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Just thinking aloud about "cancel culture", "attack on a freedom of speech", and "angry mobs of leftists bullying academics".
Are there progressives who would like to silence their opponents? Of course. Are there topics that are not discussed? Yes, such as eugenics.
Are those topics not being discussed out of malice or because there is a clear and present danger of misusing this discussion? IMO, it is the latter.
Do you want to argue about DNA differences that explain 1-2% of mean IQ difference between different races? You should ask yourself "why?" Just because you feel like it? Well, that is a good reason if you discuss a neutral question like a butterfly wings' pigmentation. On the other hand, when your argument is abused by racists, supremacists and the whole other bunch of actually evil folks (and it is going to be, we still see zombie ideas from 70-ies and 80-ies that have been debunked time after time after time!) - it does harm. Actual harm to real people.
You lend your scientific and personal credibility to their cause. They can start quoting you - "Look, even Dr. So-and-so agrees with us!" They will use it to recruit more followers - and that's not a paranoia. That happens right here, right now. (It doesn't always involve hood-wearing, cross-burning hoodlums. Sometimes it is just your regular neighbors, who think they are not racist but "hey look, there is some science behind some of the claims.")
You don't think that's a problem worth mentioning and you cannot be held responsible for what those people think and do anyway? Well, then you cannot really discuss "leftists' issues" in good faith. If you decide to pick on one side's smaller-scale problem while totally ignoring much larger issues on the other side - you're not having a good faith discussion. You are shifting attention.
That may not be even your intention - but that's the impact you're making!
( Read more... )
Having said that - I would like to hear ideas on new ways to return to good faith discussions. I don't have a good solution and I would love to hear your suggestions.
Are there progressives who would like to silence their opponents? Of course. Are there topics that are not discussed? Yes, such as eugenics.
Are those topics not being discussed out of malice or because there is a clear and present danger of misusing this discussion? IMO, it is the latter.
Do you want to argue about DNA differences that explain 1-2% of mean IQ difference between different races? You should ask yourself "why?" Just because you feel like it? Well, that is a good reason if you discuss a neutral question like a butterfly wings' pigmentation. On the other hand, when your argument is abused by racists, supremacists and the whole other bunch of actually evil folks (and it is going to be, we still see zombie ideas from 70-ies and 80-ies that have been debunked time after time after time!) - it does harm. Actual harm to real people.
You lend your scientific and personal credibility to their cause. They can start quoting you - "Look, even Dr. So-and-so agrees with us!" They will use it to recruit more followers - and that's not a paranoia. That happens right here, right now. (It doesn't always involve hood-wearing, cross-burning hoodlums. Sometimes it is just your regular neighbors, who think they are not racist but "hey look, there is some science behind some of the claims.")
You don't think that's a problem worth mentioning and you cannot be held responsible for what those people think and do anyway? Well, then you cannot really discuss "leftists' issues" in good faith. If you decide to pick on one side's smaller-scale problem while totally ignoring much larger issues on the other side - you're not having a good faith discussion. You are shifting attention.
That may not be even your intention - but that's the impact you're making!
( Read more... )
Having said that - I would like to hear ideas on new ways to return to good faith discussions. I don't have a good solution and I would love to hear your suggestions.