Weinstein repeated discredited theories to Rogan about HIV not being the cause of AIDS, alarming and infuriating public health experts.

Weinstein repeated discredited theories to Rogan about HIV not being the cause of AIDS, alarming and infuriating public health experts.  

Bret Weinstein, the evolutionary biology professor turned podcaster and ivermectin guy, repeated a series of discredited pseudo-theories about AIDS in a recent appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Weinstein, a frequent guest, told Rogan that he found the theory that party drugs like poppers cause AIDS to be “surprisingly compelling.” (It is not.) Weinstein also told Rogan he came to these ideas by reading a recent book by anti-vaccine activist and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, creating a sort of unholy turducken of misinformation passed onto an audience of millions. 

      • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.worldEnglish
        33·
        9 months ago

        I mean, he made an idiotic comment that goes against the entirety of what we know about hiv and aids. Biologist or not, he’s using an appeal to authority to spread misinformation.

        • Dr_Satan@lemm.eeEnglish
          11·
          9 months ago

          I mean, he made an idiotic comment that goes against the entirety of what we know about hiv and aids

          Actually, I don’t know it. I haven’t studied medicine or aids.

          I doubt that most of the other people here have either.

          We’re just repeating what we hear.

    • ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      101·
      9 months ago

      I actually took classes from Bret Weinstein, and knew him semi-personally outside the unversity.

      He is a pompous ass who really feels he has the keys to understanding and analyzing all topics.

      It was good for facilitating evolutionary biology discussons and seminars. It was terrible for everything else.

      I recommended he needed a sabbatical after my classes, and in 2 years he was chased off campus with baseball bats.

    • agent_flounder@lemmy.worldEnglish
      61·
      9 months ago

      Biologist or not I want to know why a stupid person is qualified to talk about this. Fuck all these woowoo magic-thinking lunatic assholes.