Avoid the Semmelweis Reflex (John Campbell)

Psychological phenomenon, rejection of new or novel ideas

Rejection of anything that contradicts established norms, beliefs, paradigms of thought,

even if ideas are well-supported by evidence.

Semmelweis’s ideas were rejected AND he was ridiculed and ostracized.



Another very important video, about following evidence and one's psychology (it does not matter how smart you think you are). The clip is about a social-psychological phenomena named after Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian doctor. Semmelweis advocated for doctors to wash their hands before delivering babies, but this was ultimately rejected and he ended up being sent to an insane asylum where he was assaulted and later died of his injuries. In the face of very clear evidence showing harm his ideas were repulsed - as if the evidence he presented was somehow dangerous or a heresy compared to the ideas the authorities held.
As a result many women died who would have otherwise lived. The parallels to today, with doctors pointing to harm from the Covid shots, is obvious. It seems nothing has changed. What we learn from history is that we don't learn from history.

[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, January 2, 2025.]