No one really likes to be told what to do. One of the first things a child learns to say and understand is the word “NO”. If you tell a toddler not to throw a ball around the house, they will do it. Force a teenager to wear a seatbelt in the car and see them roll their eyes first, then unbuckle when no one is looking.
Adults get annoyed and defensive when told to eat veggies, start to exercise and take their medicines regularly – even if they are being told by their very own doctors. Psychologists have long observed that human beings naturally crave for independence and autonomy.
Everyone wants to be calling the shots and making the rules. Since we were little, we have participated in one form or another of the same song and dance — we don’t like someone else telling us what to do, so we don’t do it, or we act out. Everyone has some form of inner rebel that likes to question or do the opposite of what we are told. Experts call this feeling or need to rebel “psychological reactance”.
It is one’s brain’s reaction when they feel a threat to their freedom, or think their choices are being limited. No other issue has brought “psychological reactance” to full bear in recent history than Covid vaccines the world over.
When I think of the attitude of some towards Covid vaccines, I cannot help but be reminded of the parable about a religious man who decided to ride out a major storm at home.
He began praying to God to save him as soon as the water started rising. Soon, a neighbour came by and urged him to leave with him, offering him a ride in his bakkie. “That’s okay”, the man answered.
“God will save me”, he continued. So, the neighbour drove off in his bakkie without him. The man continued to pray. As the floodwaters kept rising, he climbed up to his rooftop. Few hours later, a boat came along with people in it. Heading to high ground, the people yelled to the man to join them – to grab their rope.
“Get on board!”, they shouted, so they could take him with them. “No, thanks!”, the man said. “God will save me”, he concluded. They all shook their heads in shock, and moved on. The man continued to pray for a miracle. Later, a helicopter flew by, used its loudspeaker to offer to lower a ladder so the man could climb up off the roof and fly away to safety.
The man waved the helicopter away. In his mind, he was going to wait for God to save him. The helicopter left.
The flood waters kept rising until the man drowned and died. When he reached heaven, he asked God, “why didn’t you save me? I had faith in you. I prayed to you with all my heart, but you let me drown”.
God replied, “who do you think sent the bakkie? Who sent the boat and the helicopter? I did, but you refused”.
I am a believer. And during this Covid-19 pandemic, I believe the vaccines are miracles. They are the bakkie, the boat and the helicopter which the religious man waved off in the parable, waiting for God to save him.
I equally believe that individuals have the right to make the choice not to take the vaccine. I am sure our lawyers and judges of our courts can affirm that fact.
But based on clear science, and the high number of deaths we have seen in recent times among the unvaccinated, I believe anyone who refuses the vaccines – whether egged on by religious hustlers or conspiracy theorists – probably shouldn’t expect a different miracle to come along and save them.
We are still not out of the woods yet when it comes to Covid waves. We should learn to sit on our egos and tame our need to revolt, especially when it has to do with our safety and those around us.
*Petrus writes in his personal capacity.