ICYMI: A Vaccine Is Not a Personality

Published: April 14, 2021, 9 a.m.

On this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher look at the way the COVID vaccines have seemed to develop online personalities. They discuss how the memes and merch inspired by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson can actually encourage vaccine hesitancy\u2014which is all the more disappointing since there are actually some pretty\xa0informative TikToks\xa0out there about COVID-19. Next, they speak to a few Slatesters who might not have purchased vaxx merch but definitely made their own reckless online purchases, by buying things through targeted Instagram ads. Do these impulse buys ever bring us the joy we think they will?\nPodcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.\nSupport ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads.\xa0Sign up\xa0to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices