I’m trying to wean myself off of twitter, but sometimes it’s so infuriating I feel I have to weigh in on a topic if there is at least a small chance I can do something to stop rampant disinformation spreading.

I posted this in response to Joe Rogan calling out a vaccine expert and offering him 100k to debate Robert F Kennedy Jr:

It's utterly depressing to watch Joe Rogan, RFK jr and Elon Musk smear and harass serious vaccine scientists like Peter Hotez. While they believe they are standing up for truth/free speech, they are instead destroying public discourse and spreading conspiracy theories.

The sheer arrogance and bravado is extraordinary. To think that these jokers with zero background in medicine, biology, chemistry, vaccine research or even basic science journalism have the credibility to take on a man who has spent his entire career studying this stuff is nuts.

Truth is Robert Kennedy Jr has been debunked so thoroughly no one in the science world takes him seriously. He's a crank and a conspiracy theorist who is likely responsible for thousands of deaths in America. Why the fuck should Peter Hotez debate this guy?

So Joe Rogan can blow up Spotify, Elon Musk can rake in $$$ for his shitty platform, and Robert Kennedy Jr gets a whole new audience of scientifically illiterate Alt bros and crystal chakra healing Goop readers?

I used to really love Joe Rogan but he really doesn't know what he doesn't know, and despite being called out by his friends (Sam Harris for example), he still doesn't listen. He's just amplifying bullshit and destroying public health in the process. It's appalling.

Here's an idea:

Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, and RFK can go and get their PhDs in biochemisty/public health/medicine, THEN they can call out someone like Peter Hotez. Maybe even a degree in journalism.

Until then, they should shut the fuck up and listen.

Here's another idea:

Joe Rogan should debate a no-touch chi master on his show on whether no-touch chi martial arts are better grappling arts than BJJ and Sambo. I'll bet Rogan doesn't because he knows he's wrong and will be embarrassed by a real chi master.