Beware of Reductionist Arguments

Today’s show is a commentary on the highly publicized Freedom Convoy protests that have gripped my home city of Ottawa Canada for the last 23 days.

What I’m reporting is my own opinion based on my own observations and from first hand conversations that I have had with people who have attended the protest.

In our culture we seem to have a need to simplify and reduce issues to a binary choice.

You are either good or bad, friend or enemy. You either agree or disagree. Things are black or white with no room for grey.

What I have observed in the news media is an attempt to select the subset of the facts that support their desired narrative. Virtually every news outlet I have seen is guilty of the same process, irrespective of which side of the argument they are supporting.

Some have said that if you support the protest then you are anti science and anti vaccine.

I’m pro vaccine and anti mandate. I believe that it was in most people’s best interest to be vaccinated earlier on in the pandemic. But as we have learned, the vaccine does not prevent the spread of the disease. It reduces the severity of the symptoms in those who are vaccinated. If people choose to not be vaccinated, even though it would be in their best interest, that is their prerogative in a free society.

I had a friend who chose not to get the vaccine, and sadly he is no longer with us. I believe he made a poor choice. I’m sad that he is no longer living as a result. I’m sad for his family and for all of his friends. But I defend his right to make a choice.

So I reject the reductionist argument that if you are anti mandate, you are automatically anti vaccine and anti science. I’m completely pro vaccine and pro science, just anti mandate. It’s not very complicated to keep those two ideas in your head.

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Host: Victor Menasce

email: podcast@victorjm.com