Vaccine Debate, a Microcosm of Failed Deliberation

 On vaccine debate, a microcosm of failed deliberation: Is the government competent in its handling of a pandemic? The answer is clearly no. Should we be concerned? Yes, the government is increasingly incompetent at governing much of anything, (notably climate change.) Should we get vaccinated? Yes, for all the other failings, together with masks and sensible behavior, vaccines are miraculously what there is to protect ourselves, the ones we love and everyone else. Should we do this because we trust the government? No, we are far from that trust. Did a mad government scientist make a weaponized biological disease? Maybe, I don't know, technology has always been a deal with the devil from mother nature's point of view and I have read enough of Margret Atwood's post apocalyptic fiction to think it could be so.

We should not be surprised that this is humanity's lot and should try to be realistic about our current plight. I would characterize the world's deliberation on the pandemic as a massive, suicidal failure and the divisiveness and incoherence expressed online is sadly a reflection of that failure. We should know better but hiding behind ideology won't save lives.

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On our deliberative process, loss of competencies and the global slide to authoritarianism: The 24/7 political and electoral process rarified, amplified and debased by sensational media, has resulted in the erosion of civic participation and trust. According to Transparency International's "Political Barometer" political parties everywhere are regarded as the most corrupt organizations on earth. Through an unnatural electoral selection that we incorrectly lable democratic, incompetent and dangerous politicians are fairly guaranteed as only grabbing media attention and winning elections seems to matter. This process is well documented and not exclusive to our country and has resulted in a global shift away from democracy and the rise of strongman governments that win power as Trump did, by promising no more bullshit and shifting blame to others through racist tropes. I am deeply anti-authoritarian and admit I have a profound distrust of big government but several years ago when the call to support a Green New Deal and a WWII style Climate Mobilizations was made, I begrudgingly admitted that broad "at-scale" campaign of proactive regulations, prohibitions, pro-climate/anti-abuse propaganda through the institution of government would necessarily be in our future if we were to stop the harm and respond to the climate crisis in the short time available to us as a species. Governments and militaries are the only agencies at scale remotely fit for the purpose of getting such a monumental task done. Doing the math, what governments are now doing is clearly not going to get us there in time to avoid catastrophic, irreversible climate change. In this framework I suggested at the time that demanding good decision making is job one -- The 3rd demand of the Extinction Rebellion movement -- "Convene Citizens Assemblies" to insert deliberative democracy into government systems that have failed the core competency of decision making itself. Putting legitimacy back into the decision making process would provide solutions and put trust back into civil society, clear the way for decisive action and make our future survival at least possible. (see Against Elections, David Van Reybrouck, 2018.)

On conspiracies: Fast forward to the present day, a swirling internet of bad ideas and without Trump to blame, the childish wing of the left has constructed an entire universe of conspiracies to maintain their outrage and distrust. This time about vaccines and mask mandates. I do at least sympathize -- as a radical it is indeed hard to accept that it is our duty as citizens to comply with government mandates and get vaccinated and masked in the context of a government that is so entirely full of shit and so lacking in legitimacy. (I am nonetheless vaccinated.) The world does in fact abound in real world conspiracies (not the made up ones.) The government has in fact been captured by moneyed interests -- the conspiracy to monopolize covid treatment -- the conspiracy to increase hate and fear of others for political gain -- the conspiracy to make windfall profits on the suffering of the masses -- the conspiracy to dismiss alternative treatments and protocols. Is there a conspiracy between Big Pharma and the government? Of course there is. Are ALL the doctors, researchers, nurses and all their pandemic experience and information simply tools of a global cabal bent on subjugation of the masses? WTF, of course they are not. Get a grip. Think critically.