- When given accurate and credible information, people who were previously misinformed will generally reject that accurate information and believe their misinformation more strongly than before. That is even true when the misinformation borders on the absurd.
Tribalism plays into that big-time, that perception that the group you value belonging to holds a position so you should, too. As a conservative and big fan of the COVID-19 vaccines, I was saddened at how many people bought into misinformation on that.
That said, threads on medical forms don't wrap up with mutual agreement in large part because of the old adage - 'Where you stand on an issue depends on where you sit.'
The dive operators don't want customers who are at high risk to die (stressful, inconvenient and disruptive) or sue (even worse). Just what entails 'high' risk isn't always clear, aside from 'higher than fit young people.'
The insurance companies covering dive operators don't want those customers, either, since they run up business costs.
Neither seems terribly concerned about the desire of those customers to go diving. Either would prefer an official medical clearance to dive, to bar some people from diving and shift liability for others on the healthcare person.
Many divers who those two would consider high risk believe it's rightfully their own prerogative and choose to dive (for varied reasons; perhaps some are in denial, but some accept the risks). They're not terribly concerned about how their potential death might impact the op. or insurance company (not that they think they're probably going to die). Taking time off to go see care givers, paying co-pays, etc... (especially when the condition is minor and this would be done solely to check a box) may not appeal.
Everyone (dive op., insurance company, diver) is a stakeholder with a legitimate rationale acting in accordance with his/her/its own best interest. I think that's more the core issue than misinformation.
