Long before social media or even the Internet were around, I used to complain about the sensationalism and group-think of the mainstream media. Back in the days when newspapers and magazines were far more prominent and digital news hadn't been invented, the reporters of these publications often displayed a "run with the pack" mentality.
If the New York Times, Washington Post, or big three TV networks covered a story and made a big deal out of it, hundreds of papers across the land would jump on the bandwagon and go hog wild regurgitating the story. Frankly, they often made mountains out of molehills in their zeal to rile people up and sell papers. Much of what they printed was just warmed over versions (e.g., Associated Press copy) of previous stories. They would create narratives that, in those days, were often hard to debunk.
The hyperventilating was really too much, but eventually the media vermin would tire of a story (or possibly secretly acknowledge that the story didn't really amount to much), and drop it like a hot potato, only to rush on to the next "shining object" that was ripe for exploitation and sensationalism.
Fast forward several decades, and this run-with-the-pack parroting has grown worse with the Internet and social media. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube censor those who dare to dispute the accepted narrative, no matter how great their qualifications and how impressive their intelligence. Add in the toxic effects of cancel culture and indoctrination at universities (you either accept the group-think or you'll be demonized or cast out), and it takes a hell of a lot of courage to go against the grain.
Dr. Robert Malone, a pioneer of the mRNA vaccine (he claims to be the inventor, but that is disputed) coined the term "mass formation psychosis" to describe the sort of mass hypnotization of the people when the propaganda steamroller -- government/Big Tech/mainstream media/social media/woke corporations/academia/foundations -- all check their brains and critical thinking at the door and join in with the cult-like mantra.
It's what happened early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who didn't believe the Coronavirus originated with a bat in a wet market, but may have come from a lab instead, were mocked, censored and harshly criticized. Anyone who objected to heavy-handed lockdowns or questioned whether masks were effective was labeled anti-science and ridiculed as if they were from the flat earth society. Proponents of treatments such as Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin were dismissed as "fringe doctors" or written off as kooks.
Dr. Malone is adamantly opposed to giving the vaccine to children because it can have destructive effects such as myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation); also because children are much less likely to contract and spread Coronavirus, and their symptoms tend to be milder. Dr. Malone is extremely harsh about Pfizer, calling the company "a criminal organization" for its past lawless activity, including bribing physicians (the company pleaded guilty and paid large fines).
Dr. Malone and many other respected epidemiologists and public health scientists signed the Great Barrington Declaration, which states that vaccine mandates and lockdowns did not make sense, and indeed may be downright counterproductive. The declaration opposes many of the policies that have been enacted throughout the world since the pandemic began nearly two years ago, stresses the need for "focused protection" (concentrating on those most at risk), and explains the many drawbacks to widespread lockdowns, including isolated, alienated and depressed K-12 students susceptible to alcohol, drugs and suicide, as well as patients delaying treatments or surgeries that could be life-saving.
For those who are interested, Dr. Malone granted a couple of interesting and entertaining interviews to Michael Savage earlier this month (his podcasts are available for free at MichaelSavage.com).
These days, it's a badge of honor to have been kicked off Twitter, as Dr. Malone was. This is the same platform, after all, that censored the Hunter Biden laptop story just days before the presidential election, and bans Donald Trump, but allows all manner of Islamic jihadists from Iran and other countries to spew vile anti-Semitism and terroristic threats. Joe Rogan recently interviewed Dr. Malone, and his podcast appears on Spotify. Wouldn't you know it: The fascist left is going after Spotify with a vengeance. The totalitarianism worsens by the day.
We need a lot more Dr. Robert Malones in this world full of brain-dead conformists and indoctrinated lemmings who love their group-think but are utterly incapable of having an honest debate to defend their beliefs.
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