Anti-vax attitudes correlate with sympathy for Putin

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Frank Graves, the founder of polling and analytics firm EKOS Research, tweeted this out recently. Apparently, it was a slide from a presentation he was doing:

Source: https://twitter.com/VoiceOfFranky/status/1504652043482542080



While I'm not exactly surprised by this, considering what I've seen in online discussions and social media, it's a bit of a jolt to see the correlation spelled out so clearly.

Thoughts?

Ideas about reasons for the correlation?

 

[ChristineM]

Frank Graves, the founder of polling and analytics firm EKOS Research, tweeted this out recently. Apparently, it was a slide from a presentation he was doing:

View attachment 61194

Source: https://twitter.com/VoiceOfFranky/status/1504652043482542080



While I'm not exactly surprised by this, considering what I've seen in online discussions and social media, it's a bit of a jolt to see the correlation spelled out so clearly.

Thoughts?

Ideas about reasons for the correlation?

Also not surprised. Reason? Maybe a shortage of aluminium foil hats

 

[PureX]

It's all about where they are getting their information. We really need to do something about opinions being fobbed off as news in this country.

 

[Stevicus]

While I'm not exactly surprised by this, considering what I've seen in online discussions and social media, it's a bit of a jolt to see the correlation spelled out so clearly.

Thoughts?

Ideas about reasons for the correlation?

Hard to say. I'm not sure what one has to do with the other.

Most of the criticisms from the right (at least from what I've heard) seem mostly directed at Biden for being too weak and not tough enough on Putin.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Hard to say. I'm not sure what one has to do with the other.

Two possibilities come to mind:

- many anti-vax disinformation campaigns can be traced back to Russia.

- vaccine refusers are, apparently, okay with a course of action that's going to kill vulnerable people, so maybe they don't see it as a big deal when Putin kills vulnerable people.

Most of the criticisms from the right (at least from what I've heard) seem mostly directed at Biden for being too weak and not tough enough on Putin.

I note that the survey question was about whether Putin committed war crimes, not about whether the response to Russia is appropriate.

I suppose that someone who wants to retaliate against Russia the way Russia has treated Ukraine wouldn't be inclined to see their desired course of action as criminal. That could be one way of looking at it.

 

[Revoltingest]

Ideas about reasons for the correlation?

Anti-vaxers I know are hostile to US government at
all levels. This hostility is reinforced by some tolerance
towards USA's enemies, ie, Russia.

 

[Wildswanderer]

Frank Graves, the founder of polling and analytics firm EKOS Research, tweeted this out recently. Apparently, it was a slide from a presentation he was doing:

View attachment 61194

Source: https://twitter.com/VoiceOfFranky/status/1504652043482542080



While I'm not exactly surprised by this, considering what I've seen in online discussions and social media, it's a bit of a jolt to see the correlation spelled out so clearly.

Thoughts?

Ideas about reasons for the correlation?

Seriously? I have vax concerns and no sympathy for Putin. I guess I didn't get figured in.

 

[Revoltingest]

Seriously? I have vax concerns and no sympathy for Putin. I guess I didn't get figured in.

Yes, you did.
The correlation isn't total.
You're in the 32% that agree he committed war crimes, eh.

 

[Stevicus]

Two possibilities come to mind:

- many anti-vax disinformation campaigns can be traced back to Russia.

- vaccine refusers are, apparently, okay with a course of action that's going to kill vulnerable people, so maybe they don't see it as a big deal when Putin kills vulnerable people.

I couldn't read the link. The NY Times doesn't believe that I'm human. But I know that we also have plenty of our own homegrown anti-vaxxers as well.

I note that the survey question was about whether Putin committed war crimes, not about whether the response to Russia is appropriate.

I suppose that someone who wants to retaliate against Russia the way Russia has treated Ukraine wouldn't be inclined to see their desired course of action as criminal. That could be one way of looking at it.

The survey seems to suggest that there is an inordinately pro-Russian (or pro-Putin) attitude among anti-vaxxers, who are also associated with the right wing. At least from what I can tell (and I could be wrong), I'm not really detecting a great deal of pro-Russian sentiment from the right-wing, except for the very far right. Most of the narrative seems to revolve around "Biden is weak" and "this wouldn't have happened if Trump was still President."

As to the survey question "I believe Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine" and the disparities in response, I might also look at the difference between those who took two doses versus those who took three doses. Neither of those groups would be anti-vaxxers, yet there's still a difference. I can't explain it.

It's also possible that there are those who may not feel qualified to answer the question, if they're not well-versed in international law or the rules of warfare. They may not know.

 

[Revoltingest]

- many anti-vax disinformation campaigns can be traced back to Russia.

Do the anti-vaxers believe this dis-info
because they know it came from Russia?
I doubt this.

 

[Heyo]

Ideas about reasons for the correlation?

Mistrust of official media i. e. "if it's on the msm news, I don't believe it".

 

[Daemon Sophic]

Frank Graves, the founder of polling and analytics firm EKOS Research, tweeted this out recently. …
Thoughts?

Ideas about reasons for the correlation?

 

[Orbit]

Frank Graves, the founder of polling and analytics firm EKOS Research, tweeted this out recently. Apparently, it was a slide from a presentation he was doing:

View attachment 61194

Source: https://twitter.com/VoiceOfFranky/status/1504652043482542080



While I'm not exactly surprised by this, considering what I've seen in online discussions and social media, it's a bit of a jolt to see the correlation spelled out so clearly.

Thoughts?

Ideas about reasons for the correlation?

I think it's because anti-vaxxers get their news from the same outlets as broadcast Putin apologetics. These are the people wearing "I'd rather be Russian than Democrat" Tshirts at Trump rallies.

 

[Kooky]

I'd argue that the common denominator here is less anti-vaxx beliefs, and more a predilection for homophobia and fascist politics, as well as the tendency to be drawn towards authoritarian macho types.

 

[kaninchen]

Once upon a time, the USSR had 'useful idiots' as apologists in other countries.

Putinism ("nothing is true and everything is possible") has developed well beyond that - the encouragement of 'useless idiots' in other countries is proving much more effective.

 

[Ponder This]

Frank Graves, the founder of polling and analytics firm EKOS Research, tweeted this out recently. Apparently, it was a slide from a presentation he was doing:

View attachment 61194

Source: https://twitter.com/VoiceOfFranky/status/1504652043482542080



While I'm not exactly surprised by this, considering what I've seen in online discussions and social media, it's a bit of a jolt to see the correlation spelled out so clearly.

Thoughts?

Ideas about reasons for the correlation?

Hmm. Approximately 6% of the population of Canada is anti-vax, meaning that they won't take the vaccine no matter how much they are pressured or educated on it. The news is overwhelmingly pro-vax, meaning that it strongly advocates all the time that you should be fully vaccinated. The news also overwhelmly reports that Putin is commiting war crimes in Ukraine.

The most obvious conclusion is that approximately 6% of the population in Canada doesn't believe what's reported in the news just because it is overwhelmingly reported.

My opinion of Frank Graves and EKOS Research decreased today. Their MOE of +-3.1% applies if all 1035 are considered together as one group voting yay or nay, but the MOE on the Vaccine Refusers considered as a separate group is likely closer to +-12.4%. Moreover, the question of war crimes is, at best, a misleading question. They were asked if they were anti or pro vax, but weren't asked if they were anti or pro Putin? Instead they were asked about one detail that may or may not influence their opinion of Putin? This would be like asking if vaccine refusers believe that Pfizer is a corrupt company. Regardless of how they responded to the question of corruption in Pfizer, it doesn't necessarily mean they would be pro or anti vax. People don't have to believe that Putin is committing war crimes to be opposed to Putin. These are serious and very basic problems with the poll as presented. Perhaps he has answers to these problems, but then, as the President of EKOS Research, he really ought to have led with that.