Monday, September 19, 2011

The Measure of Virtue

Good old John Derbyshire:
I just want to point out that Micky Dolenz’s reading list also includes E.O. Wilson’s On Human Nature, a book so deeply, iredeemably politically incorrect that I quoted at length from it in We Are Doomed (p. 145).

I also told everyone’s favorite Wilson story. It bears re-telling:

Wilson featured in one of the more colorful incidents in the nature-nurture war. At an American Association for the Advancement of Science symposium in 1978, he had a pitcher of ice water dumped on his head by Culturists chanting, “Racist Wilson you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide!”

Wilson is, in short, a good egg, and I congratulate the former Monkee for his intelligent perspicacity.
Ha ha! E.O. Wilson is a good egg because people think he's racist. Similarly if I were to punch Derbyshire over and over again in the face until his nose slides around to his ear Derbyshire would become more and more angelic, but ONLY if I was yelling "RACIST!" as I did so.

The real outrage?
The Monkees’ music, though, was low-grade pap.
Thus far all comments but one concern The Monkees except for this one:
Sigmund C. Munster
: 09/19/11 16:39

Am I missing something about the story? Guy gets water dumped on him, people chant, and...? Or is that it? In which case, I don't get it.

Mr. Munster your name is fun to say out loud. Also you do not get it.

10 comments:

Smut Clyde said...

Wilson is, in short, a good egg

Also a spokesman for conservation, moving from fossil fuels to alternative energy, action on climate change, etc.
Perhaps Derbyshire follows the "parts of it are excellent" approach to eggs.

Dr.KennethNoisewater said...

Similarly if I were to punch Derbyshire over and over again in the face until his nose slides around to his ear Derbyshire would become more and more angelic, but ONLY if I was yelling "RACIST!" as I did so.


I will yell "RACIST" so you can concentrate on the punching part. But please warn before his nose starts to slide, because...ewwwww.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

This FAUX Beetles Libel shall not stand, Sir!
~

tigris said...

But please warn before his nose starts to slide, because...ewwwww.

On Derbyshire it will be an improvement.

Smut Clyde said...

But please warn before his nose starts to slide

Like the eye-migrating metamorphosis of a flatfish, it is all part of Nature's rich tapestry.

Smut Clyde said...

his intelligent perspicacity

Brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department.

Hamish Mack said...

As Joeybagels says: The Monkees were too busy singing to put anybody down.

Smut Clyde said...

If you want someone put down, bear in mind that I am not too busy singing.

fish said...

Wilson is an excellent scientist, but On Human Nature is a load of crap, and a career of excellent science may not make up for making Stephen Pinker's career possible. Wilson suffers from Harvard disease. The faculty there begins to believe they are so smart that they are qualified to comment on stuff they know jack shit about, and that their particular discipline can be used to unify all theories.

CF.

Smut Clyde said...

We can have thread devoted to "Pinker is a jerkwad" plz?