I'm tired. A thread.

Several years ago I attended an awesome health training program. A fun exercise we did in the 12 week program was a spoon-bending workshop. It was fun. It wasn't a magic trick. Many in the large group of about 80 people bent their spoons. ...2

2/ Many years later a workshop was offered at a respected university in Canada as part of an Integrative Medicine program, and the workshop including a spoon bending exercise.

The poster for the workshop was posted on twitter and a twitter storm occurred. ...3

3/ The session was ridiculed and mocked and the organizer was dragged through the mud on twitter. As a result the workshop was cancelled and the organizer no longer had a job.

Based on my experience, I was quite incensed. I had an email exchange with a respected science ...4

4/ person who was involved in debunking the workshop. It was respectful enough, but I'm not sure the person budged on accepting my experience.

I have subsequently seen many stories about spoon bending including debunkers ridiculing the idea. Ironically, these debunkers ...5

5/ also ended up bending their spoons. This is not Uri Geller stuff. These are very short, fun exercises that make you pause and think.

I have shared my spoon bending story on twitter many times, hoping to encourage critical thinking by others ...6

6/ A science type has regularly picked up on my story and regularly posts derisive comments about spoon bending, often with a sneer directed towards me. I get several DMs every time this person posts about the topic.

The people that are slamming these workshops ...7

7/ have become recognized as "leaders in calling out misinformation". That's cool, but it seems reasonable to expect that if they're calling out misinformation, then they should be sure that it is misinformation.
..8

8/ These "leaders" regularly call out Integrative Medicine as well, debunking the entire field with a broad brush. While there are problems with charlatans and somewhat exaggerated claims in IM, it seems reasonable to expect that if they're calling out misinformation, then ...9

9/ they should be sure it's misinformation.

As a patient advocate, I have been involved in trying to improve health outcomes and reduce prevalence of chronic disease and mental illness for several years. I regularly call out misinformation as well, often coming ...10

10/ from these leaders. I am known for being respectful and I am known for being blocked for my persistent reminders against broad brush discrediting of health-related treatments & interventions that have helped many patients ...11

11/ I am well known to many of these folks and my reputation has taken a hit as a result of these people telling others that I am a "bad player".

Unlike the lady who no longer has a job at the university and left twitter as a result of the dog piling, I am still here. ..12

12/ But as I opened with, I'm tired.

I'm tired of debunkers debunking that which should not be debunked.
I'm tired of debunkers supporting that which probably should be debunked.
I'm tired of the prevalence of chronic disease and mental illness.
...13

13/ But most of all I am tired of the people trying to discredit my efforts.
I'm tired of the nastiness.
I'm tired of the vicious flying monkeys.
And I'm tired of seeing people get hurt. ...14

14/ The End

I know many people that have been targeted and hurt by these folks. Please, please, please, share this thread.

Our voices need to be heard, not ridiculed and silenced.
And nobody should lose their jobs.