Behold The High Horse — The Vax Debate Gone Rogue
Despite what has come out in the wash of 2022 and 2023 about the risks of taking the C-vax, we continue to argue opposing viewpoints on the matter with some taking the high horse to I-told-you-so land and others sticking their feet into the mud with an outdated narrative. The level of discourse and disrespect towards each other is astounding among online threads, friends, and family. We truly have aided and abetted our division for the sake of trying to win a fight.
The thing is most of us were in the dark in early 2020. We made the best decisions based on what we knew at the time. No one can deny that. Some individuals were more curious than others and dug deeper while others took mandates and directives from their governments as gospel. Some made decisions out of fear while others made decisions based on practicality and common sense. We can claim otherwise and behave condescendingly to those we think were naïve and complacent to preserve our egos and make a valid point, but this will not further our cause. All it does is create more divisiveness and hate in a society that is teetering on political, social, and economic disaster. We are playing right into the hands of those who seek to control us. We have essentially become our worst enemy.
So go ahead and judge me and others about the decisions we chose to make, but your assumptions are exactly that. People are much more complex than we like to think. Here’s my take on it:
I take an intuitive approach to most things. Throughout 2020, I listened to what was being discussed in the media, which was mainly mainstream news sites and some alternative sources, and I also listened to friends and family who all had differing opinions on the matter. I was aware there were alternatives to the jab even then and I prioritized a healthy lifestyle and supplements to stay healthy. Yes, I washed all my groceries for the first month. I am a former housekeeper who regularly used hand sanitizer on my grocery carts pre-Covid. I always thought grocery stores were a little disgusting. It was natural for me to take further precautions in the very beginning. I also work with children. I know touching surfaces can make you sick in the case of immediate exposure. I even made cloth masks for a while. I did it to make money during lockdowns. I’m not ashamed of it and people liked them. They fit well. I wore them until I grew tired. Judge me all you like. I also had my doubts about the jab.
After some debate with my family and procrastination, I chose to get the Covid shot. I chose it twice, not because I thought it was a cure nor a safeguard from coronavirus. I knew it could go any which way and there were no guarantees. I knew I was playing Russian roulette with my health and my life, and I knew something was a little off with the strong campaign to get everyone vaccinated. I had already spent a few decades surrounding myself with people who questioned the mainstream narrative. I question the mainstream narrative often and had already dealt with an onslaught of hate four years prior for my political opinions. I’ve always had unconventional opinions, so I was unafraid of being an outcast. I also spent seven years before 2020 fighting the effects of Lyme disease, which increased my distrust for the medical industry and the regulatory bodies that control it. I know what it feels like to be a pariah.
I made this choice because I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. I had felt awful for years from Lyme disease and after the first shot, I felt better than I had in years. You can say I’m full of it, but that’s the truth. The first one I did out of ignorance and by my own accord, and the second I did due to relentless coercion from family. It was really that simple, that risky, and that straightforward. I also always supported those in my community that were against taking the jab and those that refused to wear masks. But one thing I won’t support is a pretentious attitude toward others about the choices they make. You can prove a point while being respectful. Assumption destroys understanding.
Sure, there have been many who acted irrationally during the last few years, and it’s divided some families and communities, but directing anger and hate toward these individuals only makes both parties one and the same. The snake eats its tail. Nothing is gained through ignorance and conceit.
S. Angell is a published poet, writer, philosopher, video blogger, and preschool teacher by day. She explores an array of topics including love, life, death, history, and society from a philosophical perspective. You can find her on Instagram @therainydaypoetess or TheRainyDayPoet.com
