The dangers of doing your own “Research”

When most people say they are doing their “own research” in this time and age, especially on the COVID Vaccine, they do not mean they are all yearning for other phenomena that could have explained the results, sceptical and in a scientific way. All they mean is they are entering into Google the words “COVID Vaccine”, and they read up on it. They are not conducting any scientific experiments or collecting data. Unfortunately, most of them are not critical thinking or understand the scientific method. They have primarily been trained in communication, politics, business, accounts, arts, etc. and fail to realize science is a totally different kettle of fish. They are not doing research in the way we scientists would define it passe. They just mean that they would look deeper into it or, in some cases, just look at it again. Concerning the Scientific Method, Aristotle is thought to be the inventor of the scientific method, which analyses logical implications contained in demonstrative discourse, goes further than natural logic and is not dependent on those who philosophized before. The method of thinking is quite different from the average non-scientific trained person, as you have to be sceptical and take nothing for granted. So you will have to review your results and analyze the data.

However, the act of doing your own research involves collecting data (which on its own is done in such a way that it is unbiased and there is less tendency for error, i.e. double-blind study), analyzing it and having an unbiased interpretation of the results. For example, anyone involved in research has to do a mini statistics course first, which will also involve knowing how to read and understand data. You deliberately try to “falsify” your result, i.e., find ways other phenomena could have explained the results. For example, you come across things like the “Null Hypothesis”. As a scientist, you have to have a sceptical mind as after your “research”, people must be able to duplicate your results from all over the world as long as the conditions have been fulfilled.

Google algorithm works in the following way: it presents you with what you have been searching on before. Social media gains from you spending as much time as possible on your computer. This is its business model, and it does it for-profit. Social Media companies have found out you become more engaged if an emotional aspect is involved. The system predicts what you would be more interested in based on what you have been searching for and looking at before. For example, if you were interested in Cats before, all the latest Cats videos and downloads would appear on your first page; articles related to Cats, you may have the false impression that everybody is only interested in Cats videos. For example, cats would be bathing, fighting, eating, sleeping, etc. The number may go into hundreds of Cat videos downloaded daily worldwide in China, Japan, the US, the UK, South Africa, etc. You may come down with the impression that everyone else is looking at Cat Videos, that people only download Cat Videos and ask why people only have time for Cat Videos. This is the definition of presenting a biased view, and you will have to be presented with confirmation bias. This can be corrected by resetting Google settings, but few people know how to do this and are uninterested.

Of Course, there is the political element, especially in the US Republican party. A significant subgroup peddles conspiracies about lizard people ruling the world, first world order, QAnon, etc. It was essential for small government and low taxes. There is an Evangelical anti-science movement in the US related to the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and has a more introspective view of the world. Their breakthrough treatment for COVID is Colloidal Silver, Ivermectin, Bleach, and Hydroxychloroquine. Of Course, a section of them are more educated and will request Monoclonal antibodies. “Because of their ease of delivery and low cost, the vaccines are going to outweigh [monoclonal] antibodies in many situations”. But many people still refuse the vaccines and prefer antibodies and other treatments.