shows a parent lamenting their adult child’s decision to have herself vaccinated. While the status itself shows a stunning level of ignorance, where the problems really lie is in the comments of the status. The mother’s friends seem to support her and parrot her beliefs.
Anti-vaccine beliefs seemed to stem from Andrew Wakefield’s now discredited 1998 article published in the Lancet. The paper claimed that vaccines were linked to autism, however, in 2010 the Lancet discredited the study as the results could not be replicated. Wakefield was also stripped of his medical license the same year.
Despite the overwhelming evidence from the medical and scientific community, some people, such as this anti-vax mother, still seem to think that vaccines are dangerous.
Furthermore, people who believe strongly in something will often only seek out opinions that support their beliefs. This is known as confirmation bias, and the comments are a perfect example of this.
The comments continue to support the anti-vax mother’s false belief that she might know more about vaccines and medicine than an actual doctor. Luckily it appears the woman’s daughter knew better than what her mother might have tried to teach her.
The anti-vaccine movement has had real-world consequences. California passed one of the toughest inoculation laws in the United States in 2015 after a measles outbreak that originated at Disneyland.
According to the World Health Organization, reported cases of measles have also risen sharply in Italy, Romania, and Ukraine. Across Europe, cases of measles almost quadrupled last year (21,000 cases in 2017 compared to 5273 in 2016).
However, people who share the opinions of this anti-vax mother typically hold onto their beliefs so strongly, that no amount of actual scientific evidence will change their minds. In fact, it may have the opposite effect.
People whose opinions are challenged may hold more strongly to those beliefs. This phenomenon was deemed the “backfire effect” by journalist David McRaney. The backfire effect was observed in a 2006 study by researchers at the University of Michigan and Georgia State University, which showed that people’s political beliefs became stronger when presented with contradictory evidence.
While it’s nice to know that this mother cares enough about her daughter to worry about her health and well-being, she should at the very least respect her daughter’s decisions without openly criticizing them on Facebook.
By the end of the comment thread, things take a turn for the worse, with people beginning to hope that the daughter becomes ill or suffers a serious medical reaction. Even the woman’s mother hopes for her to get some kind of “wake up call.”
Online reaction to the Facebook status and its comments have been negative. People are angered at the anti-vax mother’s stance and apparent lack of knowledge.
Other commenters were impressed by the daughter’s insistence on getting vaccinated, despite what her mother was telling her for years.
Some people expressed not anger, but sadness at the fact that some people would choose to refuse medical care for either themselves or their children, and that doing so puts others at risk.
Click on ‘Next Post’ to read another story and don’t forget to SHARE this with your friends on Facebook.
Anti-Vax Mom’s Messages After Finding Out Her 19-Year-Old Daughter Got Vaccinated Will Leave You Baffled
Written by Colin Leggett
Despite all of the scientific evidence made available by medical professionals, there are still a lot of dedicated anti-vaccine parents out there. These people’s false vaccine beliefs are not only unfounded but also dangerous. Unfortunately, as one Facebook post by an anti-vax mother shows, people who are against vaccines sometimes live in an echo chamber.
The Facebook status posted by the anti-vax mother shows a parent lamenting their adult child’s decision to have herself vaccinated. While the status itself shows a stunning level of ignorance, where the problems really lie is in the comments of the status. The mother’s friends seem to support her and parrot her beliefs.
Anti-vaccine beliefs seemed to stem from Andrew Wakefield’s now discredited 1998 article published in the Lancet. The paper claimed that vaccines were linked to autism, however, in 2010 the Lancet discredited the study as the results could not be replicated. Wakefield was also stripped of his medical license the same year.
Despite the overwhelming evidence from the medical and scientific community, some people, such as this anti-vax mother, still seem to think that vaccines are dangerous.
Furthermore, people who believe strongly in something will often only seek out opinions that support their beliefs. This is known as confirmation bias, and the comments are a perfect example of this.
The comments continue to support the anti-vax mother’s false belief that she might know more about vaccines and medicine than an actual doctor. Luckily it appears the woman’s daughter knew better than what her mother might have tried to teach her.
The anti-vaccine movement has had real-world consequences. California passed one of the toughest inoculation laws in the United States in 2015 after a measles outbreak that originated at Disneyland.
According to the World Health Organization, reported cases of measles have also risen sharply in Italy, Romania, and Ukraine. Across Europe, cases of measles almost quadrupled last year (21,000 cases in 2017 compared to 5273 in 2016).
However, people who share the opinions of this anti-vax mother typically hold onto their beliefs so strongly, that no amount of actual scientific evidence will change their minds. In fact, it may have the opposite effect.
People whose opinions are challenged may hold more strongly to those beliefs. This phenomenon was deemed the “backfire effect” by journalist David McRaney. The backfire effect was observed in a 2006 study by researchers at the University of Michigan and Georgia State University, which showed that people’s political beliefs became stronger when presented with contradictory evidence.
While it’s nice to know that this mother cares enough about her daughter to worry about her health and well-being, she should at the very least respect her daughter’s decisions without openly criticizing them on Facebook.
By the end of the comment thread, things take a turn for the worse, with people beginning to hope that the daughter becomes ill or suffers a serious medical reaction. Even the woman’s mother hopes for her to get some kind of “wake up call.”
Online reaction to the Facebook status and its comments have been negative. People are angered at the anti-vax mother’s stance and apparent lack of knowledge.
Other commenters were impressed by the daughter’s insistence on getting vaccinated, despite what her mother was telling her for years.
Some people expressed not anger, but sadness at the fact that some people would choose to refuse medical care for either themselves or their children, and that doing so puts others at risk.
Click on ‘Next Post’ to read another story and don’t forget to SHARE this with your friends on Facebook.
More From Bestie
Related Posts
Newborn Twin Boys Won’t Stop Crying Unless They’re Touching
Twins sure are something special, just ask Dane and Lisa Lyman. The couple shares two daughters together and one set of infant twins boys. Their twins, Weston and Caleb were barely a month old when a video of them went viral on the internet. Prepare yourself, it’s more adorable than …
12 Parents Who Were Just Pure Geniuses
When you become a parent, you learn that you have to start getting a little creative in how you deal with your kids. I mean, of course, you love them and want only the best for them, but sometimes you gotta entertain yourself while also figuring out how to get …
Parents Spent 14 Years Blaming Their Son For Grandfather’s Death, So He Finally Reveals His Biggest Secret
Not one person can say that they don’t have a burden they have been carrying throughout their life. Events take place, people are told secrets and asked to keep them from others. It can be exhausting to keep confidential information from leaking, but sometimes there is no other choice. Boredpanda …
25 Things That Exist For Reasons No One Knows
We have all come by things that simply exist and we have no explanation as to why. This could be a type of food combination or something simple like the gap in a toilet stall. Whatever the thing is we constantly wonder what the reason was for making it. Below …
They Were Just Walking Home From Prom And Some ‘Drunk Bros’ Completely Changed Their Night
The LGBT community faced a proud moment when, instead of street taunts, it turned out to be an enlightening and encouraging encounter. Theodore Vidal and Colin Beyers were one of many couples walking down the boardwalk following their first prom in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. This strip is typically known …
Japanese Muscle Idol’s Chun-Li Cosplay Reminds You To Never Skip Leg Day
If you’re unfamiliar with Chun-Li, we’ve got you covered. Chun-Li, who was recently popularized by Nicki Minaj in her newly released track by the same name, is a character in the Street Fighter series. She was the first female fighter in the series and made her first appearance in Street …
McDonald’s Starts Selling Family Share Box
It sounds like a fast-food miracle. Like many other fast food chains (especially KFC that has long offered large meals meant for the whole family) McDonald’s is now experimenting with a Family Share Box! There’s only one catch…it’s only available in New Zealand. Other fast-food chains that currently offer family …
This Is The Ultimate Road Trip Across The United States
Randal Olson is a Lead Data Scientist and on his website, he is a self-described specialist in ‘artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data visualization.’ So when a woman by the name of Tracy Staedter from Discovery News messaged him about the most optimal road trip to travel across the United …
16 Before And After Photos Of People Who Work Hard For Their Body
Losing weight and maintaining an active healthy lifestyle is no easy feat. Take it from me, my personal weight loss journey has been one struggle after another. This year I entered my first 5K marathon and I’m forcing myself to change my lifestyle into a healthier more active one. I’ve …
20 Baby Names For Girls & Boys That Are Very Unique
Are you preparing for a newborn and are finding yourself constantly googling or reading up on baby girl names nad baby boy names? For kids, a name can really set them apart from others and make them unique. Long gone are the days for kids in school having to be …
Rare Kitten Born With ‘Two Faces’ Grows Up Into The Most Beautiful Cat Ever
Cats often get a bad rap for being sneaky and two-faced, but 11-month-old Narnia is quite literally a two-faced cat. An unknown genetic condition has left the adorable British Shorthair with a face perfectly split between grey and black, making him an internet darling. Breeder Stéphanie Jimenez established the Chatterie de …
Nico Tortorella From ‘Younger’ Married His Partner In A Super-Beautiful Genderblending Ceremony
Finding someone you are compatible with takes some people years. In fact, some of us are even lucky enough to find it. It takes patience to find that special someone who is perfect for you. Well, actor Nico Tortorella from the hit show Younger has found his perfect match. Nico …
Australian Cosplayer Remarkably Transforms Herself Into Stunning Fictional Characters
Australian cosplayer Nichameleon (as she is known on Instagram) is known for her stunning transformations into iconic characters from film, television, and video games. The Australian cosplayer is known to dress up as people and monsters from popular culture, showing off her skills on her Instagram page and at various …
Viral 4-Second Audio Clip Is Dividing The Internet
Wow, I can’t believe it’s 2015! Man, what a great year it is too! I mean sure, the attacks on Charlie Hebdo were awful and heartbreaking, but at least mass shootings are going to end soon! I mean, there’s no way they don’t put harsher legislation on guns after all …
8 Questions To Ask Your Partner Before Getting Married
It’s not easy to decide if your partner is someone you should spend the rest of your life with. Usually making the decision becomes easier over time as you get to know the person and have a firmer grasp on their values. Though time does make it easier, there are …
25 Funny Pics That Show What Husbands Have To Go Through When Their Wives Are Pregnant
Women go through a lot when they get pregnant. Their hormones are going through ups and downs constantly and they crave different foods all the time. Due to women going through a hard time, their husbands do also. They tend to not know the right things to do to make …
Five Pharmaceutical Drugs That Can Destroy Your Health
More often than not, prescription drugs aid with certain health problems and can also save lives in the process. We take certain pharmaceutical drugs more often than we would like to admit, but what many of us are unaware of is that some of these pharmaceutical drugs are doing more …
Barack Obama Sends Heartwarming Note To Malia’s British Boyfriend
It’s never easy meeting your partner’s parents for the very first time. Some people handle it with ease, while others just turn into nervous wrecks. You want to make a good impression, but you also don’t want to come off too strong. Well, imagine dating Malia Obama and meeting HER …
Mom’s Post Desperately Asking Husband To Help With Their Kids Goes Viral
Being a parent is never easy, but it makes all the hard days worth it. Being a mom can be especially difficult. I mean, you have all this pressure to be the best mom you can be, all while juggling a career, the house, and your husband. Let’s face it, …
Blake Lively’s Deadpool Premiere Dress Was Covered In Hidden Messages
The idiom “Behind every great man is a great woman” has been around since the 1940s. It’s a real classic, showcasing the fact that everyone, regardless of who they are, could use a great partner to stand by their side. And could you ask for a greater, more classic partner …
Selena Gomez Just Got Real About Body Positivity After Paparazzi Pictures Revealed Her Surgery Scars
Selena Gomez preached body positivity after tabloids body-shamed her in a bikini and everyone needs to hear it. The pop singer was enjoying some downtime on a private yacht in Australia when it happened. Paps captured pictures of the star lounging on her stomach while reading a book or laughing …
Here’s What You’re Addicted To Based On Your Zodiac Sign
As we continue to seek comfort in the stars, astrology remains essential among those who believe the alignment of the planets can influence our psychologies or the events in our lives. Studies show that millennials are most likely to obsessively look at their horoscopes to understand the various aspects of …
Internet Goes Crazy About Man Who Looks Like Disney Prince After Losing 70 Lbs While Taking Care Of His Sick Mom
Ah, spring. A time where the winter blues start slowly disappearing, the winter jackets start getting put away and a time where we all start thinking about our summer bods. I mean, it’s definitely easier said than done, but if you put your mind to it, anything is possible. Meet …
Incredible Photographs Show Gorilla Cradle And Kiss Her Newborn Baby
Animals are a wonderful, fascinating thing. We find it pretty astonishing the way they tend to interact with humans. Some of them get super fearful, others get violent. Then there are those animals who just feel completely comfortable and normal with other animals. But what about when animals interact with …
Jenna Dewan Opens Up About Split From Channing Tatum After Ellen’s Embarrassing Name Slip
Even Ellen makes mistakes! The daytime host definitely had an ‘oops’ moment when she accidentally introduced recently divorced Jenna Dewan by her former name, Jenna Dewan Tatum on a recent episode of ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show.’ Jenna Dewan’s recent split from funnyman Channing Tatum after almost 8 years of marriage …
12 People That Totally Asked The Wrong Guy For Photoshop Help
James Fridman is the ultimate internet troll. He uses his amazing talent in Photoshop to alter internet users’ personal photos. If you’re looking for someone to make you look flawless or make your features bigger in a photo, this is not your guy. Fridman’s hilarious work has gotten so much …
16 Pictures That Will Make People With Siblings Laugh Harder Than They Should
Whether you have an older brother, baby sister, adopted sister or twin, you know that having siblings can be tough. You don’t get to choose who your family is, even though you sometimes wish you could. Growing up around each other 24/7 and fighting over little things can cause plenty …
12 Cosplayers Who Nailed It Big Time In Turning Themselves Into Cartoon Characters
If you’ve never heard of cosplaying you better start looking into it because it’s getting pretty popular. In fact, it’s becoming a thing of the millennial age. People are starting to dress head to toe in costumes that go from cartoon characters to movie roles for events and programs. Those …
25 Times The Picture Was Better Than The Reality
It’s not surprising that pictures often present reality in a much more glamorized way than what’s really in front of the lens. Whether it’s a heavily filtered Instagram photo or an expertly lit meal picture, we constantly advertise our lives in a stylized way, and the same goes for the …
Watch Deadpool Flash-Dancing Around Céline Dion In New Power Ballad
Céline Dion dropped a new music video on May 3rd to her VEVO channel. The song is called Ashes and is from the Deadpool 2 Motion Picture Soundtrack. What makes this music video different than Dion’s previous ones is that it features Deadpool himself. This music video is similar in …
8 Signs That He Is In Love
At the beginning stages of a relationship, women have a tendency to be vulnerable according to Psychology Today. Whether it’s because they’ve been betrayed in the past by their partners, or they simply just don’t trust men. Regardless of the reason, once the relationship begins to progress, they are constantly …
16 Stories About Grannies Who Made The Childhood Of Their Grandchildren Unforgettable
Everybody has those funny grandma stories that they love to tell. Sure, there are a lot of stories about grandmas that are kind, heartwarming, and full of sage wisdom, but there are also the ones about grandmas being totally hilarious and awesome because grandmas are the best. Sometimes it’s a …
11 Baking Soda Tricks That Every Woman Should Know
When it comes to their looks, many women pay special attention to the products they put on their skin, body, and hair. Unfortunately, a lot of commercial products contain chemicals that actually do more harm than good. But there are always more natural ways to keep your body healthy. Take …
Socially-Awkward People Can Relate To These Comics
A lot of individuals out there can relate to socially-awkward situations. For example, feeling weird at a party where you don’t know many people, so you creepily stand in a corner by yourself. Or, abruptly ending a conversation with someone when you have nothing left to say. Social settings can …
Scientists Found Living Sharks Inside An Active Underwater Volcano
In a 2015 National Geographic expedition, scientists found sharks living inside one of the most active underwater volcanoes on Earth. The team, led by Ocean engineer Brennan Philips traveled to the remote Solomon Islands in search of hydrothermal activity. At the time of their expedition, the main peak of the …
We Can’t Stop Looking At These Pictures Of Khloé Kardashian’s Baby Shower
Khloé Kardashian celebrated the soon-to-be birth of Baby Thompson and it was everything baby shower dreams are made of. If you know the Kardashians, you know there’s nothing they’re better at – or enjoy more – than hosting a party. Everything was pink balloons, pink flowers, pink place settings, pink …
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Bathing Suits Are A Thing Now
If you’ve ever been swimming and thought, “this would be so much better if only I can have the face of a Royal stamped on my bathing suit” then this piece of totally relevant news will surely please you. Bags of Love, a British business, creates unique personalized products from …
Science Explains What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Oatmeal Every Day
When you think of oats, you think of them as an ingredient in breakfast cereals and oatmeal. Over the past decade, oats have become an extremely popular health food. According to Healthline, oats are loaded with fiber (10.6g) and contain avenanthramide, which is only found in oats. Avenanthramide can help …
People Are Getting Diamond Piercings On Their Fingers Instead Of Wearing Rings
Body modification, especially piercings have been a cornerstone of human fashion since the earliest days of man. However, there is a new trend going around that some people aren’t extremely comfortable with for personal and health reasons. The trend is ‘engagement finger piercings’ which are quickly gaining traction on social …
There’s A Debate About Whether This Mannequin Is Actually A Dead Body
As if we needed another reason to be terrified of mannequins. A popular bridal shop in downtown Chihuahua City, Mexico is rumored to have a mannequin that many speculate isn’t a mannequin at all, but rather, an embalmed corpse. La Popular has been a cornerstone of Chihuahua city for more …
Soldier Goes On Leave To Meet Newborn Daughter, Walks In Hospital Room And Can’t Believe His Eyes
Jake and Chelsea Osbourne shared the heart-warming story of how their newborn baby girl came into the world. First Lieutenant Jake Osbourne was deployed for duty just one month after discovering his wife was pregnant with their first child. Although Chelsea Osbourne was used to having her husband gone for …
Attempted Robbery On Families At Sao Paulo School Foiled By Mother
A gunman approached a group of children and family members in an attempted robbery, only to be shot and subdued by an off-duty police officer in Sao Paulo. Katia da Silva Sastre, a 442-year-oldmilitary police officer, acted quickly and was able to keep the group safe. The entire scene was …
There Was An Empty Seat At The Royal Wedding And Everyone Thought It Was In Honor Of Princess Diana
The royal wedding of Duke Harry and Duchess Meghan was a joyous occasion celebrated around the world. Despite the event’s cheerful atmosphere, there was one somber theme brought up throughout the day: the absence of late Princess Diana. She died as the result of a car accident in Paris in …
Jennifer Lawrence Hilariously Mocked Her BFF Emma Stone Over Jimmy Kimmel Joke At The Oscars
The 2018 Oscars were marked with a ton of controversy this year. Whether it be being interviewed on the red carpet by Ryan Seacrest, who came under fire after his former personal stylist alleged that he touched her inappropriately, or just reminiscing on the embarrassing gaffe last year when the …
Research Suggests Some Forms Of Dementia Might Be Side Effects Of Some Prescription Drugs
According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, every three seconds, someone in the world develops dementia and right now there are close to 50 million people around the world suffering from some form of dementia. According to a report by Harvard Health Publishing, a few studies have also shown that drugs like anticholinergics (medications for …
25 Unbelievable Examples Of Things Being Worn Down Over Time
I believe it was the great poet Madonna who said: “Time goes by, so slowly. Time goes by, so slowly”. And indeed it does go slowly, however, it also degrades and blackens the brightest of things. Yes, time can be a harsh mistress, as I’m certain Madonna herself is painfully …
Photographer Wins Monkey Selfie Copyright Lawsuit And Court Blasts PETA
There are laws against humans using photos that do not belong to them, also known as copyright infringement. But what happens when an animal takes a photo and that photo is then used as a means of entertainment and financial gain? TIME magazine reported a story that included photographer David Slater …
Splenda Has Been Linked To Cancer But New Studies Could Show Otherwise
Splenda is a commonly used artificial sweetener that is a mix of both sucralose and two fillers known as maltodextrin and dextrose. Sucralose is a type of sugar and, as stated in Medical News Today, Splenda is about 600 times as sweet as sugar. However, according to Precision Nutrition, sucralose …
This Is Why Your Bags Might Look Damaged After A Trip To The Airport
It was on Twitter where a user by the name of Vanessa Marsh uploaded a video of a baggage handler haphazardly launching luggage down a chute. Marsh, a reporter for the Australian newspaper The Courier Mail, captured the video as she was waiting to board her flight and posted it …
Woman Celebrates Losing 300 Pounds By Wearing The Same Outfits In Her Before-And-After Photos
Weight loss is never an easy journey. It requires a lot of bravery, hard work, and perseverance. From someone who has always struggled with his weight, I am always looking for resources, diets, and places I can inspire myself. However, every so often I stumble on a person who truly …
About The Author
Colin
More from this AuthorColin is a writer and comedian. He graduated from McMaster in 2011 and completed the Television Writing and Producing Program at Humber. He enjoys writing about a wide variety of topics.