zlacker

>>ruarai+(OP)
My conspiracy theory is that, if the virus intentionally or unintentionally escaped from that lab, and the CDC,CIA, whatever, etc already know this, probably everyone prefers to shut up and deny it, because otherwise it might lead to a war with china and it would be a lot worse for everyone.

>>midrus+4T1
Over the last year there seemed to have been such an outright refusal on the part of relevant sections of the scientific community to countenance the possibility that this virus had leaked from a lab which had been conducting Gain of Function research into bat coronaviruses that I got the impression this must have been motivated by fear that it could lead to political strife, including war, or that it might result in sweeping new restrictions and funding cuts to particular types of research.

I think that people can easily develop a misplaced sense of humanitarian responsibility where they are under the impression that they are called to serve a higher purpose and that they feel as though they are beholden to use their power and influence to prioritise (for instance) pacifism and internationalism above the public search for knowledge, where these have the potential to conflict. There can also be a sense in which the scientific establishment pursues its own independent, technocratic public policy. We have seen the huge amount of political power and influence wielded by high-ranking members of the scientific establishment, and no doubt the stakes were raised for this by the fact that it was an election year.