Everyone can now freely access the Internet with a smartphone and easily obtain a variety of information.
However, there is not only reliable information on the Internet, but also a lot of false and unreliable information.
For example, let us examine the effects and harmful effects of the new corona vaccine.
When searching on Google, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's website is at the top of the search results, where there is information that the vaccine is effective and has few adverse reactions or disadvantages. Subsequent search results are lined up with pages full of the same information on efficacy, symptoms of adverse reactions, etc.
On the other hand, there is very little information on the dangers of the new corona vaccine, which is a problem for experts.
Conventionally, vaccines were made from attenuated viruses (live vaccines) or dead viruses (inactivated vaccines).
After inoculation, the body produces antibodies compatible with the foreign substance as immune cells recognize it as a foreign substance and attack the vaccine.
This information is stored in the immune cells, and when infected with the same pathogen, they immediately produce antibodies to fight off the virus.
The new coronaviruses enter human cells when spike proteins bind to cell receptors.
By neutralizing the spike protein, the invasion of the virus can be prevented.
The mRNA vaccine developed this time contains a blueprint (messenger RNA) for the production of the spike protein in the cell.
When the vaccine is injected, our cells produce spike proteins after receiving the mRNA.
Immune cells act on this spike protein and produce neutralizing antibodies against the spike protein, thereby protecting the body from infection by the new coronavirus.
The problem is that mRNA vaccines are new vaccines, so it is unknown how they will affect the body.
The early new coronas spread rapidly around the world, killing many people, especially in Europe and the United States.
While it takes several years to produce a conventional vaccine, the mRNA vaccine can be made in large quantities in a short period of time, so it was approved and vaccination began as an emergency evacuation.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare says there is no problem at this time, but on the other hand, some experts say there is a problem.
They say that many people have experienced adverse reactions that have resulted in serious conditions or residual aftereffects.
It would be crazy not to be concerned about one's cells being mutated by a vaccine made with genetic technology.
However, I suspect that many people, including myself, were vaccinated without understanding the mechanism of this vaccine.
What should we believe when we are informed of such a problem?
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) is a national agency and can be trusted to some extent, but it cannot be placed in full confidence since it has made wrong decisions in the past on drug-related issues.
The media, such as newspapers and television, are almost always unreliable.
Even those who are considered experts vary. Some, such as "Uncle 80%," say that 400,000 people will die if nothing is done about the new coronas.
Then, you have to gather as much reliable information as you can by yourself and make a final decision based on your own thinking.
This is where the ability to read, write, and do arithmetic becomes important.
It is important to read quality books on a regular basis (preferably several books in the same field to get into the habit of verifying the content), check the source of information, and read as much primary information as possible.
Next, you should train yourself to organize your mind by writing things down.
We tend to think we understand by reading, but when we try to write what we read, we realize that we understood very little.
Writing helps us understand, organize, and remember.
And "arithmetic. This does not simply refer to the ability to calculate addition, multiplication, and division. Mathematics is a tool for logical thinking by turning concrete things into abstract concepts.
I believe that developing the ability to read, write, and do arithmetic will be useful when making choices and decisions, which is, after all, the main purpose of education.
