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previous issue
issue #24, posted 5 / 8 / 2012
archive of all issues
Unvaccinated Children, Public Health, and Worldviews
in the news: An
article in the May 5th issue of The Economist describes how
increasing numbers of American parents are invoking "philosophical
exemptions" and choosing not to have their children vaccinated
against diseases like polio, measles, mumps, rubella, whooping
cough, etc. and how this is beginning to pose threats to public health. As the article
puts it, "the issue runs straight into the classic American tension
between individual choice, which is good, and public health and safety,
which is also good."
commentary and analysis (by Stephen P. Cook,
project Worldview, www.projectworldview.org): This
issue connects with the theme of our last Worldview Watch
column #23 "Regulating Society: We Know What's
Best for You". Here laws passed in "We Know What's Best for
You" fashion mandate vaccinations unless parents cite religious
(valid in all but two states) or philosophical (valid in twenty states)
reasons to opt out. What themes might characterize the worldviews of
parents who choose to opt out compared to those who choose to have their
children vaccinated? Consider the following:
|
Contrasting Worldview Themes Related to the
Issue of Vaccinating Children |
| some worldview themes perhaps valued by those who generally accept
the need for vaccinating their children |
worldview themes perhaps valued by those who generally oppose
vaccinating their children |
| #6
Scientific Method |
#2B
I Know What's Best For You |
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#28B Healthy Orientation
|
#27
Belonging to Nature |
| #42
Ethical Orientation |
#36B
Conspiracism |
| #46A
Technological Fix Mentality |
#50A
Libertarian |
| #49A
Social Welfare Statism |
#50B Left
Anarchist |
The worldviews of who oppose the
vaccinations are perhaps shaped by diverse factors, including a
general dislike of government telling people what to do
(libertarians and anarchists), by conspiracy theory motivated books
or internet websites spreading misinformation in claiming a link between autism
and vaccines, a strong preference for natural food/lifestyle that views
vaccines as manmade and unhealthy, etc. While the opposing vaccines
camp might undoubtedly house individuals with otherwise generally
incompatible worldviews, all of them seem to feel that "I Know
What's Best for You" given their choice to shield their
children from what they perceive to be vaccinations for which the
risk outweighs the benefit. That perception may eventually change.
As The Economist article concludes, "...today’s
parents are the first in history with no memory of the maiming and
killing caused by polio, tetanus, diphtheria or measles. At some
point an epidemic will remind them."
Not only do vaccines protect the treated individuals, but they
provide a "herd immunity" that helps limit the disease's
spread. But if typically only one of every ten children are
unvaccinated that "herd immunity" begins to fail. It
seems then that opting out of vaccinating your children involves an
ethical consideration. That is, consider the "Ethical
Orientation" of worldview theme #42 and ask yourself,
"What would be the results if everyone acted in this
manner?" If significant numbers of parents opt out,
horrible diseases that vaccines have largely conquered--like
smallpox, diphtheria, polio, etc.--may eventually return to threaten
everyone.
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