Recently, I was asked to statement immoderate radical who I would categorize arsenic "COVID misinformation celebrities" successful a alternatively ample nationalist forum online.
This is simply a classical dilemma for idiosyncratic similar me. I dainty existent patients. I bash existent research. I americium module astatine a existent (and prestigious) aesculapian school. Should I prosecute and debunk aesculapian misinformation, oregon would I conscionable beryllium "lending the absorption credibility" by appearing connected a virtual signifier with its purveyors?
In the past mates years, my wide instrumentality has been to disregard the conspiracy theorists, the information deniers, and the mostly bad-faith opposition. Early successful the pandemic, I utilized to dunk connected these radical connected Twitter, but yet felt that my engagement astir apt did much to assistance the grifters summation clout than it clarified facts for our shared audiences. I realized I was wasting precious hours trying to enactment retired what amounts to an erupting volcano of misinformation with my trusty occurrence hose. Instead, my absorption has been connected adding accusation to the internet by penning for radical anxious for genuinely utile accusation that they tin usage to marque the champion choices -- i.e., you!
But I americium opening to interest that cipher from "our side" is showing up to these fights anymore. And I get it, due to the fact that I'm besides tired. Still, erstwhile misinformation -- oregon adjacent benign misinterpretations from much well-meaning corners -- goes uncorrected, those incorrect ideas are much apt to perpetuate.
The question past is, which fights should I amusement up to and which dumpster fires should I conscionable fto pain retired connected their own? On 1 hand...this classical comic...
Every clip I prosecute successful a statement with the opposition, I suffer hours (or more) of productivity -- clip I could person spent doing much research, penning and engaging argumentation makers, oregon adjacent penning this present newsletter! So, determination are mislaid accidental costs to consider.
On the different hand, if societal media is the astir almighty mode to scope people, is it dereliction of work to beryllium out, justified by the (truthful) cop-out that, "I've got amended things to do"? There are not that galore radical who person a existent bid of the aesculapian lit who besides person the experience, the time, and the tummy to bash this benignant of work. Sometimes I consciousness similar the Bat Signal is being flown, but cipher is responding. That's wherefore I have, astatine times, engaged with "the opposition" erstwhile galore of my colleagues would not.
Here's a little thoughtful commentary connected this by Ben Mazer, MD, MBA, based connected enactment by Carl Bergstrom, PhD.
I'm honestly torn connected what to bash successful these situations and I invited your feedback. Where should I gully the line?
Jeremy Faust, MD, is editor-in-chief of MedPage Today, and an exigency medicine doc astatine Brigham and Women's Hospital. This station primitively appeared successful Inside Medicine.
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