Everything's become political; impartiality has been pushed to the margins in academia, journalism (Slanted by Sharyl Attkisson), and, yes, even science. Bias is not only accepted in these areas, but becoming increasingly encouraged. Arguments like the one below can be made and, in a vacuum, are reasonable:
But it's not simply that people don't trust the vaccine; they don't trust the literature and, especially, the intermediaries. I mean, Fauci instructing the public not to wear masks without the truthful why (effectiveness vs. supply for health care workers) was an error on the sheer grounds that it shows scientists are capable issue misleading people on the basis of the ends justifying the means. Further,
There has been pushback. I had a difficult time finding it, too, despite using very specific criteria to search for a video that I watched a couple of weeks ago. I nearly assumed it'd been removed, but I found it when I circumvented the search and went directly to the channel. Search results are being manipulated. For the record, the hosts of that video agreed with the underlying sentiment that the long-term effects of new technology carries risk (is the sky blue?) - while also expressing flaws in the suppositions. (When legitimate questions like this one are shouted down or censored [e.g. search algorithm manipulation], that has the effect of making people more likely to believe the jank Facebook conspiracies.)
Even if somebody has the desire and the aptitude to perform their own research, they simply don't have the time when everything has to be questioned and investigated: the news sources, the scientists, their motivations, the search results, the data & methodology, etcetera. Broad "but science" claims have been deluded to the point where the "Listen to doctors, get the &*/$&# shot." isn't seen as an appeal to credibility or logic - it's received as bullying. More than ever, we have to treat each other like individuals, listen to concerns, address them as best we can, and give people the space and respect to change their own minds. Thanks Ed for allowing Brickpicker to be a place where that kind of discussion is allowed & encouraged.
Oh and, on topic, today I spent too much time writing this.