The title is a misnomer, as all of my threads are unmoderated and therefore open, but a lot of you tell me you like the comments section most of all. So, as I move into a period of somewhat lighter posting, I thought I’d try out an open thread or two. If you don’t like this, just let me know and I’ll stop.
December and June are rife with day-job deadlines, so I’ll be a little quieter during these months. So far I’m a single-issue blogger, and I have reservations about leaving my academic position to post on Substack full time, but I’m also overwhelmed by the growth I’ve had here. At some point, if growth continues, I’ll likely begin to work for you full time.
This would enable me to post more openly about my field, as doxxing won’t matter as much anymore, and also maybe to try some more openly journalistic content (involving travel, perhaps interviews, etc.)
About to get fired from my job in a couple of months because of a vaccine mandate, that was implemented by my work voluntarily ( They werent covered under the government mandate, which covered healthcare workers, teachers, and hospitality.) I tried talking to the people who decided to implement this policy, I sent them studies about waning vaccine efficacy but all i got back was blank stares and fallacious arguments. I got my official notice today.
About 30% of people are still wearing masks outdoors. 100% compliance indoors. I dont wear one and get into frequent confrontations about it. 70% of people "scan in" to shops even though the government stopped updating their contact tracing site as they couldnt keep up.
Vaccine passports have been implemented, most stores have a sign outside that says theyre required. I havent gone into any stores with the sign on, as the idea of showing someone the app makes me feel physically ill, I cannot bring myself to do it. Fortunately my local coffee shop knows me and have not been asking about passports.
Our government continues to lie to us. They continue to push vaccination, mandates, and passports and will not update their thinking to the most recent evidence that the vaccines are useless at stopping transmission. Our media is a non stop barrage of Covid measure and vaccine propaganda. Our "reporters" are sycophants who never ask the government a single challenging question.
I am very concerned about our future. I see the signs of mass delusion, I see people who are angry and afraid, and I dont see it improving. When groups of deluded, angry, and afraid people get together they can do terrible things.
I have thought of moving to another country, but where would I go? It seems almost everywhere has been captured by the dystopian technocratic nightmare that is now our lives.
I am optimistic the the US will lead the West out of this. It will probably be another half year. I credit federalism, where individual states have the most legal power over our lives. We have Florida and Texas, big populous states that are done with Covidism. We now see the judicial branch pushing back, remembering that our 200+ yr old constitution was written for times like these. Biden's vaxx mandates are vanishing.
Masking is resurging, but piecemeal, and the uptake of booster shots is weak.
The citizens are well armed. Our police are not nationally centralized. Only urban centers have sufficient numbers of police to enforce health mandates, which they are loath to do.
I pray the the omicron variant and its successors will be mild, contagious, and sterilizing. The trump card in this stupid game.
From Portugal here... this is one of the most vaccinated places on earth, we have 87% of the population fully vaxxed and the covid delusion continues. Everybody keeps wearing masks outdoors. The "covid certificate" is required to eat at restaurants, go to gyms and stay in hotels, among other things. The media is hopeless, totally bought and controlled by the fascist govt. This week they began recommending the vaxx for kids aged 5-11, and the technical document that supposedly served as the basis for that decision is not being published... like it's some kind of state secret...
Everybody keeps buying the mainstream narrative, everybody keeps staring at the TV and happily complying. Nobody questions what is going on, there is no resistance whatsoever. It is true this country has a certain history of big government intervention and compliance, that probably stems from the time of the dictatorship between 1933-1974... But it is still appalling that only a tiny minority has seen what is truly going on. As you can imagine we are constantly blasted as crackpot "conspiracy idiots" and covid deniers...
My favorite is "Walmart is still closed at 11" - not only is this a very keen observation, it also kind of tells everyone everything you ever needed to know about this "pandemic", if they just tried to use their brand. Does covid start spreading more at 1am? nope. Do walmart workers actually disinfect or clean anything hence they need that night time? Nope - they don't clean shit (more theater). The reason Walmart did this is because they probably always wanted to, probably because it's more profitable to close vs stay open and they just needed the excuse. This is how EVERYTHING works with this pandemic. COVID-19 is mainly an excuse to finally do what corporations and governments always wanted to do.
I don't want to boast or anything, but I knew this "pandemic" was a crock of shit from day 1. Mainly because unlink most midwits, I had some basic knowledge of viruses (and why doctors prescribing antibiotics to treat the flue was always idiotic). Of course these days everyone is a specialist on viruses and vaccines :) As my wife was wiping groceries with clorox wipes in Feb 2020 I was literally laughing at her on my way to the airport... (don't worry people, I have finally got her to see the light a few months later). The one thing I do miss about the pandemic theater are the half empty planes from back in Spring 2020. Again all you need know you can gleam from flights (so many obvious signs). When the "pandemic" started, planes were still packed, around April empty, then back to normal, packed like sardines in the summer - everyone was pretty much over the fear at that point obviously - even though we still have to keep those chin diapers on between sips of water (the theater). So on some level I think most people know it's theater, but want to play along just to fit in. That is our biggest hurdle as humans, to be able to live without conforming. It's tough.
My only comment is that of gratitude to Eugyppius and this community. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and thoughts on the madness. I feel a lot less "alone." I'm an American living in Germany.
From Frankfurt, once Germany's global village. Shops empty, those that are bothering to open are all 2G except for the few basic exceptions like supermarkets and pharmacies, which the unclean still have access to (for now). Masks enforced everywhere, except in the local ethnic Späti (kiosk). Doctors have signs reassuring terrified patients that all their staff have had the wax but remember to keep your distance and wear a mask.
After a year of almost weekly, chaotic rule changes, no one has a damn clue what they are any more. The reaction from Germany's most small-c conservative corner is predictable - withdrawal into shell. This is aided by Frankfurt having a relatively high proportion of houses as opposed to apartments, by comparison to other German cities. Cometh a vaccine mandate I could, depending on how it is enforced, quite easily hole up for a couple of years with deliveries, and occasional trips to the local Turkish-run grocers, that are unlikely to ever turn paying customers away whatever pressure the government puts on the behemoths that run the supermarkets.
It is difficult to imagine how the German bureaucracy could manage to implement a mandate. Rumours of its ruthless efficiency are greatly exaggerated. Waiting times to do simple things like get documents can run into months. Unless they come up with some particularly evil plan to turn employers into vaccine police or such, the narrative will have fallen by the time it catches up with everyone. Some of us will have paid our fine at the last option having rejected and appealed and refused and with the cops at the door offering a choice of card reader or handcuffs. Anything to snarl the system up will help.
Protests are small but growing, hampered by the banning of the unclean from the (reliable but limited) public transport, and rather bizarre choices of locations, access to which can be easily hampered by the police. They are always accompanied by Merkel's black-clad street thugs (Antifa) looking on with their expensive cameras, even more expensive telephoto lenses, and balaclavas.
Test stations seem quiet but that may be because tests are in short supply. No idea how the daily 3G (waxed, recovered <6 months, or daily test) is being enforced, some employers probably turning a blind eye, others not.
The remains of the "Christmas market" in one of our run down and almost deserted malls is a solitary stand with "Amazing Offers in Winter Maskland". The neighbouring apple wine stall has 30 empty tables. At one sits a sozzled old gran, mask around her chin, halfway through her morning cup of booze.
A once great place to live is fallen, but most of them are. If we thought Merkel was bad, the new psycho looks like he will be even worse. The ancient Chinese curse, that we may live in interesting times, is only just beginning.
From The greater Washington DC region (Virginia side). I think the narrative is starting to fall apart in the US. Could be overly optimistic but the energy feels different (very scientific I know).
I think people are done here. Nobody looks at NY, LA, SF, or DC and says “god they did it well”. Biden is well below 50% on COVID in polling here. I saw an article where Whitmer complained about the mandates. The masking rate is dropping quickly and boosters aren’t taking off.
I quit my job at a contractor due to my vax status and they gave me an exemption and begged me to stay. I took a job at a major tech company and told them I’m not getting the vax. They said no problem. I’m in a pretty fortunate career field as a software engineer and my experience isn’t the same as other people in different fields.
Trying to cause as much pain as I can for mandates.
We’re trying to go full nazi here in Germany but a couple of those American courts are making it awkward for our German government. European civilisation my ass.
I've been making a similar point. The survival brain is ignited when we feel a threat, and is calmed when we feel "safe." Putting in place measures that exclude any group for safety reasons teaches the limbic system they are a threat--LITERALLY REWIRES THEIR BRAIN--and then keeping those measures in place affirms this. The brain thinks "Whew! I am only "safe" because the unv'd were not allowed to attend that event." It wires a phobia into the brain. (This is related to OCD, so it's the same thing.) What you need to do to REMEDY this phobia/limbic loop is NOT to indulge it, but to use exposure therapy, and reteach your brain what's safe. You attend "mixed" gatherings of v'd and unv'd people and "survive" them and your limbic system cools, and it unlearns that threat association. This is vital. That's why v passes are guaranteed to plant the idea in people's minds that v'd people are unsafe. Repeated experience confirms it. We must make a moral and factual argument against every institution or govt that's tempted to implement a v pass or people's brains will become entirely convinced that the unv'd are a threat (despite, of course, UK official stats showing that v'd ppl 40 to 59 have twice the infection rate as the unv'd).
Fighting a real lack of information we have concerning what is going on in other countries:
Wouldn't it be great if we could have mechanism with daily updates from dedicated, on the ground, honest people with journalism experience about what is going on in each country? MSM is so biased, I never know what is going on and I have to follow a variety some people on Telegram that post things they come across. Daily update examples, when should be succinct and in easy to read categories :
What is really going on with vaccine passports? Do they exist, they being enforced or not?
What is really going on at the land borders? Are there covid checks? Are they actually being enforced?
Are people protesting? Approximately how many? Where? Is there police brutality?
If I want to travel to a country? Testing/vaccines, quarantines?
Do I have to wear mask? Is it enforced, or are people ignoring it?
What is actually going on with testing? In hospitals?
Are there vaccine mandates? Are they working?
Are the politicians making any concessions, resigning, or are they becoming more hardline?
Update from Western Canada below...As always, so appreciate the content and dialogue here.
It feels like we are frogs in water that is about to boil. In many cases, we are the most, or one of the most, restricted countries in the world.
-Current case counts, per capita, and relative to history can be described as "low". What is missed by the population is that Canada had relatively low cases per capita all along. The media, continually compare them to previous highs and new records were achieved by some provinces in the fall which kicked of AGGRESSIVE campaigns the coerce folks to get vaccinated and to despise the unvaccinated.
-The anger/hatred directed towards the unvaccinated/anti-vaxers is palpable. The media has hammered on how the ICU's were filled with the unvaccinated etc. and it is now okay actively shame and discriminate against that group.
-And although the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects individuals on medial and religious grounds from putting things into their body, this is being walked around routinely by the government (mandates) and companies.
-Living in British Columbia (BC), the West-most, and left-most province. It's our version of California. So the narrative is very strong #understatement, and there is NO coverage outside of "vaccines are great" in any form of mainstream media.
-Canada, which simply receives FDA recommendations, has approved vaccines to 5-year olds. Was one of the first countries to vaccinated down to 12 years old.
-As of Nov 30, in this province, 88% of 12+ population is double vax'd, 91% with at least one shot. 91%! So there aren't many people left who have yet to "do the right thing".
-In this province, we have a passport system in place. Outside of shopping, you need to scan a QR code to enter fitness facilities, cinemas, restaurants, etc. (Sidenote, the Federal government set aside $1 billion for passport systems across Canada to be developed...incentives!)
-Here, there is no way to test out. Getting a medical or religious exemption is essentially impossible. Vaccine or bust. In some provinces you can test out.
-We now have volunteers scanning passports (i.e. guarding the entrances) to see our kids play hockey and other sports.
-Here, participants, up to 20 years old, can play without a passport - thankful for that (in some provinces everyone 12 and over entering a facility need a passport or negative test). While I haven't been able to coach/watch my kids, at least they can play? That's good, right?!
-As a result, the unvaccinated here are basically treated like the newly "locked down" unvaccinated in Austria. The difference is that I can still buy shoes on top of groceries. Although, New Brunswick, an Eastern province just made it possible for grocery stores (who can't maintain physical distance) to bar those without a passport from shopping - for food.
-You can no longer fly or ride a train without proof of vaccination. This is a federal mandate. There is no way to test out. There are many stories of Canadians abroad who have been denied travel via flight back from countries even with negative tests. They are, in essence, homeless.
-The standard play book here is for federal and provincial authorities to release policy (vaccine mandate) which then has to be implemented by small business, associations, etc. So the dirty work is done by people to other people. More division and all in the name of safety.
-The play book also has a number of examples where mandates have been threatened and then on the day they go into effect to be delayed or cancelled altogether. Remarkably effective in getting hold-outs, who need to work, to submit.
-But officially there is no mandate for those not working for the government.
-Masking is mandatory indoors except when at a table at a restaurant on on a treadmill or if you are eating popcorn at a movie.
-In many places there are still restrictions on gatherings even for fully vaccinated. No more than two families.
-Ski hills, in a number of areas, have gone vaccine only. SKI HILLS! You can't go to the ski hill without a passport (in some cases you can test out). Some are still open to the unvaccinated but you can't access the lodge and in some cases the rental shop.
-Our federal government, aside from spending the most number of delegates to COP, is basically non-functional and has been for 1.5 years. And our Prime Minister is actively shaming the unvaccinated. Sowing the seeds of division within his own country.
And somewhat unfortunately, as indicated above, we have yet to see a true winter increase in cases. Our low density could be a factor however starting to see increased cases in vaccinated population.
Have had the opportunity to travel extensively and always had Canada as my favorite. Unfortunately this is no longer the case but where would I go right now?
There's more to say here but will leave it at that.
I live in the US state of Ohio. Which is “red”, but the largest urban area (Cleveland) is as yankee blue as can be. So around here we see the highest levels of compliance with fauci-ism.
But still I know I don’t have it so bad. Masks are required in most indoor jobs. Customers aren’t required except in medical and govt offices. But smaller independent docs aren’t requiring them. I’m not confronted by anyone when I don’t wear one in public spaces. Most people don’t wear them outside. Indoors it’s 50/50
Vaccine use is high, but people seem to tolerate others choice. Very few mandates and the hospitals just backed off mandate implementation, so I think some if not all other private actors will also. Here’s hoping.
The governor of the state is useless and will be replaced next election, but anger isn’t too high even though most people agree that masks and vaccines aren’t working as promised.
- non-vaccinated people cannot attend any cultural event or go to restaurants, not even with PCR test
- non-vaccinated employees need to test every week, any test suffices (paradoxically)
- the government limited pubs and clubs also for vaccinated by mandating closures after 22:00
- vaccinated still can test for covid, because it is paid by the health insurance but they do not have to quarantine if they test positive
- the government shut down Christmas markets (while not limiting any shopping centres, only you cannot eat in the food court)
- the outgoing government also planned vaccine mandate for some employee groups and the elderly...
It is a bizarre situation and the logic of the regulations eludes me. I am convinced that there is a group of the population that does not agree with the restrictions or does not comply but it is draining and somewhat sad when people are still defending these policies and don't see the danger of the divisiveness, distrust of authorities and overall hatefulness.
Eugyppius: As an academic struggling to publish I can empathise with wanting to make a difference. But there is a danger of being a one-topic kind of author. I would wait a little bit and build variety or experiment with other forms of content. If the day job is bearable, it is a reliable income. But then I am risk-averse and my dissent over vaccination (I had covid already and have still positive antibody count) is me learning not to be the nice girl who does what is said to her. I don't know what I would do if it would put me in danger of losing my job. Thank you for your writing.
I post this for the mutual edification and mirth of all who need a really good laugh in the face of Government tyranny. It’s an old video meme gag, but it’s been updated to reflect the insanity (or is it stupidity?) that has currently infected New Zealand. The context is the recent lockdown of Auckland and the introduction of vax mandates… https://youtu.be/7azd_PtJNlM
Open Thread: An Experiment
And, I’ll comment first.
December and June are rife with day-job deadlines, so I’ll be a little quieter during these months. So far I’m a single-issue blogger, and I have reservations about leaving my academic position to post on Substack full time, but I’m also overwhelmed by the growth I’ve had here. At some point, if growth continues, I’ll likely begin to work for you full time.
This would enable me to post more openly about my field, as doxxing won’t matter as much anymore, and also maybe to try some more openly journalistic content (involving travel, perhaps interviews, etc.)
Report from Tokyo, Japan:
- voluntary masking is as popular as ever
- Karen-ism is low
- some restaurants have acrylic panels up, some sheets. Customers move them out of the way. Staff don't care and sometimes assist
- there are discounts and some lame offers for the vaccinated at some businesses
- there are murmurs of vaxport implementation, but very quiet and the idea isn't popular
- overall the hype is down
- gov has acknowledged heart disease as. aside effect
- top voted comments on legacy media articles are generally done with this shit
- my current impression is that there is a conscious effort behind the scenes to suppress hysteria and quietly move away from all of it
- otherwise normal: no lockdowns, no legal Vax mandates (some defacto at some work places but they can be fought)
- praying it lasts
Hi friends.
Current report from Auckland, NZ.
About to get fired from my job in a couple of months because of a vaccine mandate, that was implemented by my work voluntarily ( They werent covered under the government mandate, which covered healthcare workers, teachers, and hospitality.) I tried talking to the people who decided to implement this policy, I sent them studies about waning vaccine efficacy but all i got back was blank stares and fallacious arguments. I got my official notice today.
About 30% of people are still wearing masks outdoors. 100% compliance indoors. I dont wear one and get into frequent confrontations about it. 70% of people "scan in" to shops even though the government stopped updating their contact tracing site as they couldnt keep up.
Vaccine passports have been implemented, most stores have a sign outside that says theyre required. I havent gone into any stores with the sign on, as the idea of showing someone the app makes me feel physically ill, I cannot bring myself to do it. Fortunately my local coffee shop knows me and have not been asking about passports.
Our government continues to lie to us. They continue to push vaccination, mandates, and passports and will not update their thinking to the most recent evidence that the vaccines are useless at stopping transmission. Our media is a non stop barrage of Covid measure and vaccine propaganda. Our "reporters" are sycophants who never ask the government a single challenging question.
I am very concerned about our future. I see the signs of mass delusion, I see people who are angry and afraid, and I dont see it improving. When groups of deluded, angry, and afraid people get together they can do terrible things.
I have thought of moving to another country, but where would I go? It seems almost everywhere has been captured by the dystopian technocratic nightmare that is now our lives.
I'm a US citizen.
I am optimistic the the US will lead the West out of this. It will probably be another half year. I credit federalism, where individual states have the most legal power over our lives. We have Florida and Texas, big populous states that are done with Covidism. We now see the judicial branch pushing back, remembering that our 200+ yr old constitution was written for times like these. Biden's vaxx mandates are vanishing.
Masking is resurging, but piecemeal, and the uptake of booster shots is weak.
The citizens are well armed. Our police are not nationally centralized. Only urban centers have sufficient numbers of police to enforce health mandates, which they are loath to do.
I pray the the omicron variant and its successors will be mild, contagious, and sterilizing. The trump card in this stupid game.
From Portugal here... this is one of the most vaccinated places on earth, we have 87% of the population fully vaxxed and the covid delusion continues. Everybody keeps wearing masks outdoors. The "covid certificate" is required to eat at restaurants, go to gyms and stay in hotels, among other things. The media is hopeless, totally bought and controlled by the fascist govt. This week they began recommending the vaxx for kids aged 5-11, and the technical document that supposedly served as the basis for that decision is not being published... like it's some kind of state secret...
Everybody keeps buying the mainstream narrative, everybody keeps staring at the TV and happily complying. Nobody questions what is going on, there is no resistance whatsoever. It is true this country has a certain history of big government intervention and compliance, that probably stems from the time of the dictatorship between 1933-1974... But it is still appalling that only a tiny minority has seen what is truly going on. As you can imagine we are constantly blasted as crackpot "conspiracy idiots" and covid deniers...
My favorite is "Walmart is still closed at 11" - not only is this a very keen observation, it also kind of tells everyone everything you ever needed to know about this "pandemic", if they just tried to use their brand. Does covid start spreading more at 1am? nope. Do walmart workers actually disinfect or clean anything hence they need that night time? Nope - they don't clean shit (more theater). The reason Walmart did this is because they probably always wanted to, probably because it's more profitable to close vs stay open and they just needed the excuse. This is how EVERYTHING works with this pandemic. COVID-19 is mainly an excuse to finally do what corporations and governments always wanted to do.
I don't want to boast or anything, but I knew this "pandemic" was a crock of shit from day 1. Mainly because unlink most midwits, I had some basic knowledge of viruses (and why doctors prescribing antibiotics to treat the flue was always idiotic). Of course these days everyone is a specialist on viruses and vaccines :) As my wife was wiping groceries with clorox wipes in Feb 2020 I was literally laughing at her on my way to the airport... (don't worry people, I have finally got her to see the light a few months later). The one thing I do miss about the pandemic theater are the half empty planes from back in Spring 2020. Again all you need know you can gleam from flights (so many obvious signs). When the "pandemic" started, planes were still packed, around April empty, then back to normal, packed like sardines in the summer - everyone was pretty much over the fear at that point obviously - even though we still have to keep those chin diapers on between sips of water (the theater). So on some level I think most people know it's theater, but want to play along just to fit in. That is our biggest hurdle as humans, to be able to live without conforming. It's tough.
My only comment is that of gratitude to Eugyppius and this community. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and thoughts on the madness. I feel a lot less "alone." I'm an American living in Germany.
From Frankfurt, once Germany's global village. Shops empty, those that are bothering to open are all 2G except for the few basic exceptions like supermarkets and pharmacies, which the unclean still have access to (for now). Masks enforced everywhere, except in the local ethnic Späti (kiosk). Doctors have signs reassuring terrified patients that all their staff have had the wax but remember to keep your distance and wear a mask.
After a year of almost weekly, chaotic rule changes, no one has a damn clue what they are any more. The reaction from Germany's most small-c conservative corner is predictable - withdrawal into shell. This is aided by Frankfurt having a relatively high proportion of houses as opposed to apartments, by comparison to other German cities. Cometh a vaccine mandate I could, depending on how it is enforced, quite easily hole up for a couple of years with deliveries, and occasional trips to the local Turkish-run grocers, that are unlikely to ever turn paying customers away whatever pressure the government puts on the behemoths that run the supermarkets.
It is difficult to imagine how the German bureaucracy could manage to implement a mandate. Rumours of its ruthless efficiency are greatly exaggerated. Waiting times to do simple things like get documents can run into months. Unless they come up with some particularly evil plan to turn employers into vaccine police or such, the narrative will have fallen by the time it catches up with everyone. Some of us will have paid our fine at the last option having rejected and appealed and refused and with the cops at the door offering a choice of card reader or handcuffs. Anything to snarl the system up will help.
Protests are small but growing, hampered by the banning of the unclean from the (reliable but limited) public transport, and rather bizarre choices of locations, access to which can be easily hampered by the police. They are always accompanied by Merkel's black-clad street thugs (Antifa) looking on with their expensive cameras, even more expensive telephoto lenses, and balaclavas.
Test stations seem quiet but that may be because tests are in short supply. No idea how the daily 3G (waxed, recovered <6 months, or daily test) is being enforced, some employers probably turning a blind eye, others not.
The remains of the "Christmas market" in one of our run down and almost deserted malls is a solitary stand with "Amazing Offers in Winter Maskland". The neighbouring apple wine stall has 30 empty tables. At one sits a sozzled old gran, mask around her chin, halfway through her morning cup of booze.
A once great place to live is fallen, but most of them are. If we thought Merkel was bad, the new psycho looks like he will be even worse. The ancient Chinese curse, that we may live in interesting times, is only just beginning.
From The greater Washington DC region (Virginia side). I think the narrative is starting to fall apart in the US. Could be overly optimistic but the energy feels different (very scientific I know).
I think people are done here. Nobody looks at NY, LA, SF, or DC and says “god they did it well”. Biden is well below 50% on COVID in polling here. I saw an article where Whitmer complained about the mandates. The masking rate is dropping quickly and boosters aren’t taking off.
I quit my job at a contractor due to my vax status and they gave me an exemption and begged me to stay. I took a job at a major tech company and told them I’m not getting the vax. They said no problem. I’m in a pretty fortunate career field as a software engineer and my experience isn’t the same as other people in different fields.
Trying to cause as much pain as I can for mandates.
Hold strong everyone!
We’re trying to go full nazi here in Germany but a couple of those American courts are making it awkward for our German government. European civilisation my ass.
I've been making a similar point. The survival brain is ignited when we feel a threat, and is calmed when we feel "safe." Putting in place measures that exclude any group for safety reasons teaches the limbic system they are a threat--LITERALLY REWIRES THEIR BRAIN--and then keeping those measures in place affirms this. The brain thinks "Whew! I am only "safe" because the unv'd were not allowed to attend that event." It wires a phobia into the brain. (This is related to OCD, so it's the same thing.) What you need to do to REMEDY this phobia/limbic loop is NOT to indulge it, but to use exposure therapy, and reteach your brain what's safe. You attend "mixed" gatherings of v'd and unv'd people and "survive" them and your limbic system cools, and it unlearns that threat association. This is vital. That's why v passes are guaranteed to plant the idea in people's minds that v'd people are unsafe. Repeated experience confirms it. We must make a moral and factual argument against every institution or govt that's tempted to implement a v pass or people's brains will become entirely convinced that the unv'd are a threat (despite, of course, UK official stats showing that v'd ppl 40 to 59 have twice the infection rate as the unv'd).
Fighting a real lack of information we have concerning what is going on in other countries:
Wouldn't it be great if we could have mechanism with daily updates from dedicated, on the ground, honest people with journalism experience about what is going on in each country? MSM is so biased, I never know what is going on and I have to follow a variety some people on Telegram that post things they come across. Daily update examples, when should be succinct and in easy to read categories :
What is really going on with vaccine passports? Do they exist, they being enforced or not?
What is really going on at the land borders? Are there covid checks? Are they actually being enforced?
Are people protesting? Approximately how many? Where? Is there police brutality?
If I want to travel to a country? Testing/vaccines, quarantines?
Do I have to wear mask? Is it enforced, or are people ignoring it?
What is actually going on with testing? In hospitals?
Are there vaccine mandates? Are they working?
Are the politicians making any concessions, resigning, or are they becoming more hardline?
Update from Western Canada below...As always, so appreciate the content and dialogue here.
It feels like we are frogs in water that is about to boil. In many cases, we are the most, or one of the most, restricted countries in the world.
-Current case counts, per capita, and relative to history can be described as "low". What is missed by the population is that Canada had relatively low cases per capita all along. The media, continually compare them to previous highs and new records were achieved by some provinces in the fall which kicked of AGGRESSIVE campaigns the coerce folks to get vaccinated and to despise the unvaccinated.
-The anger/hatred directed towards the unvaccinated/anti-vaxers is palpable. The media has hammered on how the ICU's were filled with the unvaccinated etc. and it is now okay actively shame and discriminate against that group.
-And although the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects individuals on medial and religious grounds from putting things into their body, this is being walked around routinely by the government (mandates) and companies.
-Living in British Columbia (BC), the West-most, and left-most province. It's our version of California. So the narrative is very strong #understatement, and there is NO coverage outside of "vaccines are great" in any form of mainstream media.
-Canada, which simply receives FDA recommendations, has approved vaccines to 5-year olds. Was one of the first countries to vaccinated down to 12 years old.
-As of Nov 30, in this province, 88% of 12+ population is double vax'd, 91% with at least one shot. 91%! So there aren't many people left who have yet to "do the right thing".
-In this province, we have a passport system in place. Outside of shopping, you need to scan a QR code to enter fitness facilities, cinemas, restaurants, etc. (Sidenote, the Federal government set aside $1 billion for passport systems across Canada to be developed...incentives!)
-Here, there is no way to test out. Getting a medical or religious exemption is essentially impossible. Vaccine or bust. In some provinces you can test out.
-We now have volunteers scanning passports (i.e. guarding the entrances) to see our kids play hockey and other sports.
-Here, participants, up to 20 years old, can play without a passport - thankful for that (in some provinces everyone 12 and over entering a facility need a passport or negative test). While I haven't been able to coach/watch my kids, at least they can play? That's good, right?!
-As a result, the unvaccinated here are basically treated like the newly "locked down" unvaccinated in Austria. The difference is that I can still buy shoes on top of groceries. Although, New Brunswick, an Eastern province just made it possible for grocery stores (who can't maintain physical distance) to bar those without a passport from shopping - for food.
-You can no longer fly or ride a train without proof of vaccination. This is a federal mandate. There is no way to test out. There are many stories of Canadians abroad who have been denied travel via flight back from countries even with negative tests. They are, in essence, homeless.
-The standard play book here is for federal and provincial authorities to release policy (vaccine mandate) which then has to be implemented by small business, associations, etc. So the dirty work is done by people to other people. More division and all in the name of safety.
-The play book also has a number of examples where mandates have been threatened and then on the day they go into effect to be delayed or cancelled altogether. Remarkably effective in getting hold-outs, who need to work, to submit.
-But officially there is no mandate for those not working for the government.
-Masking is mandatory indoors except when at a table at a restaurant on on a treadmill or if you are eating popcorn at a movie.
-In many places there are still restrictions on gatherings even for fully vaccinated. No more than two families.
-Ski hills, in a number of areas, have gone vaccine only. SKI HILLS! You can't go to the ski hill without a passport (in some cases you can test out). Some are still open to the unvaccinated but you can't access the lodge and in some cases the rental shop.
-Our federal government, aside from spending the most number of delegates to COP, is basically non-functional and has been for 1.5 years. And our Prime Minister is actively shaming the unvaccinated. Sowing the seeds of division within his own country.
And somewhat unfortunately, as indicated above, we have yet to see a true winter increase in cases. Our low density could be a factor however starting to see increased cases in vaccinated population.
Perhaps the only way for parts of the country to wake up is if they see, first hand and similar to other countries, how the vaccinated are anything but immune. Provincial summary http://www.bccdc.ca/Health-Info-Site/Documents/COVID_sitrep/2021-12-02-Data_Summary.pdf
Have had the opportunity to travel extensively and always had Canada as my favorite. Unfortunately this is no longer the case but where would I go right now?
There's more to say here but will leave it at that.
Be well everyone.
I live in the US state of Ohio. Which is “red”, but the largest urban area (Cleveland) is as yankee blue as can be. So around here we see the highest levels of compliance with fauci-ism.
But still I know I don’t have it so bad. Masks are required in most indoor jobs. Customers aren’t required except in medical and govt offices. But smaller independent docs aren’t requiring them. I’m not confronted by anyone when I don’t wear one in public spaces. Most people don’t wear them outside. Indoors it’s 50/50
Vaccine use is high, but people seem to tolerate others choice. Very few mandates and the hospitals just backed off mandate implementation, so I think some if not all other private actors will also. Here’s hoping.
The governor of the state is useless and will be replaced next election, but anger isn’t too high even though most people agree that masks and vaccines aren’t working as promised.
No talk about passports yet.
I know it could be much worse
Report from the Czech Republic:
- mask mandates in closed areas
- non-vaccinated people cannot attend any cultural event or go to restaurants, not even with PCR test
- non-vaccinated employees need to test every week, any test suffices (paradoxically)
- the government limited pubs and clubs also for vaccinated by mandating closures after 22:00
- vaccinated still can test for covid, because it is paid by the health insurance but they do not have to quarantine if they test positive
- the government shut down Christmas markets (while not limiting any shopping centres, only you cannot eat in the food court)
- the outgoing government also planned vaccine mandate for some employee groups and the elderly...
It is a bizarre situation and the logic of the regulations eludes me. I am convinced that there is a group of the population that does not agree with the restrictions or does not comply but it is draining and somewhat sad when people are still defending these policies and don't see the danger of the divisiveness, distrust of authorities and overall hatefulness.
Eugyppius: As an academic struggling to publish I can empathise with wanting to make a difference. But there is a danger of being a one-topic kind of author. I would wait a little bit and build variety or experiment with other forms of content. If the day job is bearable, it is a reliable income. But then I am risk-averse and my dissent over vaccination (I had covid already and have still positive antibody count) is me learning not to be the nice girl who does what is said to her. I don't know what I would do if it would put me in danger of losing my job. Thank you for your writing.
I post this for the mutual edification and mirth of all who need a really good laugh in the face of Government tyranny. It’s an old video meme gag, but it’s been updated to reflect the insanity (or is it stupidity?) that has currently infected New Zealand. The context is the recent lockdown of Auckland and the introduction of vax mandates… https://youtu.be/7azd_PtJNlM