How to deal with Idiots?

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How do you deal with idiots who think vaccines cause autism and advocate harmful therapies? They are so thickheaded....

I ignore them. Arguing with them is a waste of my time and too stressful. They don't listen so why even bother?

You could say something equally stupid: 100% of people that drink Mountain Dew die. (or whichever product you want to switch with that)

For those predisposed to conspiracy theories, the presentation of evidence contrary to said theory only serves to bolster and reinforce the notion that a conspiracy exists, since--in their mind--an omnipotent, elite "they" are in total and absolute control (of the flow of information). The pessimist would say there's really nothing that can be done and that, by engaging them, you're actually making it/them "worse."

So, like League_Girl said, the easiest/quickest thing to do would be to disengage, politely if at all possible.

If you feel like wasting your time, breath & energy, you could direct them to the Internet, where they would find that the initial Lancet article/doctor that started all of this nonsense has been roundly and widely debunked, refuted, rebuffed and reprimanded. But by doing so, you're also directing that same person to the large Conspiracy Theory Echo Chamber that is The Internet. Moreover, they'll also have to contend with Google and other search engines feeding back search results that only serve to reinforce their current beliefs/interests.

Echo Chamber + 'Positive' Feedback Loop = Uh Oh.

As maddening as this is, I do pity these folks. More than that, I pity their children (for a whole host of reasons); they're playing roulette with their kids' health.

Honestly, those responsible for continuing to perpetrate this nonsense ought to be ashamed. More than a few of them simply HAVE to know better, but still string these people along anyway. Must be something in for them, I guess. (Who's the Conspiracy Theorist, now? D'oh!).

Regards to All. Thanks to original poster and all subsequent posters.

P.S. @Delphiki: Ha! Well-played; I feel compelled to get started on my "why statistics is inherently evil and why no sane (wo)man should accept their claims without skepticism" rant, but I will resist the urge.

Hope that they die soon.

I ignore them and all the other idiots who say AS - even autism itself - isn't real. They say stupid things like, "You just need to eat better." Well, sometimes that helps (anyone, for that matter), but you quickly realize what kind of uneducated person you're dealing with.

My ex-boss had an Aspie son and a classic autistic daughter. He claimed the MMR caused it. Yet, even when I knew nothing about autism, I could see there was a strong parallel between his own odd behaviour and that of his children. I'm sure I've read a few quotes where the "MMR" parents are given the AQ screening questionnaire come to their senses and realise their childs behaviour is simply a more intense expression of their own characteristics.

This is one way to go about it, but it needs to be done very delicately.

Jason

Idiots? Delete. Save changes.

My usual response to iditos is something is like "Don't even pretend to know what's going on inside me - because you DON'T and you never will."

I usually give this response to people who tell me to "get over" something.

I was told by a mother of an Autistic girl that having an injection will make my Asperger's Syndrome worse (I was 9 years old then). My mum didn't know whether to believe her or not, because this woman did sound worried and she didn't let her Autistic child have the injection. Perhaps she was just overparanoid because of hearing so much talk about the MMR that she didn't want her child's Autism to get worse or something. Sometimes these threats can frighten parents.

Just look at this December 21 2012 thing - most people all believe it and are frightened. Heck - even I believe it! It's media - people believe everything they read.

Never argue with an idiot. Logically it should work but it rarely does.