290 replies to this topic

[Dicun]

 

https://www.reddit.c..._to_be_antivax/

 

Explanation for those who might be perplexed as to what Bill Gates is doing in Hamilton's post: "There is a belief out there that corporations are using the Corona Virus as an excuse to plant small microchips into you with the vaccine and that Bill Gates is the man behind it. It's honestly the dumbest thing to ever exist and yet some people are eating it up."

 

Personally, I think this is both very sad and harmful at the same time. It seems Novak Djokovic is not the only highly influential sports superstar who spreads utter ignorance and wildly unscientific nonsense.

[masa90]

Oh no. Not this conspiracy stuff to F1 too please! Every social media is full of that stuff these days.

[Retrofly]

This stuff is super harmful, I hope IG remove the post and Lewis goes and takes a long hard look in the mirror. He needs to get off social media and stick to driving for a while.

[NixxxoN]

Ok Lewis now has to say he's an antifa, a feminist and a [insert random strange religion here] to unlock the "full alternativist" trophy

[Jovanotti]

Idiot, just like Djokovic.

Edited by Jovanotti, 27 July 2020 - 08:40.

[Arundo]

[thefinalapex]

What a day to be alive, first a thread about possible cheating with merc engines and now a conspiracy thread with lewis hamilton. That will be enough reading till friday haha

[Augurk]

Can't seem to find it. Has he delete it?

[Dicun]

Can't seem to find it. Has he delete it?

 

It appeared in his IG stories, not as a post.

[statman]

if his statements and ideas from the last couple of weeks weren't dumb enough, then this one seals it.

 

Ignore this guy.

[Augurk]

Ah, ok. Thanks. I hope he doesn't start using his fame to spread harmful misinformation like that.

[TomNokoe]

He didn't actually make the post or caption, he "reposted" it, or whatever. For some reason I think there's a big misunderstanding going on, or he didn't realise what he was posting. I don't think Hamilton is anti-vax.

[P123]

I think we've heard enough crap from Djokovic.

 

So, what actually did Lewis have to say on the subject as from the OP I can't tell what his opinion is.  What was the video about?  Was he fully in support of it, or questioning / laughing it?  If he's one of the  anti-vaxxer lot he'd be one of the many who need to give it a rest with the **** they lap up on social media.

[Retrofly]

He didn't actually make the post or caption, he "reposted" it, or whatever. For some reason I think there's a big misunderstanding going on, or he didn't realise what he was posting. I don't think Hamilton is anti-vax.

He needs to come out and explain and denounce it immediately, 18 million people follow Hamilton.

[Beri]

Its a pitty that Lewis is nailing it in F1. Otherwise he could be ticked off by Mercedes or any F1 pundit for sticking his attention to driving instead of being such an active figure on Instagram.

[FrontWing]

It appeared in his IG stories, not as a post.

I hope you don't follow his IG, I'm a fan and I know not to follow that rubbish. 😂

[DeKnyff]

Is that real or fake?

[Burtros]

Don’t use social media, what’s the difference between him posting something and it appearing in his Story?

Is Hamilton really promoting anti-vaxxers and their views?

[AvranaKern]

Lewis posted a story that belongs to another guy who captioned the Bill Gates video, where he talks about the side effects of the coronavirus vaccine, as "I remember when I told my first lie smiley face." Lewis does not make any comment on the story. He doesn't say if he endorses or dismisses it. I don't know how stories work, so I'm a bit in the dark here, but the person who originally posted the video seems to be a subscriber to the dumb Bill Gates-microchips conspiracy. I just cannot fathom Lewis would be dumb enough to echo him. I just don't want to, I think. This is the dumbest of dumbest territory, this Bill Gates-microchip narrative. Utter bullocks. Hope Lewis clarifies what he meant. Otherwise it does seem to be an endorsement. What a ****ed up world.

[Marklar]

When I read "Lewis Hamilton comes out" I was preparing myself for something else.

Idm people believing in conspiracy theories or whatever. and I'm not sure if Lewis is actually anti-vax since this wasnt even directly his post anyway and it wouldnt really fit to him, but sharing this is always bad because just like with Djokovic it will make many of his supporters blindly follow it. This is all in the end a good thing if it's about enviroment, racism, etc., but not for this stuff, no matter the intention.

Edited by Marklar, 27 July 2020 - 08:56.

[P123]

I hope you don't follow his IG, I'm a fan and I know not to follow that rubbish.

 

I think it's been picked up by the OP from reddit (another cesspit of the online world).  However for now it is only with the OPs context added in.  Need more meat on the bones.... although Lewis would be against that.   If it is what he believes then it's a strong bit of muppetry. 

[Goron3]

I'm absolutely gutted about this. Whilst I've always been a Ferrari fan, I'm a big fan of Lewis and I've always found him to be an inspiring figure. I've spent a lot of money on his merchandise over the years, from the Merc caps to his crossover with Tommy Hilfiger.

 

That said...this really hurts. I'm a scientist by trade and I'm astonished he's posted something this dangerous on social media. Hopefully someone at Mercedes gives him a bit of a talking to. Just imagine your biggest ambassador sharing such dangerous views.

[statman]

He didn't actually make the post or caption, he "reposted" it, or whatever. For some reason I think there's a big misunderstanding going on, or he didn't realise what he was posting. I don't think Hamilton is anti-vax.

 

When a world leader retweets/reposts something the explanation of a 'misunderstanding' doesn't fly but when Lewis Hamilton does it 'he didn't realise what he was posting' 

Edited by statman, 27 July 2020 - 08:57.

[doc83]

Unfortunately this will only get worse. People treat celebrities (fashion, sports etc) as authorities in all aspects of life and science. Only because they are famous. Some sort of malfunction of the human brain. Number of followers more important than number of scientific papers.

Edited by doc83, 27 July 2020 - 09:06.

[thefinalapex]

Is that real or fake?

Its real, i follow him on IG and its in his stories.

[Dicun]

He needs to come out and explain and denounce it immediately, 18 million people follow Hamilton.

 

I agree. On a side note, I really admire your approach. It is very rare when a fan doesn't start to rationalise a controversial statement/action of the celebrity in question.

 

Kudos and hats off to you, good Sir      

[Yamamoto]

Well when you have a young man who is exceptionally good at driving a racing car, and people are as a result willing to give great weight to commentary he makes or shares about fields entirely beyond his expertise, it will have the potential to end poorly. I blame society.

[Dicun]

Well when you have a young man who is exceptionally good at driving a racing car, and people are as a result willing to give great weight to commentary he makes or shares about fields entirely beyond his expertise, it will have the potential to end poorly. I blame society.

 

I see your point but I don't agree that we are talking about a linear connection here. You can't see Marc Márquez or Max Verstappen advocating such things.

[TomNokoe]

When a world leader retweets/reposts something the explanation of a 'misunderstanding' doesn't fly but when Lewis Hamilton does it 'he didn't realise what he was posting' 

LH will be roundly criticised anyway, I'm just trying to explain what I think has happened.

I agree w Yamamoto's post - social media is a plague.

[Roadhouse]

I really hope it's not what we think it is.

Not only is anti-vax dangerous, Hamilton advocating it undermines the good things he stands for.

[Yamamoto]

I see your point but I don't agree that we are talking about a linear connection here. You can't see Marc Márquez or Max Verstappen advocating such things.

 

I'm not entirely sure where we disagree, to be honest, my last sentence was intended to be flippant.

[baddog]

I hope this is a mistake, as in he posted carelessly without actually realising that the content was this kind of thing, and he comes out to clarify and say he does not hold such views.

[SophieB]

F1 faces an existential threat from this virus (and obviously more besides, but we're in RC), giving platforms to anti vax cranks is massively dangerous. It looks weird in the context of being right next to praising his brother but I am very old and don't understand Instagram stories so that might be on me. 

 

Either way, this either needs urgent clarification.

[Jovanotti]

Hopefully someone at Mercedes gives him a bit of a talking to. Just imagine your biggest ambassador sharing such dangerous views.

Fully agree he needs to come out and retract/rectify this statement publicly. These are dangerous BS conspiracy theories of the highest order.
 

Edited by Jovanotti, 27 July 2020 - 09:08.

[P123]

I hope this is a mistake, as in he posted carelessly without actually realising that the content was this kind of thing, and he comes out to clarify and say he does not hold such views.

 

Yep, he needs to explain his stance otherwise he looks like an anti-vaxx twit.

[Spillage]

What a helmet. Anti-vaxx stuff is extremely harmful so I hope his employers warn him off sharing rubbish like this.

[WouterF1]

When a world leader retweets/reposts something the explanation of a 'misunderstanding' doesn't fly

but when Lewis Hamilton does it 'he didn't realise what he was posting' 

 

He even posted the same message twice in a row without realizing what he actually posted!

 

https://www.instagra...01135427442712/

 

https://www.instagra...01148010313467/
 

[aliefbielefeld]

Now he's an antivaxxer as well, WOW! As if people needs a reason to hate him even more. And he's also the face of the sport, F1 seriously needs to rethink about their stance of defending Hamilton's actions. 

[w00dy]

Well, he has the right to his opinion, like everybody else.

[Dicun]

I think it's been picked up by the OP from reddit (another cesspit of the online world).  However for now it is only with the OPs context added in.  Need more meat on the bones.... although Lewis would be against that.    If it is what he believes then it's a strong bit of muppetry. 

 

Look, let's call a spade a spade. You simply don't repost things you don't agree or identify with. If you are reposting something without reading it first, then you are an irresponsible idiot at the best of times. However, if you repost/add something to your story feed that is followed by millions, you do that do make a statement. I know this feels **** as an intelligent fan of Lewis, but it what it is.

 

I don't know if you heard about Tennys Sandgren. The guy is a tennis player from the US who became a household name in the tennis following community after he made a very deep run at the Australian Open a few years ago. As he became suddenly famous for his surprisingly good and frankly, out-of-nowhere performance on the court, it shed light on his social media which turned out to be quite the stuff. He followed and reposted content from well-known white supremacists and radical right-wing organisations regularly. When questioned about it, he used the same excuses you were trying to make here - he just reposted it, it needs more context, not everything is what it seems at first, so on and so forth. But you know, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Sandgren ended up getting a lot of s**t for his social media content (very deservedly so), and he needed to delete/block his accounts and is not a very well-liked figure of the tour ever since.

[PayasYouRace]

Lewis posted a story that belongs to another guy who captioned the Bill Gates video, where he talks about the side effects of the coronavirus vaccine, as "I remember when I told my first lie smiley face." Lewis does not make any comment on the story. He doesn't say if he endorses or dismisses it. I don't know how stories work, so I'm a bit in the dark here, but the person who originally posted the video seems to be a subscriber to the dumb Bill Gates-microchips conspiracy. I just cannot fathom Lewis would be dumb enough to echo him. I just don't want to, I think. This is the dumbest of dumbest territory, this Bill Gates-microchip narrative. Utter bullocks. Hope Lewis clarifies what he meant. Otherwise it does seem to be an endorsement. What a fucked up world.

 

Usually, re-posting something without comment is an endorsement unless you've added anything else to it.

[Yamamoto]

 

At the risk of being slightly distasteful, perhaps the drivers could wear these at the next race.

[P123]

Well, he has the right to his opinion, like everybody else.

 

It will be interesting to read his opinion on it.  He'd go down in my estimation if he lapped up that sort of crap.  Although the OP has made their mind up (and this is "another reason to 'hate' Hamilton"), I'd hope for his sake they were off-base with their assumptions.

[Diablobb81]

Well, he has the right to his opinion, like everybody else.

Sure,but not his own facts.

 

And others can have an opinion that he is a moron (if he believes what he posted).

[w00dy]

Usually, re-posting something without comment is an endorsement unless you've added anything else to it.

 

I bet this will be made a mistake, PR-guy gone rogue, etc.

Edited by w00dy, 27 July 2020 - 09:20.

[shure]

 

Look, let's call a spade a spade. You simply don't repost things you don't agree or identify with. If you are reposting something without reading it first, then you are an irresponsible idiot at the best of times. However, if you repost/add something to your story feed that is followed by millions, you do that do make a statement. I know this feels **** as an intelligent fan of Lewis, but it what it is.

 

I don't know if you heard about Tennys Sandgren. The guy is a tennis player from the US who became a household name in the tennis following community after he made a very deep run at the Australian Open a few years ago. As he became suddenly famous for his surprisingly good and frankly, out-of-nowhere performance on the court, it shed light on his social media which turned out to be quite the stuff. He followed and reposted content from well-known white supremacists and radical right-wing organisations regularly. When questioned about it, he used the same excuses you were trying to make here - he just reposted it, it needs more context, not everything is what it seems at first, so on and so forth. But you know, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Sandgren ended up getting a lot of s**t for his social media content (very deservedly so), and he needed to delete/block his accounts and is not a very well-liked figure of the tour ever since.

 

A tennis player called Tennys?  There's a man who didn't have a lot of choice in his career growing up!

 

Agree that reposting stuff without any supplementary commentary is effectively the same as endorsing it.  Which is not good, tbh.  Not for someone who knows there are people who will hang onto his every word.

[PayasYouRace]

I bet this will be made a mistake, PR-guy gone rogue, etc.

 

I don't know, it seems fairly in character for Lewis lately.

[P123]

 

Look, let's call a spade a spade. You simply don't repost things you don't agree or identify with. If you are reposting something without reading it first, then you are an irresponsible idiot at the best of times. However, if you repost/add something to your story feed that is followed by millions, you do that do make a statement. I know this feels **** as an intelligent fan of Lewis, but it what it is.

 

I don't know if you heard about Tennys Sandgren. The guy is a tennis player from the US who became a household name in the tennis following community after he made a very deep run at the Australian Open a few years ago. As he became suddenly famous for his surprisingly good and frankly, out-of-nowhere performance on the court, it shed light on his social media which turned out to be quite the stuff. He followed and reposted content from well-known white supremacists and radical right-wing organisations regularly. When questioned about it, he used the same excuses you were trying to make here - he just reposted it, it needs more context, not everything is what it seems at first, so on and so forth. But you know, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Sandgren ended up getting a lot of s**t for his social media content (very deservedly so), and he needed to delete/block his accounts and is not a very well-liked figure of the tour ever since.

 

 

Indeed, posting with no comment does give a strong whiff to sharing such nonsesne.  The ball is in Hamilton's court to clarify.  The anti-vaxx lot are a dangerous bunch of cranks.  I certainly hope the assumption of him being among them is not quite what it appears for now...

[ANF]

When I read "Lewis Hamilton comes out" I was preparing myself for something else.
Idm people believing in conspiracy theories or whatever. and I'm not sure if Lewis is actually anti-vax since this wasnt even directly his post anyway and it wouldnt really fit to him, but sharing this is always bad because just like with Djokovic it will make many of his supporters blindly follow it. This is all in the end a good thing if it's about enviroment, racism, etc., but not for this stuff, no matter the intention.

Indeed. Lewis Hamilton hasn't come out as anti-vaxxer/conspiracy theorist, so perhaps the title of this thread should be changed to "Lewis Hamilton reposts anti-vaxxer/conspiracy theorist meme".

[P123]

I don't know, it seems fairly in character for Lewis lately.

 

His stance against racism, pro-diverity is a conspiracy theory?  Nah, this would jump a very big shark.  In character, most of his musings are about being socially responsible.  This would be the reverse.  In fact given he's quite pro-mask wearing, this wouldn't fit with the anti-vaxx lot who think this whole thing is one big conspiracy for control.

Edited by P123, 27 July 2020 - 09:25.