‘A young woman died because her mother succumbed to conspiracy theories,’ proclaims a newspaper headline. The article tells the story of a woman who, under pressure from her mother, refused conventional cancer treatment and opted for natural remedies instead, ultimately dying as a result.
n reality, we cannot know whether conventional treatment would have worked in this case. It is impossible to reliably judge individual cases. However, the important thing here is the political impact: a society horrified by such cases may support action against those spreading disinformation. This could lead to a subsequent wave of repression targeting the political opposition, despite the fact that they do not comment on medical practices at all. The ruling oligarchy could push this through regardless of public opinion, but with massive public support, it is much easier, and the result would be much more devastating.
This is the price that must be paid for the political opposition’s failure to distance itself from extremists.
Incidentally, the situation was very similar with the Canadian truckers’ protest. There were protests involving road blockades, which were opposed by the majority of the public, as well as by most truck drivers. The government of Prime Minister Trudeau introduced a series of repressive measures with clear public support, and these measures remain in place. The only logical and necessary consequence of the protesters’ actions was the loss of freedom. And those people probably feel like heroes.