It Could Happen Here Anti-Vax America: Soft Eugenics
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Jun 19, 2025 David Gorski, Professor of Surgery and Oncology at Wayne State University, dives into the unsettling connections between anti-vaccination rhetoric and eugenics. He discusses how historical ideologies shape modern vaccine hesitancy, revealing the darker side of the so-called medical freedom movement. Gorski explores the implications for marginalized communities, critiques the controversial notions of herd immunity, and highlights the ethical dilemmas surrounding health policies linked to autism. The conversation provides a thought-provoking lens on personal choice versus public health responsibilities.
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Origins of Eugenics
- Eugenics emerged from 19th-century ideas mixing Darwinian natural selection with societal hierarchies.
- Francis Galton coined "eugenics," promoting the survival of "fit" traits through biological inheritance concepts.
Eugenics vs. Vaccination
- Early eugenicists feared medicine improved survival of those they deemed unfit.
- They opposed vaccines because these allowed unfit individuals to thrive and reproduce.
Soft Eugenics in Anti-Vax Thought
- Anti-vaccine ideology often claims natural herd immunity protects the healthy while sacrificing the vulnerable.
- This reflects a soft eugenics mindset tolerating preventable deaths as a survival mechanism.
