In this thread, I've responded to a claim that the NYT article (which I did not write) about the evolution of messaging was irresponsible and harmful. I completely disagree on that, and again, if deferring to expertise, this is very much a field where *I'm* the expert.
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Replying to @zeynep @tarahaelle and
Did you write this suggesting scientists are being dishonest and empowering charlatans or not?pic.twitter.com/4TlQLp7AAi
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Replying to @stgoldst @tarahaelle and
Thank you for including the screenshot so it's clear exactly what I wrote. When people feel like they are not getting the full message from the authorities, of course, charlatans are empowered. This is a genuinely mundane point in study of medical mistrust and public health.
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I'll try again—there are tons of people providing examples, and we see this in communities I monitor, and even among health care workers. We are underselling the benefits of these vaccines in the messaging. No issue with uncertainty/warnings but on framing and emphasis.
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Replying to @zeynep @tarahaelle and
Look I didn’t come here to change your mind. But I hope you’ll consider whether the tenor of your criticisms are driving scientists out of the science comms space. I’ll think about whether my messaging is destructive. Candidly, I’m also thinking about checking out of the public
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sphere and just getting through the next few months as best as possible. The relentless attacks from armchair experts and academics in other fields just takes a toll and at some point it’s not worth it.
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Replying to @stgoldst @tarahaelle and
These are not relentless "attacks" though—that is a lane, and I could play there and I do not. This is how one makes things less attackable by misinformation. Also, understanding the public sphere and public trust isn't "another field".
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Replying to @zeynep @tarahaelle and
No vaccine efficacy on virus transmission is a different field from what you’re describing
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“I could play there and do not” certainly sounds like a threat of some sort.
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I would very much like to say vaccines are going to have a profound impact on transmission and I do understand why that would be great messaging. But the data to say it doesn’t exist as much as you want it to!
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I'm trying to politely repeat myself here but neither that article nor me, nor a single expert quoted is saying anything beyond "vaccines likely will have an impact but we don't know yet". I don't know how many time that can be repeated.
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“Wagon circling” and “groupthink” are similarly polite. Anyway I don’t doubt there are some experts misfiring on messaging but it’s curious those are the only ones you seem aware of.
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