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PZ: WTF?

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  • 08-04-2015 2:06am
    #1
    bnt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,973 ✭✭✭✭


    Atheist Ireland publicly dissociates itself from the harmful and hateful rhetoric of PZ Myers
    Atheist Ireland is publicly dissociating itself from the hurtful and dehumanising, hateful and violent, unjust and defamatory rhetoric of the atheist blogger PZ Myers. The final of many, many straws were his latest smear that Ayaan Hirsi Ali is ‘happily exploiting atrocities’, and his subsequent description of Atheist Ireland’s chairperson as ‘the Irish wanker’. We are also asking all ethical organisations and individuals to consider how you can help to reverse his harmful impact on both individuals and the atheist movement generally.

    I haven't kept up with most atheism blogs for a few years now - the whole "Atheism+" thing was a bit OTT - so I had no idea he'd gotten quite that openly hostile. He was nice enough when he visited UCD back in 2010 or thereabouts. Weird.

    From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch’.

    — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut



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    #2
    Turtwig
    Registered Users Posts: 26,578 ✭✭✭✭Turtwig


    There was a time I used to follow his blog. Then I realised that he was total asshat acting the plank. His problem was that steadfast supporters would support him no matter what. Others would oppose him vigorously. This opposition just polarised him into becoming this batsh1t insane unempathetic soapbox. That's he a person of notable standing in academia makes this all the more saddening. Does anyone remember his scientific blog posts on weird and wonderful creatures? They were something. Now he's quite the something and that something is not positive, it's not even wrong, it's fractally wrong.

    Such a shame too. :(


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    #3
    pauldla
    Registered Users Posts: 2,247 ✭✭✭pauldla


    bnt wrote: »
    Atheist Ireland publicly dissociates itself from the harmful and hateful rhetoric of PZ Myers



    I haven't kept up with most atheism blogs for a few years now - the whole "Atheism+" thing was a bit OTT - so I had no idea he'd gotten quite that openly hostile. He was nice enough when he visited UCD back in 2010 or thereabouts. Weird.

    Aul PZ needs to take a chill pill or two, it seems. From that AI article it seems there is nobody he hasn't taken a pop at.

    Solidarity! Je suis Irish Wanker!


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    #4
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    He's lucky he's in the kind of circles that don't believe in smacking the head off an obvious dickhead. Personally I always thought he was cringeworthy, but had no idea he'd become some enraged joke.


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    #5
    Kidchameleon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Kidchameleon


    Dawkins is slowly heading down this Route too


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    #6
    K4t
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,362 ✭✭✭K4t


    Nodin wrote: »
    He's lucky he's in the kind of circles that don't believe in smacking the head off an obvious dickhead. Personally I always thought he was cringeworthy, but had no idea he'd become some enraged joke.
    What kind of circles do you circulate in>?!


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    #7
    MaxWig
    Registered Users Posts: 1,025 ✭✭✭MaxWig


    Turtwig wrote: »
    There was a time I used to follow his blog. Then I realised that he was total asshat acting the plank. His problem was that steadfast supporters would support him no matter what. Others would oppose him vigorously. This opposition just polarised him into becoming this batsh1t insane unempathetic soapbox. (

    In fairness - as soon as an atheist has 'followers', you know they're in trouble.

    And really, it's them I feel for - they must feel pretty lost at the moment.


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    #8
    robindch
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 24,406 Mod ✭✭✭✭robindch


    bnt wrote: »
    [...] I had no idea he'd gotten quite that openly hostile [...]
    The final wheel came off last year sometime when Michael Nugent tried, very peaceably, to ask him to justify or withdraw some remarks he made. PZ did neither and simply became abusive. I gave up following the A+ nonsense years ago and just browsing around the forum + site, it seems to have died a slow, quiet death.

    Seems to me that PZ's just shouting to his own, small choir at this stage. Which is a pity as he was good and interesting in his heyday.


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    #9
    Turtwig
    Registered Users Posts: 26,578 ✭✭✭✭Turtwig


    MaxWig wrote: »
    In fairness - as soon as an atheist has 'followers', you know they're in trouble.

    And really, it's them I feel for - they must feel pretty lost at the moment.

    Em, wut? People follow blogs all the time. That doesn't make them 'followers' in a religious sense. If they are then I'm a huge disciple of the Cancellation Bear at tvbynumbers.


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    #10
    SpaceTime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,088 ✭✭✭SpaceTime


    I'm a bit disappointed that AI quoted and referenced him in their statement.

    A simple statement distancing themselves would have had more impact without giving him extra publicity!


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    #11
    Brian Shanahan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,232 ✭✭✭Brian Shanahan


    Kidchameleon wrote: »
    Dawkins is slowly heading down this Route too

    Yeah, and I'm a turtle.

    You never fail to attempt to smear famous people who don't agree with you do you? Try, for once in your life, in engaging in a discussion by making substantive, valid and contributory points please. It may liberate you, I know it would be a pleasent change of pace for me to see one.


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    #12
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,129 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    c'mon, dawkins is a divisive figure. he's managed to avoid controversy for the last few months, which is good going for him.


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    #13
    robindch
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 24,406 Mod ✭✭✭✭robindch


    Friendly Atheist, Hemant Mehta, says it is no wonder Atheist Ireland wants nothing to do with PZ Myers:

    http://atheist.ie/2015/04/friendly-atheist-hemant-mehta-pz-myers/


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    #14
    Links234
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,944 ✭✭✭✭Links234


    I'll be honest, I don't dislike PZ Myers, just today I was reading his response to the whole Hugo awards debacle, and found it a pretty good read: http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/04/09/the-sad-puppies-are-goddamned-idiots/

    However, I can certainly see why he rubs people the wrong way, and in general is an asshole and/or absorbed in his own cult of personality.


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    #15
    K4t
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,362 ✭✭✭K4t


    Brian Shanahan wrote: »
    Yeah, and I'm a turtle.

    You never fail to attempt to smear famous people who don't agree with you do you? Try, for once in your life, in engaging in a discussion by making substantive, valid and contributory points please. It may liberate you, I know it would be a pleasent change of pace for me to see one.
    I was banned, now I'm free, you made a believer out of me.


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    #16
    nozzferrahhtoo
    Registered Users Posts: 9,340 ✭✭✭nozzferrahhtoo


    To see how well PZ could debate on specific subjects at least one only needs to listen to this link. He is a quick wit. Powerful mind in many ways. And many of his blog posts, especially the ones where he deconstructs published papers or interprets them.... are immensely useful.

    As a long time follower of his blog for those reasons I can certainly say his interaction with people he does not like from his blog has been little more than childish invective many times. And given his usenet history this is no surprise. It is tragic in a way. There is a reason he rose to prominence and there is a reason he is falling. But both of those things have been parallel for some time. But no one ever sees both at any one time. The focus is generally on one or the other.

    I would never stand up and defend him, I would never hold the salt when reading him. But I will never unsub from his blog either. There is a gem or two. And I will read his book some day. When it is GIVEN to me. I dont think ill pay for it :) But I will read it closely when I get it free.

    Sorry to see the personal feud between him and Nugent has been elevated to an AI level though. Not sure how many members really knew, cared or consented to that, even if it is the right move. The Majority of posts on the AI FB page in response to the public rejection has been along the lines of "Thats great.... can we hear no more about him now?"


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