I deleted my earlier tweets about the origins of the pandemic because they were badly phrased. The origin of the pandemic is an important line of reporting that my colleagues are covering aggressively.
-
-
Replying to @apoorva_nyc
Could you clarify what you mean here? Suggesting it was/is racist to give credence to the lab leak possibility doesn't strike me as bad phraseology, but a bad underlying take. Do you still stand by that general sentiment?
6 replies 10 retweets 338 likes -
Replying to @kylepetz @apoorva_nyc
Here’s the main thread. What tweets were poorly phrased?pic.twitter.com/lkTSK5lCOF
13 replies 29 retweets 346 likes -
Replying to @kylepetz @apoorva_nyc
Of course, complicating this issue is the simple historical fact that EVERY major outbreak, epidemic, and pandemic has spawned conspiracy theories claiming a lab origin for the causation microbe, just like the Wuhan lab release hypothesis. HIV, Ebola, H1N1. Every. Single. One.
10 replies 7 retweets 31 likes -
When I buy a lottery ticket there are only two possible outcomes. I win some money. I don’t win any money. 50:50. Right? Isn’t that how this stuff works…? While I can’t dismiss lab related origin it just doesn’t seem nearly as likely as a natural zoonotic origin.
1 reply 1 retweet 2 likes
Exactly. The default assumption seems to be that the two explanations are equally likely when they are not. Worse, the mainstream news media is feeding the "equally likely possibilities" narrative.
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.