Ethan is a teenage Ohio resident who grew up in a household
that was against vaccinations. He never received any vaccinations during his childhood,
because of his mother’s opposition. Ethan decided to do his own research and found
that the benefits of getting vaccinated outweighed the cost. Because Ethan is now
a legal adult, he went against his parents’ wishes and was vaccinated with his
own consent.
This article shows how education can incite change despite the
messages our parents send and whatever sentiments they try to instill. We live
in a place where information is available to almost everyone and we have the
freedom to do our own research and to shape our own beliefs, despite what we
are taught. Ethan’s story shows that we are doing something right.
I like to believe that most people are rational and are
willing to make changes to benefit the whole. Our role is to educate them without
prejudices and hope that on their own they can make the rational decision.
Forcing people one way or the other leads to resistance and maybe it should. We
are sensitive about our freedoms and are right to question and do our own
research.
Some would say
negative things about Ethan’s mom choosing not to vaccinate, but in the end,
everyone is trying to protect themselves and their children the way that they
see fit. I actually admire Ethan’s mom,
not because she chose not to vaccinate, rather she raised a child into adulthood
who seems to be an intelligent, free thinker who is able to make his own
decisions after doing the appropriate research. Ethan’s story shows education
and the availability of free information is the key to change.
What other methods could be implemented to ensure that
children and young adults have the opportunity to learn about the pros and cons
of vaccinations in a non-partisan way? Is it wrong to provide such information
when there parents are strongly against vaccinations? If so, at what age does
it become right?
Ethan’s Story:
Good point, Ethan's Mom must have done something right. Wish she'd have read Eula Biss's "On Immunity," though, and she might then also have made the right choice.
ReplyDeleteIt can be hard to translate heard imunity into something everyone understands. Particularly poinent was Pen and Teller's physical demonstration. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfdZTZQvuCo) Warning, lots of cursing. For a more messured response, Healthcare Triage also did a wonderful job of breaking it down.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuiHFg_nfnE)
ReplyDeleteThe problems come with the conflict of this kind of argument. When belief is questioned, it can cause negotiations to break down and hunker down into their ideas. Parents should not risk their children, especially with the recurrence of diseases, like Washington right now.(https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/02/08/washington-measles-outbreak-draws-crowd-hearing-vaccine-law/?utm_term=.a00333f74457)
Found this video after I finished this post. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zacqRZH5t5s)
DeleteI think if you choose to not vaccinate your children I think there should be a mandatory class of some sort to enlighten the parents of possible sicknesses their child can get as well as the symptoms and then the possibility of outbreaks. There should be cautionary methods that we take if we do allow this because younger children and the elderly are most at risk.
ReplyDelete