It’s not just the masses that are letting us down, but our friends, family, and coworkers. You might be furious at the selfishness, ignorance, and lack of civic responsibility displayed by those in your life. There are many posts on social media that attempt to convince people to get vaccinated. It’s human nature. It’s human nature. You might feel angry, frustrated, and resentful after you have a heated conversation with the anti-vaxxers. It can be tempting to let go of our emotions and allow them to have theirs. The cost is high: They don’t get vaccinated and we damage the relationship. Even when we present them clear, convincing facts, there is a psychological phenomenon called the “backfire effect”. People can be reinforced by facts that disprove their incorrect beliefs. This phenomenon has been observed in the contexts of political misconceptions, voting preferences and the decision to vaccinate your children or yourself. People will be more likely to accept facts that are not in line with their opinions than they are to argue with them. Criticizing, blaming, and shaming them because they are thoughtless, selfishly, stupid, ignorant, or psychopathic is a way to do this. This is a test you can do yourself. When was the last occasion you made a change in your behavior to respond to someone blaming you or shame you? We want to tell you that we understand your pain. Both of us are vaccinated. We are both vaccinated.
However, the spread of the pandemic is being slowed by the Delta variant. This, along with widespread vaccine hesitancy, is causing the need for continued lockdowns and mask mandates. We are horrified at the unnecessary suffering and loss of lives that has resulted. Like Gov. We feel angry too, just like Gov. We also care deeply about our relationships. It feels like we have to make a choice when the two come together. The dilemma of risk and relationship: Do I risk getting a breakthrough illness by being in a confined space? Or do I take the risk of getting infected myself? Although it’s not guaranteed to get the unvaccinated family members to make an appointment, it can increase your chances of success. We’d like to share a process that reduces risk through relationship. You are not giving up control, but the illusion of it. You can always get vaccinated for the person you are talking to. You can’t choose for them. You don’t get to choose for them. Even if they disagree with our position, we recognize that it makes sense to us. How can you show empathy to someone who doesn’t want the vaccine? Let’s be real. Think about the person you want to convince. Be open to your feelings. Are you angry at them? Are you disappointed? Are you scared? Are you afraid of them? Instead, be compassionate for yourself. Your motivations are admirable. You want to alleviate suffering, save lives, and allow people to gather again freely without fear of infection. You care deeply about the topic and feel strongly about it. But don’t act on these emotions. Instead, show empathy for the other person. What are they passionate about? Here’s what the vaccine-hesitant people in our lives have said: “I don’t want unknown chemicals in my system.” “”I don’t trust pharmaceutical companies. “”I don’t want to be told what my body should do. These vaccines were not thoroughly researched and have been approved by FDA. “”My chances of being harmed by the vaccine is much greater than my risk of dying from Covid. These statements are not hard to believe. It’s possible that you are thinking it in your head right this moment. Can you sympathize with them? Is it reasonable to not trust the pharmaceutical industry completely? It doesn’t take much to search the internet for lawsuits and settlements worth billions of dollars that involve harms, false claims, and withheld information from drug companies. Is it not true that we only have short-term data about the side effects and effects of vaccines, even though the trials started less than two years ago? It’s time for us to put pressure on the unvaccinated. Empathy is about validating the perspective of another person without disagreeing with them.
Empathy is making truthful statements that show that you are listening to the other person. For example, “It sounds as if you are afraid of side effects of the vaccine.” This makes sense. “It seems that you don’t trust pharmaceutical companies that produce the vaccines. “I understand that.” “”We don’t have long-term data about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. That’s what I get. “Can we have a conversation? And then encourage them to speak. This is where curiosity comes in. Ask questions to get to know them, not because you want to trap them in inconsistencies but because they are curious about the answers. What are their methods of comparing the relative risks of vaccines to Covid? What data are they looking at What is it that makes them doubt the safety and efficacy of the vaccine? What have they seen or heard? Now it’s time to get to the real questions: What do they want? What do they want for themselves, their loved ones, their country, the world? There is a good chance that you will find common ground here. All of us want people to feel well, to be safe from harm and to be free of coercion. Even though we may have different ideas about what it means, we all want the economy and society to thrive.
Respect is something we all desire. This will allow us to begin to appreciate our differences and show compassion. It sounds like you and me want people to be healthy and free of coercion. This virus is sort of pitting these values against one another, and I’m coming down stronger on the side of healthy, while you seem to value freedom more. I understand your concerns about your health. Actually, I support vaccination because it will allow us all more freedom. “That was how we approached one of our vaccine-hesitant friends. After a long conversation filled with respectful questions and discussion, she said that she believed she would get the vaccine. We created an environment that allowed her to feel safe enough to make changes on her own, rather than trying to change her. We don’t know what the outcome of your conversations will be. You can’t influence someone’s behavior if you don’t have any power over them. However, it is possible to influence them through a caring and respectful relationship. To get your loved one vaccinated, approach them with empathy, curiosity, and to show your respect and caring. This is your best chance to help them get theirs.