Why So Much Division around Covid Issues?
08/10/21 Filed in: Values
A while back I saw on someone’s social media page a cut-and-paste post that supported his position on one of the present-day Covid related controversies. The re-poster then called everyone who disagreed with him a sheep.
Hmmmmm. So if I accept your position without doing my own thinking I’m not a sheep, but I if reject your position, even if I’ve really thought about it, I am a sheep. Seems like a lose-lose situation for me.
It got me thinking about why people are so divided on all the issues around Covid right now. Mask or not? Vax or not? Government conspiracy or not? And the list goes on. There doesn’t really seem to be a lot of middle ground on the issues these days. What’s happening?
It is interesting to me how many people have become experts in areas where they have no training at all. I just don’t know how many soccer moms, store clerks, church leaders, or truck drivers have been able to become immunologists, doctors, science researchers, or health specialists. The online battles then aren’t really about who has the best science. This isn’t about sharing and defending personal research in these areas.
Then what is this about? Why are people so strong in their views? Why are people so ready to defend as gospel truth an opinion of a person they have never met? Why do people choose out of ALL the variety of positions to repost only certain ones?
It’s about values.
We all have them. Even if we don’t know what they are, we have them. And they affect every part of our life every day…like what we choose to believe about all the Covid stuff.
In a sense, because of your values, you were ready to take a side before Covid was even a thing. Look back at your past posts and positions. They more than likely already had the same tone as what you have now. Your statements around politics, sports, food, family, pets, etc. will all have reflected your values.
Do you value Freedom? Do you hate the idea of anyone telling you what to do? Then you probably are strongly against the government mandating anything.
Do you value Unconventionality? Do you like to stand out in a crowd? Then you probably are going to take whatever position is the most unpopular.
Do you value Peace? Do you strive to keep everyone around you happy? Then you probably are going to choose the position that is most accepted by those you value.
And there’s nothing wrong with this…except that many won’t own up to the fact that they are making choices based on their own values rather than personal scientific research.
So have your strong beliefs. But own the fact that you have them because they line up with what you already value. And then be gracious enough to allow someone with different values to have different opinions…without calling them a sheep!
Hmmmmm. So if I accept your position without doing my own thinking I’m not a sheep, but I if reject your position, even if I’ve really thought about it, I am a sheep. Seems like a lose-lose situation for me.
It is interesting to me how many people have become experts in areas where they have no training at all. I just don’t know how many soccer moms, store clerks, church leaders, or truck drivers have been able to become immunologists, doctors, science researchers, or health specialists. The online battles then aren’t really about who has the best science. This isn’t about sharing and defending personal research in these areas.
Then what is this about? Why are people so strong in their views? Why are people so ready to defend as gospel truth an opinion of a person they have never met? Why do people choose out of ALL the variety of positions to repost only certain ones?
It’s about values.
We all have them. Even if we don’t know what they are, we have them. And they affect every part of our life every day…like what we choose to believe about all the Covid stuff.
In a sense, because of your values, you were ready to take a side before Covid was even a thing. Look back at your past posts and positions. They more than likely already had the same tone as what you have now. Your statements around politics, sports, food, family, pets, etc. will all have reflected your values.
Do you value Freedom? Do you hate the idea of anyone telling you what to do? Then you probably are strongly against the government mandating anything.
Do you value Unconventionality? Do you like to stand out in a crowd? Then you probably are going to take whatever position is the most unpopular.
Do you value Peace? Do you strive to keep everyone around you happy? Then you probably are going to choose the position that is most accepted by those you value.
And there’s nothing wrong with this…except that many won’t own up to the fact that they are making choices based on their own values rather than personal scientific research.
So have your strong beliefs. But own the fact that you have them because they line up with what you already value. And then be gracious enough to allow someone with different values to have different opinions…without calling them a sheep!