07-15-2026, 10:37 PM
Vindicated: Reflections of an Early Pandemic Contrarian
Tam Hunt April 4, 2025
"Neal Milner acknowledged in his mea culpa that the Great Barrington Declaration, which I endorsed early on, was indeed “an opportunity to do science as it’s supposed to be done: A group of knowledgeable experts having an open discussion that adhered to debate, critical examination including self-examination, doubt and self-doubt.” He admits that he “uncritically accepted the demeaning counter-to-science language of the scientists critical of the declaration” and “didn’t think much about this even close to home — professors censuring their colleagues for advocating dissenting views.”
The lesson here isn’t “I told you so,” but rather a plea that we never again abandon rationality during crises. When societies are gripped by fear, dissenting voices become essential safeguards against groupthink and panic-driven policies. Yet these voices are precisely the ones most likely to be silenced." - Tam Hunt
https://tamhunt.medium.com/vindicated-re...bec87c2ba8
Tam Hunt April 4, 2025
"Neal Milner acknowledged in his mea culpa that the Great Barrington Declaration, which I endorsed early on, was indeed “an opportunity to do science as it’s supposed to be done: A group of knowledgeable experts having an open discussion that adhered to debate, critical examination including self-examination, doubt and self-doubt.” He admits that he “uncritically accepted the demeaning counter-to-science language of the scientists critical of the declaration” and “didn’t think much about this even close to home — professors censuring their colleagues for advocating dissenting views.”
The lesson here isn’t “I told you so,” but rather a plea that we never again abandon rationality during crises. When societies are gripped by fear, dissenting voices become essential safeguards against groupthink and panic-driven policies. Yet these voices are precisely the ones most likely to be silenced." - Tam Hunt
https://tamhunt.medium.com/vindicated-re...bec87c2ba8
"If we are too precise we will be called out because we cannot back it with data."- A.F.