Hacker News Reader

Comment by y-curious | Hacker News Reader

While you're probably right in the outcome, you probably shouldn't argue based on the genetic fallacy[1]

1: https://www.scribbr.co.uk/fallacy/the-genetic-fallacy/#:~:te...

There's a threshold where you just don't have a choice. He's made a number of obvious and verifiable health lies - most recently, he described how he can diagnose children with "mitochondrial challenges" by watching them walk around. I have a job, I don't have time to individually investigate all his health claims, the heuristic that he's a liar and everything he says is wrong will have to suffice.

What's the primary factor contributing to metabolic syndrome in children?

And are you really claiming you can't determine that factor by looking?

I don't understand the response. Kennedy didn't say "factor" or "metabolic syndrome", he said "I see these kids that are just overburdened with mitochondrial challenges". If all he meant was that many kids are visibly overweight, wouldn't he have just said that?

The charitable interpretation is that it is simply a more sensitive and accurate way to say that.

It puts aside all the big is beautiful and similar takes and points to the fact that many American kids, especially those in certain parts of the country are now afflicted with metabolic syndrome (which is closely associated with mitochondrial disfunction). It is well-known that overloading mitochondria with sugar is quite bad for them and a key contributor to type 2 diabetes.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10036395/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32428560/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4408906/

Have you heard the term “sanewashing”? I don’t think the principle of charity requires us to replace false things he did say with thematically similar things that might have been reasonable. It’s like “explaining” that a crystal healer is just referring to the stress reduction benefits of aesthetically pleasing knickknacks.

My take is that overall he's right. The obesity epidemic should be our primary heath focus. Heart disease and obesity are the primary killers of americans.

You can in fact determine a huge percentage of americans including children are incredibly unhealthy just by looking. Increased focus on exercise and negative incentives on soft drinks and sugary beverages does seem like a major step in the right direction.

I agree with this criticism.

If medical facts can reliably be inferred from RFK's statements, by whatever algorithm (i.e. "believe the opposite of whatever he says"), then it follows that he understands what he is talking about. Which would contradict all the evidence I've seen.

The point isn't that it's a clever truth-seeking strategy. I'm sure some number of his health claims are true! He'll probably even publish some new recommendations which were better than the old ones, and promote some accurate groundbreaking research I won't believe. I'll have plenty of time to learn the accurate stuff later when HHS isn't dedicated to convincing me of nonsense.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com