Footnotes and Scare Quotes

https://videopress.com/v/4egEyh2b

Hate to let one source get so much play time, but it’s just such a perfect example, administration quotes and all.  https://youtu.be/pAqh7GG9cHc

  In response to an article I posted here previously ( https://escipub.com/Articles/IRJPH/IRJPH-2021-08-1005.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3kHdPDrgIgXDgebZDAF_xfKB9oMdeF9yzNaGeeRyRr8gUO-4CTUfX9TQk ), more than one friend responded with links to compendiums of studies in support of the efficacy of masks. For example, this one:  Do face masks work? Here are 49 scientific studies that explain why they do | KXAN Austin   I committed to reading the first ten from this collection to learn more and to make sure I wasn’t just plugging my ears and closing my eyes. Here are my impressions of those 10 (which actually turned out to be over 20, since I had to follow the deeper links to finally get to the raw data). This is not to say my opinion is the be-all-end-all, but I do consider myself to be a considerate, science-loving, non-moron and as such feel the need to explain how someone can oppose universal masking while also being those things: Study 1.) This was a summary of about a dozen handpicke...

I enjoyed this interview that popped up on my drive home today. I appreciated the in-depth analysis of an issue that is so cartoonishly described by most media and politicians. Little grinds my gears as much as a widely-accepted cartoonish portrayal of takeaways from “The Science.”  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hold-these-truths-with-dan-crenshaw/id1498149200?i=1000534740486

Whenever your brain encounters information it finds threatening to your pride, it asks itself “Must I believe this?” Whenever it encounters information it finds reaffirming, it asks eagerly, “Can I believe this?” I know I am not exempt. No one is. I am eager to believe this. The thing is, I think this is enough to confront the “must I?” If it’s not, tell me why. https://escipub.com/Articles/IRJPH/IRJPH-2021-08-1005.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3kHdPDrgIgXDgebZDAF_xfKB9oMdeF9yzNaGeeRyRr8gUO-4CTUfX9TQk

To be fair, this phenomenon goes both ways. Can we deliberately rise above it?  https://theliberalpatriot.substack.com/p/the-fox-news-fallacy

This piece by @martyrmade contains introduction and post-piece commentary by Tom Woods, and it captures  my  feelings so well. Don’t judge the misled while refusing to acknowledge the synchronized rot of the institutions that failed them: On Twitter an account called @martyrmade went on a Tweet barrage a few days ago, and I think it's worth reading. Glenn Greenwald, who even though he's on the Left is far more serious than most people in the Official Libertarian world, describes this Tweet thread this way: " This is an absolutely brilliant exposition on the underlying mindset, grievances and motivations of Trump/MAGA supporters. It's not as cathartic as screaming Racist and Fascist but much more illuminating. Don't agree with every particular, etc. etc., but hope everyone reads this." It's long. But you won't stop reading, I promise: I think I've had discussions w/enough Boomer-tier Trump supporters who believe the 2020 election was fraudulent to e...