You know that from the nursery: The sentence “Please clean up!” doesn’t necessarily get more convincing the more you say it. After the third request at the latest, the probability that something will happen soon decreases, one could say: exponentially.
The federal government’s vaccination campaign feels very similar. When Jens Spahn presented his new “action week”, which sounded slightly like a fast-food restaurant, at a press conference last Wednesday, he said it three times in a row: Only “vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate!” So, if someone doesn’t know yet: Please get vaccinated now.
It could almost be a little bit funny if it wasn’t so urgent and sad. According to current models, the vaccination rate and vaccination rate are too low to reliably prevent the hospitals from being overburdened in autumn and to provide good protection for those who cannot (yet) be vaccinated. Even so, far fewer people have been vaccinated than the polls say they want.
However, Jens Spahn completely lacks empathy for those he wants to convince
Why is that? And why is it so slow to reach people? Although one tries creatively to stalk a wide variety of groups with activities from # arm-high-Uschi Glas to Tik-Tok selfie Sandra, from reward bratwurst to theater vouchers or parking lot vaccinations at Kik?
Part of the answer may be found in the nursery. The place where the attempt to convince people who are not in the mood for something alternately with very different methods is practiced most excessively. First people are asked, encouraged, discussed – and then scolded, threatened or blackmailed.
Everyone knows how quickly such back and forth wears out. If the offspring nevertheless cooperate in the end, it is seldom the result of the last abuse attack but rather the fundamental appreciation and empathy that shine through in families in good moments.
However, Jens Spahn completely lacks empathy for those he wants to convince. After understanding the concerns of some unvaccinated people at the press conference and after Spahn called on them to “go with us”, a few minutes later he called them “vaccine muffle” who “in case of doubt may have two thoughts” should – and once more publicly declared them stupid.