all 35 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] 28 points 1 year ago* (14 children)

Firstly, the term “monkeypox” is scientifically misleading. The virus is primarily transmitted to humans by small, forest-dwelling rodents, including species of squirrels native to Central and West Africa – not monkeys.

The virus was originally named “monkeypox” because it was first identified in a group of monkeys in a European laboratory undergoing tests for the polio vaccine in the mid 1950s.

The animals had contracted the infection before being shipped from Africa, most likely through hunting and consuming infected rodents.

“I would even call it rodentpox than the mpox or monkeypox virus,” Dr Leandre Murhula Masirik, the doctor who discovered a new variant of the virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023, told The Telegraph.

Okay but like, how is this "anti-woke"? I'm not sure any "wokies" were raging against the term? Like was that a thing? I mean we still call it chicken pox? We call it bird flu? It seems like a name that was used originally/ colloquially, and even mpox isn't "really" the scientific name? Its just a colloquial handle.

idk. Much ado?

Dug a bit more thinking there would be a more technical term for it. Nope. Its specific epithet is Orthopoxvirus monkeypox. I think Monkeypox might be the more technically correct term.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkeypox_virus

  • source
  • hideshow 14 child comments
  • [–] 28 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    Alright Im gonna walk you through the mental leaps ive overhead my righty coworkers say, these are coming from their rational NOT mine:

    1.) Black people dont like being called monkeys 2.) I like pissing of black people 3.) There are scientists saying you shouldnt call it monkeypox, this is wokenonsense to protect black people that dont like being called monkeys 4.) Im gonna say moneky pox EVEN MORE, because i like pissing off black people

    Granted this is just like 3 especially awful guys at my place of work, but still

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    Yup, this is what I've heard too.

    The crazy thing is that the real reason is pretty woke too (mpox is language neutral, while monkeypox is explicitly English) but learning the real reason behind something is antithetical to their belief system so instead they make up shit they think a lefty would say instead.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 22 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    Change = Bad

    Woke = Bad

    therefore,

    Change = Woke.

    Conversely,

    Regression = Anti-Woke

    therefore,

    Regression = Good

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)
  • [–] 7 points 1 year ago

    We all know what the 'm' stands for. If m*nkeypox has unmarketable connotations, then m-pox isn't any improvement.

    It's like when K*ntucky Fried Chicken rebranded as KFC, an initialism that officially stands for nothing. We still all know where it's from, and are either OK with that or we aren't.

  • source
  • [–] 13 points 1 year ago* (7 children)

    I’m not getting how this is anti-woke. Wasn’t it first discovered in monkeys? What does mpox mean and why is that better? Can someone explain?

  • source
  • hideshow 7 child comments
  • [–] 7 points 1 year ago

    It was first found in monkeys, but actually originated in rodents. It should technically be rodentpox.

    Also, racists and homophobes used it to create stigma against gay men. In was/is particularly prevalent in that group. There were rumours that you caught it from sex with monkeys.

    Basically it was renamed to pull the teeth of a nasty and insulting use, and to break a misunderstanding on its source.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago* (5 children)

    I mean the article does a pretty good job.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    Does it? It seems like its actually obscuring the fact that actually the technical name for the species is Orthopoxvirus monkeypox.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago* (3 children)

    Does the fact the technical name is wrong because of how it was wrongly classified just go right over your head then…?

    It came from rodents, it should be Orthopoxvirus rodentpox. And the article explains THAT. Sheesh it’s like you people can’t stand that something was wrong and is trying to be corrected, because of all the other drama.

    Again, this was ALL well explained in the linked article.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago* (2 children)

    I linked above: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkeypox_virus

    Its been 3 years and the Wikipedia, which I consider to a most reliable source (in general). They don't use Mpox. They use Monkeypox.

    Its not a matter of anything going over any ones heads. I've at least studied these things (taxonomy and naming and nomenclature) specifically. The WHO isn't necessarily some authority who creates these kinds of mandates. There are congresses on these matters for most domains where naming is important.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago* (1 child)

    Wikipedia isn’t a source, use their sources as sources…

    And that article (yes Wikipedia is articles… and not sources) is a bloody mess anyways.

    Smallpox and monkeypox viruses are both orthopoxviruses, and the smallpox vaccine is effective against mpox if

    Symptoms of mpox in humans incl

    They don’t even know what to call it, and keep changing it throughout the article lol. So yeah, great source to use for what to call it… and cherry pick the one you want to boot!

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [+] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)
  • [+] 1 point 1 year ago* (1 child)
  • [+] 2 points 1 year ago* (1 child)
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago*

    Considering the LINKED article says that a specific agency REVERTED that change proves that completely false.

    Lmfao, don’t call someone an idiot because they point out what you missed, maybe you could learn something?

    I’ve got no horse here, I just pointed out the article covered their question. And now you are linking a (grammatically incorrect) Wikipedia article as a source. I haven’t resorted to name calling, but there’s quite a few for people acting the way you are right now.

    Agencies use the new correct term, you calling me wrong for pointing this out…? What point are you even making here then?

  • source
  • parent
  • load more comments (-1 replies)
  • load more comments (-1 replies)
  • load more comments (-1 replies)
  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    this is way to low on my list to have any fucks left for.

  • source
  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    Wait til you hear what they wanna start calling N-95 masks...

  • source
  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Outrageous!

  • source
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago

    Call it MAGApox.

    And only use archive links to access Daily Telegraph content. Like this: https://archive.is/PCDlu

  • source
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (3 children)
  • 2 comments in c/health@lemmy.world view that post
    [–] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 child)

    "Mpox" was a stupid way to solve that "problem" to begin with--what does the M stand for? They didn't rename it; they just abbreviated it. If you want to rename it, give it an actual new name.

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    From what I recall, it got stigmatized as a gay male disease by the media, the community responded with testing and vaccination; and then the media had to walk the propaganda back because the problem was poor hygiene in close quarters with strangers (ooh, bonus points for covid practice)

  • source
  • parent