r/HonestHotTakes • u/Unusual-Stable194 • Aug 31 '26
serious hot take Anti-Vaxxers are selfish
Unless you have a legitimate medical reason to NOT receive a vaccine (i.e: allergies, conflicting medications, etc) you are extremely selfish, ESPECIALLY if you don’t get your own kids vaccinated because of what you were brainwashed to believe. There’s always a chance for side effects to literally anything (even your precious essential oils or other home “remedies”). IMO not getting your child vaccinated unless there is a legitimate medical reason is and should be considered child abuse. There shouldn’t be children dying from diseases and illnesses that are easily prevented by getting vaccinated. You’re not just putting yourself and your kids at risk, you’re putting EVERYONE at risk. That includes elderly people, pregnant women, children, people with compromised immune systems, etc. At-risk groups shouldn’t have to suffer or go into hiding because you don’t want to do what is medically appropriate and necessary.
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u/Low-Agency2539 Aug 31 '26
I truly believe any parent who refuses to vaccinate their children has never seen a child with: whooping cough, diphtheria, measles, meningitis, polio, ect.
And contracting measles’s comes with fun issues like wiping out your immune system, pneumonia , encephalitis, and my favorite “SSPE” which hides in the body for years after getting measles
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u/throwfarfaraway1818 Aug 31 '26
Let me dispell that belief for you.
There was a family in Texas who's kid died of measles. They stand by their decision not to vaccinate and still haven't vaccinated their other children.
https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/20/texas-measles-family-gaines-county-death/
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u/Ohaibaipolar Aug 31 '26
They should be charged with negligent homicide. And any other charges that will stick.
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u/BeamInNow77 Aug 31 '26
Kids not vaccinated but I'm sure they were Vaccinated when they were in school back in the day!! There no end to Stupidity!!!!!!
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u/Ok-Rock2345 Aug 31 '26
In cases like this I believe CPS should get involved. It's amazing that parents like that are able to keep their kids while more deserving parents a lot of time lose custody of their children.
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u/dnjprod Aug 31 '26
Yeah I had a cousin who lost two kids to meningitis because of their religious beliefs and no vaccines. After the first kid died they were told to get the vaccine for themselves and the kid, but they refused which led to the second kid getting meningitis and dying. They again were advised to do it and they again refused. This led to the third kid getting it, but this time they've learned their lesson by not waiting until they were on their Deathbed to take them to the doctor and the third one survived. They still refused the vaccines.
When the remaining kids got older, they denied the vaccines for their kids as well. One of them had a baby get meningitis and die. I personally think they should all be locked up, but that's not my choice.
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u/witchywoman713 Sep 01 '26
I say this as a HUGE defender of bodily autonomy: these days, I genuinely question whether certain medical things should even be a question of personal choice anymore, and that’s really hard for me to say. Sadly, ultimately, in these days of misinformation and lack of education, some things (like vaccines) might actually need to become mandatory in order for society to continue.
The issue with this, of course, is that with an issue like vaccines the mandate is ultimately coming from a place of greater good and harm reduction, but you have an administration like we do in the US now, and that power could ultimately be used for evil and create more harm as it obviously is now
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u/ScurrilousScribe Sep 02 '26
Bodily autonomy left the room when Roe v Wade was overturned.
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u/dnjprod Sep 01 '26
I completely understand the dilemma. An absolute Mandate of vaccination sounds good until you get into exactly the kind of issues you're talking about. We had things like the Tuskegee experiment where vaccines were weaponized against members of society, but we also have to figure out a way to protect the majority of people while still keeping freedom of.choice and bodily autonomy.
It's a difficult proposition
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u/Which-Break5673 Sep 01 '26
When the other kids turn 18, which I assume is age of consent, can they start getting the immunizations they would’ve need as a baby/child?
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u/dnjprod Sep 01 '26
Well they can, but they didn't. I don't know about the third generation in there, but I know the second generation didn't and they had a baby die of meningitis
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u/copaseticcheesecake Aug 31 '26
i read about these religious zealots and they are idiots and a liability to everyone around them.
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u/nitrojunky24 Sep 01 '26
At that point it's just a coping mechanism admitting you where wrong and that could have saved your kid is a very tough pill to swallow.
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u/Chicken_Nugget_2 Aug 31 '26
I really do feel terrible for these peoples children. Very glad my parents were sane and got me vaccinated.
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u/RoughDirection8875 Aug 31 '26
I had a teacher in high school who survived polio back before the vaccine was released. He got lucky and only lost function in one of his arms from the elbow down, but he had friends and classmates who ended up in iron lungs or died. He cried the day the vaccine became available because he didn't want anymore kids to go through what he had. He would be absolutely infuriated at the anti-vaccine movement if he were still alive today.
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u/Unusual-Stable194 Aug 31 '26
That is heartbreaking, I’m truly sorry to hear that. I dated someone back in HS who had a grandmother with polio. She lost function in both of her legs and was pretty much bedridden. She still lived a happy life and had a big family, but it was saddening to see it. I wish more people understood just how truly important it is to get vaccinated if they can.
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u/Jaded-Variety-2149 Aug 31 '26
i had whooping cough at 10 and i still am susceptible to lung related problems at 25! pneumonia at 22, bronchitis so often, asthma….vaccinate your kids guys 😭😭
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u/MindOdd1085 Aug 31 '26
My sister had measles before she was even old enough to receive the MMR vaccine and still has issues with her hearing in her 20s!
Nothing makes me more stressed than knowing that there have been several measles outbreaks local to me because people refuse to vaccinate, and my youngest has no protection from it yet as she's too young to be vaccinated.
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u/ThatB0yAintR1ght Aug 31 '26
FYI, kids can get a MMR as early as 6 months. It’s less likely to provide long lasting immunity at that age, and so they still need to get the regular doses at 1Y and 4Y, but you can at least give them protection a bit earlier.
A 1Y can also get a second dose of MMR just one month after the first. Again, it’s not going to count in the typical series and they will still need to get another dose at 4Y, but that’s another option to provide extra protection to your kids when you are in an area with an outbreak.
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u/DhOnky730 Aug 31 '26
this is a big part of my frustration. all these diseases have some serious consequences, even if just for small parts of the population. yet they act like everyone recovers 100% from them just fine.
and I had a mom and cousin immunocompromised due to transplants, so I always get my vaccines.
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u/ThatB0yAintR1ght Aug 31 '26
This is why the antivaxxers always focus on just the frequency of death from these diseases, and not the other complications. They can pretend like measles is NBD if death is rare, but ignore the fact that encephalitis or a prolonged hospitalization from measles pneumonia are also bad outcomes.
They did the same thing with COVID.
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u/Jaded-Variety-2149 Aug 31 '26
exactly!! there's a reason we have vaccines, it was enough of a problem for enough folks that they felt the need to find a cure! why wouldn't we want to be protected?
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u/FriendlyDay6697 Aug 31 '26
I got the mumps at 30! And I was vaccinated and boosted! I'm terrified to get measles but it could be a possibility!
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u/ThatB0yAintR1ght Sep 01 '26
Oh man, if mumps starts circulating, then a whole lot of antivaxer dudes are going to the hard way what “orchitis” is and why people were so eager for a mumps vaccine.
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u/Alone-Custard374 Sep 01 '26
Oh no. Thats awful. Were you vaccinated against whooping cough? I remember my younger sister having it when I was a kid.
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u/ca0072 Aug 31 '26
I've never seen a child with those diseases. It's very rare where I live because of vaccination. I don't need to see it to know the diseases are bad. My kids are vaccinated.
Editing to add that some countries, such as Pakistan, have high polio rates because people are afraid of vaccination. So even seeing how horrible the disease is is not enough for many to vaccinate their kids.
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u/OptimalCobbler5431 Aug 31 '26
An acquaintance I made through a friend was openly antivax. Her daughter caught everyone's "cold" and everyone wasn't worried because it was a mild cold to them. Turns out they had whooping cough so this 1 month old baby got whooping cough and was turning blue. Thankfully she survived but that is so scary
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u/dnjprod Aug 31 '26
I'm sorry, but you're wrong. I had a cousin who had a kid die of meningitis. She and her family are members of the Church of the firstborn Church which is a sect of Mormonism¹ which eschews medical care. They finally took him to the doctor when he got really bad but by that time it was yoo late.. They were all warned to get the meningitis vaccine for themselves and their remaining kids. They didn't do that.
Another one of their kids died of meningitis. They again refused medical treatment until it was way too late. Again they were advised to get the vaccine and still refused.
A third kid got meningitis, but luckily, this time they took him to the hospital closer to the outbreak and he lived. Still, they refused to get the vaccine.
When the kids who survived grew up and had kids, they refused the vaccine as well for their kids and one of them had a fucking baby die of it. Still, no vaccine. I haven't heard anything more about them since then.
In my opinion, they should be in prison
¹ Church of the first morning is used by many Mormon and non-mormon denominations. This is a specific branch of Mormons that don't believe in medical care.
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u/Holdmymule2001 Sep 03 '26
"Educated" by Tara Westover is an account of growing up in a family like this. Terrifying and a great read.
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u/witchywoman713 Sep 01 '26
Most of them haven’t ever seen it, and oddly enough that’s part of why they choose not to vaccinate. Survivorship bias. Previous generations have done a good enough job being responsible that we effectively eradicated all of those diseases in the “ developed” countries to the point where they no longer feel vaccines are necessary. Which has lowered herd immunity and led the hotspots of these diseases in under vaccinated areas.
Propaganda of course has a leading role there as well. Many of the hotspot areas are either crunchy and privileged or ultra religious enough to believe that they and their children are bulletproof and it could never happen to them. And if it does, their elderberry syrup or essential oils or prayer will work better than modern medicine anyway because their echo chamber tells them so
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u/Bazoun Aug 31 '26
A woman I used to know got sucked into the anti-vaxx thing years back. She asked me once, well, what did our ancestors do before vaccines, huh? In an I-got-you sort of tone. I said: died. They died. She didn’t have anything to say to that
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u/Bluejayadventure Sep 01 '26
Wow, she thought that was a real "gotcha moment" 🤣 I guess it just goes to show, some people are only thinking about the risks of the vaccine because that is all they see in their algorithm. They have no idea what a virus can actually do to someone.
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u/Nicc-Quinn Sep 06 '26
During things like the Spanish Flu and other pandemics they also quarantined and isolated. Rich people would go to their country estates and move out of densely populated areas and avoid contact with anyone who wasn’t part of their home.
Shockingly when we suggested this works when you cannot vaccinate we are all the problem.
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u/Rough_Extension_2893 Aug 31 '26
I agree. My child has a genetic disorder that causes autism. The vaccine did not give it to her. However the genetic disorder also causes seizures. I understand those who did not vax due to the predisposition to seizures. My child is vaccinated though.
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u/NineOfWonders Sep 02 '26
See I don’t have a problem with medical reasons for it not getting vaccinated.
Purely for those in the US: But I’m starting to wonder if an argument can be made that not getting vaccinated for religious purposes violates my first amendment right of freedom from religions. Your religion should not allow you to choose to remain a disease vector when the vaccine is for something that is highly contagious with long reaching effects.
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u/Rough_Extension_2893 Sep 02 '26
That could of been an argument made BEFORE a brain eating worm became health secretary
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u/Annual_Solution_6229 Aug 31 '26
how is this a hot take?
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u/catanddog5 Aug 31 '26
The anti vax movement has been growing in the last decade especially during Covid. Many anti vaxers also surround themselves with other anti vaxers in order to double down more. It doesn’t matter the proof you show them that vaccines are beneficial and the dangers of not vaccinating their kids despite themselves most likely being vaccinated because of their own parents.
They exaggerate the dangers of vaccines and play down the actual dangers of certain diseases like measles and polio.
Now in the us measles have come back after being fully eradicated and now we have at least 2 confirmed deaths but I’m sure the number will only grow.
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Aug 31 '26
I don't really remember anti vaxers being a thing prior to COVID. Or at least they didn't have the voice they have now. People let the COVID vaccine create a false narrative about vaccines that have been used for decades.
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u/Top_Elephant11 Aug 31 '26
And that's two confirmed deaths this year. There were more than that last year. Unfortunately I agree with you that the number is going to go up.
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u/reallybigshark Sep 01 '26
They also very conveniently don’t take any ownership for deaths caused by these preventable diseases. Like what exactly is your expected outcome. You don’t want people to get the vaccine, getting the disease is fine, but they don’t accept that anyone can die from it.
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u/VolcanicBear Aug 31 '26
We can only assume that OP associates with a lot of idiots.
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u/squirtles_revenge Aug 31 '26
Not necessarily. There have been outbreaks of measles in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia recently, for example.
The anti-vaxx movement is...big.
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u/desertstar714 Sep 01 '26
I hate ppl in their 40+ saying they arent vaccinated and they are fine. Well yeah cuz you benefited from herd immunity. We dont have that anymore. You would have been fine with vaccines too.
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Aug 31 '26
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u/Fantastic_Fly7376 Aug 31 '26
Not in rural/conservative areas. Pretty common where I’ve lived unfortunately
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u/Phailgasm Aug 31 '26
Yes and most of the enlightened world agrees with you.
Unfortunately that’s not where we are at right now. Trying to explain herd immunity to an anti vaxxer might as well be convincing a snail that it’s an elephant. The snail probably has more brains
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u/Artistic_Attempt5283 Aug 31 '26
Not an anti vaxxer. BUT if vaccines are protective. How do they put those vaccinated at risk ?
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u/NineOfWonders Sep 02 '26
Higher chance of the virus mutating into a strain that’s even worse and mutated enough the immune system trained by original vaccine no longer recognizes it. That leads to more death and suffering which could have been prevented.
That’s why you kept hearing of new variants of COVID-19 because the mutation occurs during the viruses replication process once it’s taken over a cell. However if you kill the virus before it can overtake a cell, significant less risk of mutation. (If I remember that unit of biology right. I’m a chemical analyst not a cellular biologist dammit)
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u/CODMLoser Sep 03 '26
Vaccines aren't 100% effective. Some people are to young (babies, toddlers) or too old get vaccines. Some have legitimate medical exemptions where they can't get the vaccine.
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u/Justtrying15 Aug 31 '26
As long as it’s vaccine with years of data behind it
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u/bangarang90210 Aug 31 '26
What’s your definition on “years of research?” Every year we have a new flu vaccine, which is the same technology as the previous year with the vaccine tweaked to be for the newer strains. Same with Covid vaccine, existing technology just tweaked for the Covid virus.
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u/Justtrying15 Aug 31 '26
The flu vaccine is constant evolution with years of data showing what needs improvement. Although I can’t deny I haven’t had a flu shot since highschool and no issues.
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u/bangarang90210 Aug 31 '26
Exactly, they use existing technology every year to create a “new” vaccine. This is exactly what they did with the Covid vaccine.
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u/Flaky_McFlake Aug 31 '26
I mean, playing the devil's advocate a little, studies show these people can't really help it. This whole thing is a failure of the education system if anything else. British studies show that low cognitive function increases your odds of being anti-vax by 52%. Other studies show that the strongest predictor that someone is going to be anti-vax is "conspiratorial thinking", which basically just means they're not that great at being reasonable. They're likely to treat absence of evidence as evidence of "the government musts be hiding something!". They struggle to see that what they interpret as coordinated deception is much better explained by incompetence or coincidence. So...it's kind of a failure of cognition. They're not trying to be selfish. These people genuinely believe they are doing the right thing for their kids. They're just not able to understand why they are wrong.
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u/HurricaneHallene Aug 31 '26
I love that this response is basically "they can't help it! They weren't raised to think critically., the poor bastards"
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u/bizoticallyyours83 Aug 31 '26
They still chose to make a dumb choice and endanger others.
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u/Rockitttla Aug 31 '26
We are the stupid ones for allowing parents to make a choice to harm both their children and public health. Parents dont get to opt out of educating, feeding, clothing, or sheltering children because these are in the child's interrst and essential. It should be the same for vaccinations.
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u/Cudi_buddy Aug 31 '26
Yep. Remove religious exceptions. Only valid medical ones should be allowed. No personal preference.
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u/m4sl0ub Aug 31 '26
His point was that they don't know that it is a dumb choice that endangers others. If you genuinely believe that it is the right thing to do then you're not being selfish only dumb.
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u/HippoBubbles4414 Aug 31 '26
for the anti-vaxxer I know, I think it boils down to anxiety. she is so terrified of anything potentially “toxic” touching her kid, she won’t let the kid wear anything that’s not made of organic cotton, brought her own kid utensils, high chair covers etc to restaurants, won’t let her eat gluten even though she doesn’t have a gluten allergy….she’s terrified of anything unhealthy happening to her kid, which has unfortunately resulted in the opposite effect (no vaccines to actually protect her).
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u/peachesfordinner Aug 31 '26
Sounds like she's suffering from orthonerexia
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u/HippoBubbles4414 Aug 31 '26
yep, i totally agree
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u/peachesfordinner Aug 31 '26
My brother's family is bad with it. But not able to see it yet. So funny. He was raised by health conscious hippies but he leaned way to hard into the clean and pure aspects. I think it's a control and abuse thing with him, a way to keep his family on edge because they already might be doing something "wrong" in his eyes
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u/Happyshadow4ts Aug 31 '26
It sounds like she might genuinly want to get some help
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u/xFlutterCryx Aug 31 '26
I can understand your point.
But choosing not to vaccinate is a huge issue got society.
And your own children.
So why would you not genuinely put in some research before literally releasing once eradicated diseases back into to populace?
Look, if it was 1972 it would be different.
Now, however, we can unbiasedly research anything. The internet it literally at our fingertips.
I already know youll say they dont have the ability to actually research.
And I can see that. If there was any slight attempt to unbiasedly research. But there never is. It always just comes from Facebook or biased research. Drives me mad, tbh. Shouldn't there be some sort of accountability?
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u/Any_Accountant_4195 Aug 31 '26
How is this a hot take, i thought it's common sense tbf
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u/1DietCokedUpChick Sep 01 '26
If common sense existed we wouldn’t be seeing measles make a massive comeback.
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u/dsteazy80 Aug 31 '26
I agree.
We went from children not being allowed to go to public school if they weren’t vaccinated to the stupidest motherfucker you know taking his or her medical advice from Joe Rogan while dismissing literal experts in that field.
The recent right wing phenomenon of layman opinion equally as valid as an expert opinion is how stupid people navigate life.
If my car is broken down, i’m taking it to someone who knows how to work on that kind of car who has years or decades of experience in their field. I’m not taking it to the guy down the street who also drives the same kind of car but works at Taco Bell instead of a mechanic shop.
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u/ima_just_fine Aug 31 '26
Straight UP! Especially infants, who are literally vulnerable to so much before vaccines, and without them could die to certain things like whooping cough!
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u/Vegetable_Pirate_702 Aug 31 '26
Natural selection at work. Unfortunately their stupid affects the rest of us
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u/djdante Sep 01 '26
I'm very pro vaccine.
But I have some more empathy for anti vaxxers - most of them are very well intentioned - but lack education or critical thinking skills. Or, they're flat out afraid.. imagine you had any doubt giving a child a vaccine for a disease they don't have could hurt them - people can mentally freeze in moments like that and they just lock up and refuse to make choices. Then they have to validate that choice.
But that being said , the only time I have ever wavered on my staunch belief in free speech has been anti vax rhetoric in social media
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u/HiddenPrimate Sep 01 '26
The conspiracy brainwashing is a powerful weapon against science. The dumbing down of America.
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u/OneChewySugarTeaPlz Sep 01 '26
This is not supposed to be the hot take. This is supposed to be the normal way to think about vaccines.
Get vaccinated.
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u/EnragedMinotaurs Sep 01 '26
The one vaccination I will definitely not skip is the HPV. That one is major. The Covid vaccine has something I’m allergic too, and only discovered that when I collapsed and had a major fever as well as my arms and throat swelling. Also found out I had epilepsy, so I can’t take certain things anymore. TvT
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u/sarahhhohh Sep 01 '26
Currently living in SW Florida where the anti-vaxxers are RAMPANT. They gloat and constantly brag they are anti-vax. They constantly post on Facebook mom groups asking which pediatricians accept non-vaxxers. It’s exhausting. I’m a SAHM so I’m dodging these moms left and right. I believe in science and trust my doctors who dedicated their life to medicine know what’s best. I can’t wait to move out of this hell hole.
We currently see a pediatrician who requires all vaccines on the normal schedule unless theirs a medical reason. So it’s nice to know anyone who goes there isn’t an anti-vaxxer. But they recently posted to their Facebook urging parents to advocate to the state of Florida as they are trying to take away vaccine requirements for school entry.
It boggles my mind that people think research is a few Google or Facebook searches. Then refuse vaccines that could be life saving to their children.
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u/astarinthenight Sep 02 '26
Hopefully they all die in the next pandemic. It would make the world a better place.
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u/Sweaty-Ruin5381 Sep 04 '26
When you say anti-vax are you talking about those of us who refused the Covid shot or those who refuse all vaccines? Those are two different groups of very different sizes.
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u/DiceyPisces Aug 31 '26
If the vaccine is effective like for polio/measles etc then yes absolutely.
If it’s like the flu vaccine (in effectiveness at preventing infection/spread), I’m fine with it being the individual’s discretion.
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u/One-Jeweler5486 Aug 31 '26
It does prevent infection and spread if everyone is vaccinated.
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u/dirtyblackboots Aug 31 '26
I only never get the flu vaccine because I’m a procrastinator and forget, so I’m not obviously not judging others for not getting it, but if more people got the shot, it would spread less. So it definitely can help your neighbors out. Also, I had the flu for the first time a few years ago, and I didn’t realize how bad it could get. It damaged my vocal cords for months.
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u/Minute_Bit1818 Aug 31 '26
I tend to procrastinate the flu vaccine too but know it can get so bad. I have had the flu a couple of times in my life and felt like death. I just don't feel very good after getting vaccine so I gotta get it around a couple of days where I can lay around. Still getting it feels nowhere near as bad as getting the full blown flu. Sorry you went through that. CVS is texting me currently telling me it's that time of year again so I guess I will go get one sometime this week.
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u/HurricaneHallene Aug 31 '26
I find it very ironic that conservative/farright extremists are the ones not vaccinating their kids...
I always have to hear them talk about how people are "taking advantage of the system" and shit.
Like, who is mooching off the people now?
You not vaccinating your kid - is you piggy backing off me vaccinating my kid. You want the benefit of herd immunity, but you refuse to contribute to it.
You only feel comfortable risking your kid's health because my kid is vaccinated.
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u/uduni Aug 31 '26
Is there any evidence of increased child mortality in conservative population in the US? Didnt think so…
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u/RaistlinMajere3522 Aug 31 '26
You know that the original anti vaccine groups were largely left leaning groups that believed more in natural remedies right? Covid might have shifted this because of the covid vaccine specifically, but this isnt a far right extremist issue.
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u/Suspicious_Time7101 Sep 01 '26
I came here to make this exact comment. Originally the anti-vaxxers were leftists (like RFK). The COVID vax just became so political that it shifted everyone
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u/tastelessthinking Aug 31 '26
I dont care what peoples reasons are to vacinate or not. Its your body and your temple. You cannot force or even expect someone to undergo an medical treatment against their will.
But since this is about being selfish, if this is selfish, abortion is 100times more selfish
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u/Reign-Alex1993 Aug 31 '26
I desperately wish that for future pandemics, instead of government mandated vaccinations of individuals there was something like a vaccine pass/fast lane for medical treatment for when the healthcare system is overwhelmed.
If you were suffering from any virus-related symptoms but weren't vaccinated then those who are also suffering BUT got the vaccine would automatically jump ahead of you in treatment and given way more priority. This is making the anti-vaxxers and personal autonomy people pay with their own body and directly making them bear the consequences of their own actions whilst also not giving them any reason to argue for civil liberty violations.
This sounds extremely unethical but that's literally how the current insurance system works; people who have insurance are prioritized over those who don't.
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u/RaistlinMajere3522 Aug 31 '26
Why stop there? Lets push back the treatment for overweight people, smokers, drinkers, drug addicts, diabetics that keep eating loads of sugar, etc. All those people that willingly chose to inflict the poor health on their body that caused their conditions or actively make their conditions worse?
What about gang bangers and thugs that are out stabbing and shooting each other and harm innocent people? Should a criminal with a record of harm to others also get diminished or delayed treatment?
Do you see how insane it is to try to start punishing medical treatments and dictating who deserves faster and better care?
Medical ethics as they are exist for a reason. Doctors cant be allowed to play judge and jury for deciding who gets care outside of triage and ER scenarios that time and health risk are determined to make the best choice in who needs help immediately and who can wait.
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u/asldf34 Aug 31 '26
I agree with the children argument but if a fully grown adult who is capable of cognitive decision making decides to NOT want to get it FOR THEMSELVES. Then their wishes should be respected. This is coming from someone who’s a doctor and is of course very pro vaccine.
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u/Rough-Lavishness-871 Aug 31 '26
Respect is earned. And if a grown adult willfully refuses to understand the science (or worse, thinks they know more than what's in the actual research), then I have no respect for them. Not that they'd care, but no adult deserves respect automatically.
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u/FriendlyDay6697 Aug 31 '26
When i was 30, I was pulling permits for work and there was a woman there with her toddler letting the kid touch everything. Sitting on the counter, playing with the pens, crawling around with snot coming down her nose and big swollen cheeks. The next day I saw her and the baby doing the same thing at another city hall. A few days later, I stayed feeling a little sick.. then a few more days later, my glands were swollen, my ears, jaw, and throat were in so much pain... my dad took me to urgent care and the doctor just looked at me and said I have the mumps. I've been vaccinated and boosted but my body rejected the vaccine. So I got sick because some dumb lady didn't feel the need to vaccinate her child. The only reason she thought it was ok to bring her unvaccinated kid around is because she probably thought nobody else would get out because they're vaccinated. But, no. Some people can't get vaccines and some people's bodies reject the vaccines. But I guess as long as her kid is safe from autism (which isn't real, they doctor that put out those studies admitted the faked them and was disbarred)
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u/Unusual-Stable194 Aug 31 '26
This! It’s not just about protecting yourself, it’s about those around you as well! Sadly the people who choose the anti-vax route don’t have enough common sense or decency to understand that.
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u/FriendlyDay6697 Aug 31 '26
My sister in law's sister did the same thing with her kids. When she moved back into town, she put her kids in a private Christian school thinking they wouldn't require vaccination paperwork but they did and she was up in arms! Like, your kids are already always sick. You bring them around for family dinner every week without saying anything about them being sick. My parents also come to family dinner and they both are old with lung issues. Maybe give a heads up so they don't come because your kid's little cough can put my parents in the hospital.
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u/Unusual-Stable194 Aug 31 '26
Yeah that would be the right thing for them to do for sure. At least have some common decency for those around you if you are set in your ways. I have severe asthma and am currently pregnant. My fiancé’s mom is extremely anti-vax and she honestly scares me with the stuff she says, does, and posts on social media. She has given her 10 yo son nicotine patches and bleach water to try and “help” his autism in the past. It makes my blood boil, saddens me, and honestly scares me because I will never be able to leave my baby in the same room as her alone.
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u/FriendlyDay6697 Aug 31 '26
ARE YOU SERIOUS!??? I've seen the people talking about how nicotine is good for you and protects your lungs or some bullshit but come on! I wouldn't ever leave my baby unattended with her either! That's actually insane.
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u/Unusual-Stable194 Aug 31 '26
Yes. This happened about a year ago and I’ve never been able to look at her the same way since. I have no respect for her tbh and it makes me sad that I do feel that way. She has done so many crazy things to her younger son and has even tried to push herbal remedies and other types of patches and stuff on me when I told her I wasn’t interested. One time she even put a “cure all” patch she found on Facebook on me without even asking and I just had to rip it off and walk out of the room before I ended up in jail because WTF??
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u/FriendlyDay6697 Aug 31 '26
I wouldn't hang out with her anymore. But that's just me. I am very quick these days to just cut off people that are disrespectful to me. I just cut off my best friend of 26 years because he kept making disrespectful rude comments to me after I drove an hour and a half with no sleep to make sure he got to his surgery check in at 5am. Which he didn't tell me about until 1030pm the night before. We ain't got no time for people like that!
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u/Unusual-Stable194 Aug 31 '26
Yeah that’s definitely not cool of him, I don’t blame you. I would cut her out of my life but I’m trying to keep the peace until she does something else crazy. If she does, that will be it for me and if my fiancé has a problem with it then oh well.
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u/FemtoChip Aug 31 '26
The fact that this is a hot take is concerning.
And I completely agree. People are free to do as they please with their bodies, but they don't get to put others at risk.
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u/Solid_Barracuda69 Aug 31 '26
That’s a slippery slope when you let the government decide your healthcare
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u/CenterThisPendulum Aug 31 '26
Are we talking pre, or post 2020 antivaxxers? Two very different groups
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u/That-Turnover-9624 Aug 31 '26
My cousin got whooping cough. She was too little to get the vaccine. It almost killed her. My aunt’s sister was a staunch anti-vaxxer with several children, and she took all of her children and got them vaccinated after that
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u/No_Requirement_4840 Aug 31 '26
if it is unanimously agreed on, it's not a hot take
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u/Connect_Knee4492 Aug 31 '26
I would say that they're more stupid than selfish.
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u/Conscious_Onion3508 Aug 31 '26
Most of the anti vaccine people came out when they initially wanted to push the covid one that wasnt tested and rushed.
Alot of anti vaxxers get labeled as that even tho its literally just the covid one. I fully believe in established vaccinations that have proven track record.
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u/RubCocksWithThePope Aug 31 '26
Agreed, there’s still no reason for anyone under 50 to get a flu vaccine though.
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u/Vyn_Dimensional Aug 31 '26
I am disappointed that this is a "Hot take"
My friend is anti-vax but only for Covid. She has a phobia of needles so I guess I can understand. She is also the kind of person to go out while sick to shop at the mall. WHY AM I FRIENDS WITH THIS PERSON?
While it is okay to be selfish in many situations, putting other people's health at risk because of a mostly harmless procedure is just wrong
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u/skyrider8328 Aug 31 '26
I agree. But isn't the unvax rate rather small among children? Our kids are in their 30s so haven't really kept up on what all of the childhood schedule of vax is. Also, I'm not suggesting that any amount of unvax can't create a breakout of something.
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u/Cinnie_16 Aug 31 '26
Also, if you love children so much, you would support keeping them safe by vaccinating. I’m going to stop replying because we’ll never agree. But the hypocrisy is so infuriating. Forcing women to give birth and then not provide those same women and babies with the medical and educational support needed to raise them is asinine.
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u/Onikara-Star Sep 01 '26
I still have my vaccination record from the 80's. I wish there had been a vaccine for chicken pox back then. Definitely will get the one for shingles in 5 years.
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u/help-its-inside-me Sep 01 '26
My body my choice. Right? If I want to die by not getting vaccinated, let me make that choice.
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u/Technograndma Sep 01 '26
You’re not wrong. However, this is a complex issue. When I had my kids the vaccine schedule was WAY SMALLER. Now it’s crazy how many vaccines kids are given.
I think breaking the MMR into 3 different shots a different times is a good move. I also think the whole schedule should be reexamined.
I’m not anti vax by any means. However, big pharm has had a lot of influence for a long time.
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u/chitownphishead Sep 01 '26
I'm fine with any vax that's been through robust clinical trials and been around for a long time, but I'm not in board with experimental vaccines government coerces people to take
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u/Exciting_Turn_9559 Sep 01 '26
They are more stupid than they are selfish but yes they are also selfish.
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u/TheCodFather97 Sep 01 '26
I agree within reason. I do not believe in flu shots or the covid shot. But ones like polio, measels, etc.. 100% children need these ones. All you have to do is go look in an old graveyard and check the dates on child headstones versus when the vaccines came out and you csn see the relationship between the two
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u/Fallenwayward Sep 01 '26
I'm pretty sure that you're opinion is the common consensus and has been for decades. As for selfishness I have learned from my own experience that most low IQ or uninformed/misnformed people are incredibly selfish and entitled.
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u/Shitzme Sep 01 '26
Not only did I work with an anti-vaxxer, but she truly believed that if a woman couldn't give birth vaginally, then we ought to let her and her baby die. She didn't believe in caesareans.
This same woman also believed she was exceptionally healthy due to her vegan diet. Her diet wasn't for the sake of animals, as she frequently bought leather shoes, handbags and furniture and used makeup that tested on animals. She was severely underweight and had workers comp 11 times in the 2 years we worked together. The last time she claimed she had dislocated her shoulder because her partners shitzhu had jumped up on her.
The insane walk amongst us.
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u/Deckorz Sep 02 '26
The problem is they don’t believe they’re selfish, in fact they believe that they are doing the right thing and you are actually the wrong one. So in terms of being selfish nah they’re misguided and quite frankly stupid people though.
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u/doomzday_96 Sep 02 '26
Bro this take is so cold you could thaw it out and find the perfectly preserved anti-vaxxers dressed up like cavemen.
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u/AdForeign9262 Sep 03 '26
I know several people with autoimmune disorders that had long lasting bad reactions to the shot.
Any science-y stuff behind this? Should they get and exemption?
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u/Holdmymule2001 Sep 03 '26
Anti-vaxxers say they won't get a vaccine because they don't know what's in it, but they're often covered in tattoos. Go figure.
https://www.sciencealert.com/tattoo-ink-isnt-as-sterile-as-we-thought-and-thats-a-problem
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u/Jmama124 Sep 04 '26
I just cancelled my vaccines because I’m pretty sure I have the flu rn. Sucks.
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u/Former_Feature_2834 Sep 04 '26
My parents arent even anti vax but for whatever reason I didnt receive the HPV vax in high school when everyone else did. Anyway, to cut a long story short, when I went for my first cervical screening at 25 I came back positive for HPV 16. For those of you that don't know, there are several strains of HPV but hpv16 causes 50% of all cervical cancers worldwide, the vaccination also protects you against this strain.
I hold a lot of anger in my heart for people that refuse to vaccinate their kids when I know my cancer and suffering couldve been avoided if I was just given a simple jab in high school.
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u/Unusual-Stable194 Sep 04 '26
I’m so terribly sorry to hear that you went through that. My mother battled cervical cancer as well after my father cheated on her when I was around 5 years old. It was after my little brother was born and she had to have a full hysterectomy because of it. Cancer sucks and is a terrible thing to go through, I hope that you’re able to find peace and happiness in life.
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u/SixSmegmaGoonBelt Sep 04 '26
Not a hot take at all. It is selfish.
But that doesn't mean I think the government should have a right to force people to take them, especially a new one that hasn't been fully tested.
Bodily autonomy either matters or it doesn't. You don't get to go both ways.
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u/Unusual-Stable194 Sep 04 '26
I absolutely agree with you. I don’t think the government should have any control over vaccinations and who gets them vs. who doesn’t.
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u/gezellig13 Aug 31 '26
Depends. If its vaccine for something like polio or measles, then yes. If its for flu, then no.
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u/FatCockFutaGirls Aug 31 '26
This isn’t a hot take this is just fact anti vaxxers are selfish cunts
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u/Deus_Excellus Aug 31 '26
My favorite part of Reddit is how so many Redditors just have carbon-copy bot-like opinions but they think they're somehow unique and profound. I can't wait for OP to post about the Epstein files and religion being bad next.
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u/DaSpark Aug 31 '26
I know several anti-vaxxers and I would not consider their stance selfish. Instead, they honestly believe what they think and preach about vaccines. They're wrong, but sincere.
If I had to say anything about anti-vaxxers in general, it would be that most of them lack critical thinking skills.
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u/kimjongmatic Aug 31 '26
So my body my choice doesn't apply huh? Why should a vaccinated person be afraid of the boogie man
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u/Few-Advantage2538 Aug 31 '26
I have a relative who has an auto immune disease and cannot get vaccines. I think if you choose to not vacinate, you are at best, very ignorant, at worst, very malicious. But theres a level of extreme where ignorance and malice end up almost indistinguishable
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u/Accomplished_Key_171 Aug 31 '26
I'm vaccinated, but implying we should implement forced vaccination for the entire population because some are more vulnerable to sickness is just as (if not more) malicious. You don't get to decide when "My body my choice" doesn't apply.
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u/Temporary-Coconut119 Aug 31 '26
Hate to break it to you but a vaccine and an abortion are not the same. Also, no one is saying you absolutely have to get one. They're just saying to be in certain places where diseases can easily spread (businesses, schools etc) you need to be vaccinated for the common good. If you choose not to, what you are free to do, you just may not get to do that activity. You can't have things both ways.
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u/Accomplished_Key_171 Aug 31 '26
And I would argue that everyone has the right to be suspicious and cautious about anything that is to be put into their body.
The two situations are obviously not the same, but they rely on the same principle that the choice of what happens to their body rests with the person. Even if you think that thing is for the common good.
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u/Solid_Barracuda69 Aug 31 '26
Sorry for your relative, but I’m not trusting a government that rushed something out and didn’t follow their own rules.
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u/Hookedongutes Aug 31 '26
My body my choice affects my own person. Me. It doesn't affect the public.
Choosing to not vaccinate for non medical reasons is a public health issue.
Which Boogie man makes you so afraid of a teeny shot? Hmm?
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u/OnlyACsNoFans Aug 31 '26
There's a big difference between people who don't get COVID of flu shots and those who don't believe in childhood vaccination though
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u/pinkpanther80050 Aug 31 '26
Just admit that you don’t have any faith in your vaccine and move on with your life! Mask up and avoid people that don’t want vaccines as that’s your right just as much as it’s my right to choose any medical procedures that I want or don’t want. This line was coined during covid and really needs to be put to bed
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u/Gloomy-Cantaloupe-50 Aug 31 '26
I fully agree but also it's a social failure. Parents should not have the right to withhold medical care from their children. Vaccines should be as mandatory as possible with as few exemptions as possible.
For adults and new vaccines I'm less bullish but there should still be consequences. Adult vaccines should only be mandatory if you participate in society. As in, if you're a shut in then fine, but if you interact with other people at all then vaccination needs to be a prerequisite.
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u/IDMike2008 Aug 31 '26
It’s Worse.
If you don’t vaccinate you count on everyone else taking the risks you are worried about with their kids to produce the herd protection that protects your kids.
You want the benefit without the risks and you don’t care how many kids die to get it - as long as it isn’t your own.
It’s disgusting.
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u/Unusual-Stable194 Aug 31 '26
Exactly this. It’s truly disgusting and saddening. More and more kids and people in general are getting sick and dying from diseases and illnesses that are preventable.
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u/Single-Inspector-845 Aug 31 '26
Middle ground. MMR, Tetanus, Hepatitis, yes. Flu, Covid, Shingles, no.
Forced vaccination of any type. No. It should always be a choice.
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u/Unusual-Stable194 Aug 31 '26
I’m not doubting that it should be a choice, I just think more people should take those around them and the facts into consideration. I do agree with the flu, covid, and shingles comment though. But major vaccines like polio, RSV, Hepatitis A&B, etc. are the ones people should be most concerned about.
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u/DackNoy Aug 31 '26
My body my choice
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u/Terminal_Ambivalence Aug 31 '26 edited Aug 31 '26
That doesn’t mean some choices aren’t more unnecessarily-selfish than others. Even “rightfully” protected choices still have ethical/moral import.
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u/HolidayLifeguard3283 Aug 31 '26
Not just your body if you’re effecting others. Selfish
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u/Geishawithak Sep 04 '26
We're not talking about abortions and give our catch phrase back and come up with your own for fucks sake.
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u/xunevencontactx Aug 31 '26
My body, my choice is related to when something only impacts the individual. When something is a public health crisis that is different. Someone choosing to wear a certain type of clothing or do something with their body as an individual person is not the same thing, and that is typically when my body, my choice is used. You are intentionally being obtuse.
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Aug 31 '26
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u/PhilosopherSingle209 Sep 01 '26
Do you think it's wrong to ban you from drink driving? Do you think that's a violation of your bodily autonomy?
Do you understand that anecdotes aren't data? There are people who smoke and never get lung cancer.
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u/sad-narwhal180 Aug 31 '26
Weren’t we all supposed to be dead by now? I can’t count the amount of times I was told I’d be dead within 5 years. lol.
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u/greenmachine11235 Aug 31 '26
Morons like you should be forced to wear masks in every public space. You have no right to spread COVID around to other people.
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u/Chicken_Nugget_2 Aug 31 '26
This might be a hot take somewhere but definitely not on Reddit