The Covid years shattered trust in ‘official’ sources. Misinformation and deception from public health authorities, the media, and governments across the West eroded faith. “We now live in an informational no man’s land,” argues David Thunder at the Brownstone Institute, “in which every man must fend for himself.”
One of the remarkable features of these Covid years is the amount of misleading and downright false information emitted by ‘official’ sources, most notably public health authorities, government-appointed regulators, and mainstream media. A part of me hankers after the times when I could trust my government and media in a time of crisis. But if I am honest with myself, I have to admit that I’d prefer to live uncomfortably in the truth than comfortably in a fantasy built for me by someone who does not have my best interests at heart.
As someone who turned on a daily basis to the website of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for updates on the Covid outbreak in February and March 2020, I was especially shocked and disappointed by the abysmal failure of authoritative bodies to impartially report the evidence bearing on masking, vaccinations, lockdowns, PCR testing, and other aspects of pandemic policy. My whole faith in the political, media, and scientific establishment, limited as it was, was shaken to the core.
We have been betrayed by the people charged with sharing the best available data and information with us in a time of crisis. We have been lied to and deceived about matters of life and death, such as the risk-benefit tradeoffs of the Covid vaccines, not only by the pharmaceutical industry, but by the people who occupy leading positions of public authority in our society.
Our politicians have sold us ‘solutions’ to Covid that were far, far worse than the disease, and have generally refused to admit to their mistakes, even when they saw the comparative success of regimes like Sweden and Florida that went a very different direction. …
Thoughtful citizens who notice these betrayals now have strong grounds for distrusting ‘official’ sources to tell them the truth, or present the facts in a non-manipulative, impartial manner. For me, and many others, the old idea that you could depend on your government to inform you of the latest science or tell you the threat level of a disease is now dead in the water.
Worth reading in full.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
“Our politicians have sold us ‘solutions’ to Covid that were far, far worse than the disease, and have generally refused to admit to their mistakes, even when they saw the comparative success of regimes like Sweden and Florida that went a very different direction. …”
And Belarus, which continued with spectator sport right through 2020, and had a similar all cause mortality rate to neighbouring countries, despite the poverty that exists there. I used to enjoy watching the Belarusian Premier League matches from the months when the rest of football was banning spectators and matches, though I can’t seem to get them now. As Philip Schofield might say, why aren’t we hearing this? These are the figures we should be hearing!
Incidentally, do we have all cause mortality figures yet for groups such as the Amish who had low uptake of big pharma’s experimental coronavirus medications? Was it Bulgaria that was excelling in comparison to other European countries?
Exactly. I used to listen to radio 4 regularly, until 2020, with the constant mention of “corrrrrronavirus”; and the final nail in the coffin was in august 2020, when Saint Boris saying “we have to squeeeeeeeeeze the brakes on reopening” was repeated every hour. I haven’t listened to it since.
Some years before, I had read the article “why news is bad for you”, citing various reasons such as hidden agendas. I didn’t really believe it then, but now I avoid official news as much as I can. And although I check the daily sceptic every day, I am careful not to treat it as gospel. (With all due respect.) Even groups which are supposedly on our side, such as stand in the park, I hesitated to get involved because of the pure vitriol towards those not yet “awake”, some of which sounded exactly like the vitriol spouted by those who believe the government; just with a few words swapped. Compare “look at the idiots flocking to the beaches” with “look at the idiots flocking to the vx centres”.
I also avoid broadcasts of state events, such as the three (THREE!) massive royal events we’ve had lately. I’m refusing to watch these while I still can, before they are forcibly broadcast into our homes by our own Alexa-like devices.
I partially agree with you regarding vitriol, but I think there’s a crucial distinction to be made. I have views about which I feel strongly but I don’t seek to impose them on others. Many Covidians were enthusiastic supporters of forced lockdowns, vaxx passports etc.
“For me, and many others, the old idea that you could depend on your government to inform you of the latest science or tell you the threat level of a disease is now dead in the water”.
For me, my distrust of government rapidly accelerated following the election of Anthony Blair. The past 3 years has provided confirmation that my instincts were correct.
Yes you got that right !!!
Ditto. Tony Bliar promised the moon on a stick, and was so obviously in it for himself, his illegal war being just one of his misdeeds. I first learned the word “governor” aged six, from “the cruel governor” in William Tell. My impression of “government” has barely changed since.
“Thoughtful citizens who notice these betrayals now have strong grounds for distrusting ‘official’ sources to tell them the truth, or present the facts in a non-manipulative, impartial manner. “
Ukraine & Russia….
Check out this clip of old Buzz. The ramblings of a muddled, aged man at the end of his life ( he’s 93yrs now!! ) or somebody who’s secret has been weighing heavy on his conscience all this time? You decide.
https://twitter.com/donnchucho/status/1670099364658774016
It’s neither. He clearly means “we didn’t go there” “in such a long time”.
There’s nothing ”clearly” about what he’s saying actually. It’s obviously open to interpretation. Hence why I’m wondering what people’s opinions are. But thanks for the petty ‘dislike’. Always a pleasure.
It’s very clear to me, I can’t speak for anyone else.
Wow. Wt actual f?
yeah that looks pretty much like he is admitting they never went.
Many years ago, at a State Secondary School, my History Teacher told me how to obtain all the information needed to write a decent answer to an exam question. She quoted Kipling:
“I have six honest serving men
They’ve taught me all I know
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who”
I’ve practised it ever since and I put it into effect when the first news reports of the “novel coronavirus” landed. I was already reasonably informed when the first lockdown was announced.
I don’t believe a word “our” treacherous lying politicians, their bought-and-paid-for $cientists or the MSM say about anything.
https://petermcculloughmd.substack.com/p/are-the-inmates-now-running-the-world?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
I agree.
My trust has completely gone.
I am happy to rely on my own judgment, but there are some issues.
First of all I am no expert in all fields and therefore have to read, filter and judge information. And what information to trust? With censorship and AI this could become more difficult.
Secondly, it is impossible to completely isolate yourself from governments decisions, leaving me with a degree of worry about whatever they do next.
I have zero faith in the government and all of its agencies. What they did to us during the pretend pandemic was nothing short of Treason. I will not be complying.
It didn’t take me long to realise the government and their SAGE supporters were lying to us to justify what was a practice exercise in population control. Why were so many people so stupid to believe them? Why, when I tried to tell people that it was not true they argued with me and did not believe what I was trying to tell them and criticised me for not following every crazy removal of my personal freedoms I could get away with? Even now they will not admit that, like so many other people who made the effort to find the truth, I was right. I know people who whose mental health was affected by the lies they were told about covid and the controls they accepted. Now the same thing is happening over a non-existent climate emergency, and the lies being told about it are having an even bigger effect in mental health terms on those who are stupid enough to believe them.