Daily Beast Takes A Swipe At Neil Young, Claims He's A Hypocrite On Vaccines.

[TrollBuster9090]

The Daily Beast has taken a swipe at Neil Young, claiming he's a hypocrite for attacking Joe Rogan for spreading misinformation on vaccines, while Young has an (alleged) history of spreading misinformation on genetically modified foods.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/neil-youngs-long-record-of-spreading-scientific-misinformation


Basically, the article claims the following:

1. Young's stance against vaccine misinformation is hypocritical because he (allegedly) spread misinformation about genetically modified foods (GM foods) in the past.

2. Young's attack on GM foods led to an atmosphere of distrust over genetically engineered products, which is now making it easy to spread misinformation about vaccines.

3. Young (and millions of others) tried to get GM foods labelled as GM foods. The food industry successfully lobbied politicians to get them to not require labelling. And that SOMEHOW the attempt to get GM foods labelled as GM foods is an example of censorship. (So, free speech, rah rah!) I'd argue the opposite.

4. Finally, the OpEd points out that some of the people who criticized GM foods are now criticizing vaccines, and therefore people who criticized GM foods must be anti-vaccers, and shouldn't be listened to. Therefore, Neil Young shouldn't be listened to. QED!

Bullshit.


Let's unpack this:

1. Just because you are against genetic engineering being used to make one type of product doesn't mean you must be against genetic engineering being used to create EVERY type of product. That alone wouldn't make Young a hypocrite.

2. The efforts of people to get GM foods labelled as GM foods wasn't an example of censoring the debate. The food industry's lobbying to PREVENT labelling is an example of censoring debate. The money they spent lobbying government to not have to label their product would have been better spent on a campaign to educate the public on why GM foods are beneficial. (I should mention that I'm in favor of both GM foods, as well as GM food labelling. I'm also in favor of food irradiation, and was against the food industry's successful lobbying to get food irradiation deceptively labelled as 'Cold Pasteurization.' That's right. When you buy food that's labelled 'Cold Pasteurized,' it has been irradiated. And there's nothing wrong with it. Irradiation simply preserves the food by killing microbes that might contaminate or spoil it.)

3. Finally, for the chest beaters who are claiming Joe Rogan and Fucker Carleson's garbage is protected by free speech, I would say that spreading misinformation about GM foods MIGHT be protected free speech. But spreading misinformation about how to control a deadly respiratory virus pandemic is well into the territory of shouting FIRE in a crowded theater when there is no fire. That is NOT protected free speech.

[TheProle]

1. Where does implying that a gay grocer

Will give you AIDS fall on the misinformation spectrum?

Joe Rogan is a moron on COVID. Doesn’t make Neil Young a saint.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/michelle-shocked-not-the-first-artist-to-betray-her-fanbase-87622/

[blogslug]

7. Joe Rogan has a choice to NOT give liars a platform

After almost three years, millions of deaths worldwide, vaccines that have been safely administered to millions, he's still bringing on people he claims are "experts" with an "opinion". This is absolutely not the same thing as some performer spouting off on their beliefs. Joe Rogan normalizes people who are a danger to the public health.

[hlthe2b]

2. Neil Young almost died from polio as a child. I say BS on this. Regardless of his views on

GM foods, he's been an advocate for vaccines.

"Whataboutism" is a childish way to argue a point--taking it far off subject-- and that seems to be the favored tactic for many today.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Fallacy of False Equivalence

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_equivalence

False equivalence is a logical fallacy in which an equivalence is drawn between two subjects based on flawed or false reasoning. This fallacy is categorized as a fallacy of inconsistency.[1] Colloquially, a false equivalence is often called "comparing apples and oranges."

[hlthe2b]

4. Yup.

[blogslug]

5. That is some twisted both-sides, j'accuse wankery right there

That's what I think

[Mr.Bill]

6. I can tell you this,

I took a trip to visit family this weekend. It required six hours of driving. Each hour was spent listening to The Neil Young Channel on XM Sirius Radio. I've always had a casual liking of his music, but I'm gaining a new appreciation of it.

[Me.]

8. And JUst Who Is Louis Anslow When He's At Home?