What would you risk for freedom?

We were gathered in the kitchen chatting when the subject of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing vaccination drive came up, as it’s apt to do these days in all conversation. One of the guests was unvaccinated for all the reasons we’ve heard before:

  • I don’t trust the motives of Big Pharma and government. We’re not getting the whole story.

  • I don’t trust that the vaccine has been properly tested. I’m worried about unforeseen side effects.

  • The virus is only fatal in the elderly or immunocompromised. I don’t fall into any of those categories.

  • I’ve already gotten the virus so I have natural immunity. The vaccine would be redundant.

  • The vaccine is ineffective. Vaccinated people are still getting sick. I’ll take my chances if that is the case.

I know people who are vaccine-hesitant or late adopters. I might even know some anti-vaxxers. That’s fine. I believe in personal choice. So much of a person goes into the decisions they make. It reflects who they are and you can’t take that away.

I am however just as curious about what motivates people to make the decisions they make. That day in the kitchen, I wanted to understand how deeply invested they were in their choice to remain unvaccinated so I asked, “If you’re mandated by your work to get the vaccine will you do it? The answer was a resounding yes! “Nothing comes between me and my money.” The conversation about vaccines ended mostly there but I continued to wonder about their response.

Here was someone who had clearly given thought to their decision to remain unvaccinated. A decision they had made based on their personal values and convictions I presume. And yet, here they were willing to compromise their integrity if it meant they could stay at a job they probably hated. What would my own response be in their position? Would I be willing to risk it all like tennis star Novak Djokovic to stay true to my believes or would I give in to the pressure and be told what to do with my body, my life? The person I believe myself to be would risk it all but I’ll never really know until I’m in the exact same position.

It’s a complex question and I know some people are better positioned in life to make decisions that are authentic to who they are but I can’t help but wonder: “can you really say you believe in something if you’re not willing to risk some level discomfort, if not it all, to stand by it?

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