[anextio]

Comments like this are the clearest sign that this topic has become so politicized that rational judgement is out the window. If fluoride in the water is opposed by *those people*, or is supported by *those people*, then even if new clear evidence comes out one way or another, it will be undermined by not wanting to hand the other side a ‘W’.

[jfengel]

In an era where conspiracy theories are rampant, yeah, I'm kind of averse to letting conspiracy theorists win anything.

I'm not going to put myself in danger to avoid it. But when the evidence is marginal, social factors are something I'll take into account.

Even if there is indeed a problem with fluoridated water, it only shows up in a small effect that requires a large sample to see. The conspiracy theorists were guessing, even if they guessed right. And they ignored the data that had been gathered.

Science changes its mind, but conspiracy theorists never do. They accumulate, and it looks to me as if we're about to drown in them.

[gjsman-1000]

We literally just got a ruling against the EPA on fluoridation as being dangerously risky levels. As even The Guardian admits, it’s possible there actually is something to the claims of danger.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/04/fluoridation...

Of course, the EPA would never live it down if the anti-fluoridation people actually had something to their claims. However, I’m not the EPA. If they were wrong, screw them.

[reducesuffering]

You are only feeding the growth of conspiracy theories if, when confronted with one that is true, you continually deny it. If they see actual evidence being denied, they think there’s something there.

[itishappy]

Mate, you've just outlined what I'd describe as a conspiracy theory:

You've decided to weigh social factors over evidence because you believe the other side isn't behaving rationally.