In the ongoing war between Truth/Reality and Lies/Fantasy humans have promoted some very strange ideas. One of the most recent is the idea that health can be faked.
I’m referring to the booming online market for fake Covid-19 vaccination cards. That fact that such a market exists at all completely baffles me. I have now received 3 doses of the Phizer vaccine. My arm was sore for a day or two after each shot, but, hey, the shots were free and my county has a convenient, indoor, drive through location. They gave me the card at my first appointment and updated it at each subsequent visit.
I still wear a mask in indoor public places because of irony. Many of the stores I visit have a sign that says that patrons must either wear a mask or be vaccinated. The irony, of course, is that those who won’t get vaccinated are the same people who won’t wear a mask. So, to remain safe(er), those of us who ARE vaccinated need to continue wearing our masks to help protect ourselves from the stubbornly inconsiderate.
Increasing pressure on the unvaccinated
Some indoor venues, like bars, clubs, theaters, and even some arenas, are now requiring proof of vaccination (or a recent negative Covid test) for entry. This has put the squeeze on the unvaccinated. Since the required “proof” in these situations is to show a CDC vaccination card, some people are choosing the dangerous, expensive, and illegal trick of showing a fake vaccination card over the safe, free, and legal method of simply getting the vaccination.
Even more pressing for some is the fact that more and more employers are requiring their employees to get vaccinated or lose their jobs. These employers were helped by President Biden’s September 9, 2021 speech encouraging vaccine mandates by employers, and his executive order requiring vaccines of federal workers.
Yet, apparently, many people would rather take the costly, illegal option and PRETEND to be protected than to just get the free vaccine and actually BE protected.
Magical thinking
In psychology, magical thinking is the belief that one’s thoughts by themselves can bring about effects in the world or that thinking something corresponds with doing it.
Wikipedia
I used to point out to my students that one could easily acquire a large amount of cash by going to the store and purchasing a board game called “Monopoly.” The problem, they quickly pointed out, is that the cash is not “real.” It cannot be used in the real world to make desired purchases.
“Oh,” I would say, “Well, if you want REAL benefits you need to do REAL work!” I was trying to help them understand that fantasy beliefs cannot bring about real-world results. People who try to deny reality are only fooling themselves.
The high cost of crime
The creating, selling, buying, or using of fake Covid-19 vaccination cards is a federal crime. Of course, there are always those who are willing to participate in criminal behavior for money. Fake vaccination cards have to be printed by someone.
The major producer of fake Covid-19 vaccination cards appears to be China. The Chinese Communists have learned how to be very efficient Capitalists – go where the money is and quickly provide a product to meet any demand (however wrong or immoral).
These cards are reportedly selling for upwards of $200 each. The sellers typically want to be paid in the untraceable bitcoin, and they often ask the buyer for personal information that isn’t really necessary to just mail the card to them. Besides the illegal act of ordering such an item, it is foolish to give any personal information to people you know are criminals.
The costs of faking one’s vaccination status are simply not worth it. A simple paper vaccination card should not become more important to someone than the easy, free, preventative health measure it represents.
The pandemic is not over
Without testing, there is no way to know if one is carrying the Covid-19 virus. Even those who have been vaccinated can carry and transmit the virus, though the chances are greatly reduced. And even a negative test can only be accurate to the moment the sample is taken. A person could pick up the virus from a stranger’s cough ten minutes after taking the test.
We all should be as cautious as we can while this pandemic persists. The distancing, masking, and hand-washing we were doing a year ago are just as important now. And the vaccinations could well become an annual necessity.
I feel sad for those unvaccinated people who are dying in the hospitals of Covid-19. Not only has the virus fatally damaged their lungs, but, in most of those cases, it is quite likely that right-wing media has fatally damaged their brains.
Sources
Carolyn Crist, “More Than 6,000 Fake Vaccine Cards Seized by U.S. Customs,” WebMD, September 18, 2021.
Kevin Collier, “From China through Telegram: Fake Covid vaccination card market booms,” NBC News, September 16, 2021.
Alana Wise and Tamara Keith, “Biden Lays Out Plan To Mandate Vaccines Or Testing For Millions Of Workers,” NPR, September 9, 2021.
Brian Ferguson, “The Secret of Wealth and Happiness” (Downloads page), Insight.
There was a wonderful clip on Kimmel of an anti-vax woman walking the streets of LA denoucing Covid as a hoax, and saying that one proof of that is that the homeless were not dying in the streets. At that moment, a homeless man who happened to be passing with his grocery cart yelled, “I’m vaccinated!” and expressed a colorful view of the woman’s intelligence.
Trump is using the vaccine issue to leverage his agenda, which is the destruction of constitutional government. He is likely to succeed. What will his critics like me do then? The situation is hopeless. I haven’t been to face to face Church for months. How do Church members talk about this? Or do they talk about it at all?
Fully half of LDS support Trump’s insurrection! Moreover, though there was some presentation on the perils ahead, nothing about Trump!!