Appenzell
Switzerland
A Daily Compendium
of Free-Market Thinking
The Daily Bell Newswire - It's FREE!    


News & Analysis

Majority of Adult Americans Don't Want H1N1 Shot

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - by  Staff Report


More than half of all adult Americans say they don't want to get the H1N1 flu vaccine, according to a new national poll. The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Wednesday also indicates that the number of adults who have tried to get the vaccine but were turned away is higher than the number of adults who have gotten a swine flu shot. According to the poll, 55 percent of adults don't want to get the swine flu vaccine and don't plan to get a shot. Another one in five say they want to get inoculated but haven't taken any steps to do so; 14 percent want a shot and have tried to get it but have been unsuccessful. Just 7 percent have been inoculated for H1N1. Why are more than half of all Americans shunning the vaccine? "The perception that the vaccine has dangerous side effects is the top reason," says CNN polling director Keating Holland. "Roughly half of those who don't want a swine flu shot say that the possibility of side effects is one reason why they don't plan to get the vaccine. That works out to 28 percent of the adult population who don't plan to get inoculated due to the risk of dangerous side effects." So far officials of the National Institutes of Health say they've seen no serious side effects in clinical trials and that study subjects who have been immunized have generated a good response. - CNN

Dominant Social Theme: People are being silly?

Free-Market Analysis: As there is little need for another "me too" publication of any type (on the Internet or elsewhere) we try to make ourselves useful by doing what other publications, even Internet ones, do not. And that is continually defining and then analyzing the success or failure of the dominant social themes (promotions or memes) - that the monetary elite inflicts upon the Western world - from a free-market perspective. Well, it did inflict them anyway, and on a regular basis. But we would offer the thought (and we do) that it is getting a good deal harder in the era of the Internet.

Our readers may not think we are entirely serious when we write that the Internet is analogous to the Gutenberg press and that it will create similar changes in Western society. Not only that, but we are fairly well convinced that the education has already taken place and the message has been sent, and that the results are increasingly being felt. Like a stone thrown into a pond, the Internet has already spread compelling information about free-markets, honest money and how history (and militarism) really works. The ripples are busily spreading as young people (many are young) talk to their siblings and parents and friends, especially in America and Britain.

Of course talking doesn't do much in a vacuum, but the monetary crisis - which the monetary elite may perversely have sought in our humble opinion - has wonderfully concentrated minds. Something is wrong with the system, people have decided. And the free-market principles that the Internet is wonderful at spreading have handily arrived with a solution of sorts.

So ... we can see the impact in this amazing article about how people are viewing the latest swine flu vaccine. Turn on any mainstream radio station or TV channel, or read any mainstream magazine or newspaper and you will be virtually inundated with information about this vaccine and who should take it and why. Given this level of sincerity and the plethora of earnest coverage, you would think that those absorbing the message would be favorably disposed toward the process, even if they don't plan to participate themselves.

But apparently, according to this poll, they are not. There is, in fact, seemingly abiding suspicion out there amongst the public, skepticism about another big government solution to a problem that has been touted but that does not seem to have as of yet touched people's lives, and maybe never will.

Conclusion: What's odd about this article is that it reports the poll findings without attempting to even make a suggestion as to why (despite an endless bombardment of government propaganda) Americans continue to be skeptical of this vaccination and seemingly mistrustful of the information given to them about it and the necessity for it. Since we have noted that the mainstream media itself has, in our opinion, been trumpeting the problem (the scary nature of swine flu) and the solution (the vaccine) for umpteen months, you would think people would be generally more positive. The only place where the flu has been dramatically questioned and the vaccine derided is on the Internet. Coincidence? We think not!

Post Feedback

We look forward to hearing your feedback and will respond to you as promptly as possible. Unless you specifically request otherwise, we reserve the right to publish your comments on the Daily Bell website. Please note, harassment, vulgarity and personal attacks are not welcomed.






View Feedback

Posted by WAYNE on 11/19/2009 1:27:42 AM

This is too funny! As they say in New England, the cheese is beginning to bind. They're just repeating the 1929-1932 cycle, and now,just as then then, nothing is working As Mark Faber recently said, central bankers aren't particularly smart!


Reply from the Daily Bell:

The system depended on a degree of anonymity and corporatism that is being stripped away by the 'Net in our opinion.



[Most Recent Quotes from www.kitco.com]

News & Analysis
03/16/10 Nobel Winner Stiglitz Calls Fed Corrupt
03/16/10 A Better Afghan Propaganda?
03/15/10 Trade War: China Versus the West?
03/15/10 Big Media Debates Online Charges
03/13/10 Is Euro IMF Idea Half-Baked?
03/12/10 American Investors Shun Stocks?
Guest Editorials
03/16/10 The Free Market of Ideas, by Dr. Tibor Machan
03/13/10 Census: A Little Too Personal, by Dr. Ron Paul
03/13/10 Texas Textbook Troubles, by Dr. Tibor Machan

Subscribe to the
Daily Bell Newswire

It's FREE!
Timely email notification of...
  • Breaking News
  • Feature Interviews
  • Guest Editorials
  • White Papers
  • eBooks & Shorts
  • Special FREE offers
...and much much more!
Exclusive Interviews
03/14/10 Rob Pfaltzgraff on Free-Market Movies, the MPI and the Future of Independent Films
03/07/10 Charles Payne on Business Broadcasting, Stock Picking Strategies and the Promise of Global Investing
02/28/10 Jim Rogers on China Opportunities, the Gold Standard and the Development of his Free-Market Financial Philosophy
© Copyright 2008 - 2010 Appenzeller Business Press AG (ARBP). All Rights Reserved. The Daily Bell is an informative compendium of independent economic views and analysis, which is published by ARBP. The information contained in the Daily Bell is for informational purposes only, is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any particular person and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. ARBP does not accept any liability or responsibility for, nor does it verify the accurateness of the information being provided in the Daily Bell. Daily Bell articles and interviews may include the contributions of several Daily Bell editors and may require factual editing after their initial post. Readers of the Daily Bell or any affiliated or linked sources or sites must accept the responsibility for performing their own due diligence before acting on any of the information provided within the report regardless of the source. In addition to proprietary, internally generated content, the Daily Bell publishes guest editorials from a selection of free-market thinkers, which may have been reprinted elsewhere and are not necessarily representative of ARBP's editorial views. Copyright is attributed to the author of any guest editorials featured at the Daily Bell, unless noted otherwise. ARBP often uses images licensed from Getty Images on the Swiss Confidential website. To unsubscribe from the Daily Bell, click here.