Atheism Plus/Free Thought Blogs (FTB)

[theprestige]

Is it just me, or has the "stupid" thread sort of devolved into a bizarre deconstruction of the concept of insults?

http://atheismplus.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3999

I mean, get this:

It struck me recently that the word stupid sometimes carries the freight of 'inferior', like a kid assigned superior social status may be more likely to direct the word stupid at someone who doesn't have the same status. The word is straight up abilist, but can be borrowed to be used in racist, classist, and now that I think about it, ageist ways.

Congratulations, smhll: In your own perverse SJW way, you've just discovered being rude. I would say "invented", but I'm pretty confident you're at least a good 13,000 years too late to claim that achievement.

 

[H'ethetheth]

Is it just me, or has the "stupid" thread sort of devolved into a bizarre deconstruction of the concept of insults?

http://atheismplus.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3999

I mean, get this:



Congratulations, smhll: In your own perverse SJW way, you've just discovered being rude. I would say "invented", but I'm pretty confident you're at least a good 13,000 years too late to claim that achievement.

Heh. That very much reminds me of the kind of "deep" realizations friends came up with while high on weed.

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

One of my FB friends, who is in her 50s, turned me on to a pissing contest in which she'd allowed herself to be dragged regarding who the youngest and most important fashion blogger was (there was more to it than that, but that's the part that elicited my comment). I noted that the blogger was nobody who had accomplished nothing at a young age, while Emily was somebody who had accomplished something at a young age.

There's such a thing as an important fashion blogger?

 

[Foolmewunz]

Is it just me, or has the "stupid" thread sort of devolved into a bizarre deconstruction of the concept of insults?

http://atheismplus.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3999

I mean, get this:



Congratulations, smhll: In your own perverse SJW way, you've just discovered being rude. I would say "invented", but I'm pretty confident you're at least a good 13,000 years too late to claim that achievement.

Heh. That very much reminds me of the kind of "deep" realizations friends came up with while high on weed.

Well, we're in the early phases, yet. I'm personally on tenterhooks to see the approved A+ socially justicely correctly term they're going to come up with to replace "stupid". Has any short person or bald person ever been made to feel all warm and fuzzy because someone used "vertically" or "tonsorially" challenged? Everyone knows you're saying, "Hi, shorty!" or "The bald guy in the second row."

A show of hands. How many think this is just an excuse for the fact that most of them are very stupid. If they do away with the word based on some wild corruption of existentialism, then they'll magically no longer be stupid.

Wow, that's pretty stupid! >>> Not accepted. Cooler, two weeks!

**** you. I hope you die. >>> Ah, that's better.

 

[Mr. Scott]

Reading through that thread I was reminded of a kinder, gentler pre-elevatorgate world where skeptics of all persuasions joined together to further the goals of a critical thinking/skeptical young woman called "rebecca". I was a littled saddened to think of more recent events in her career as a professional skeptic...

I think the seed for her downfall was planted when she had her public wedding at TAM. That was the peak of her story arc^WP.

Up to that point, the skeptical community had been too nice and accommodating.

A bad divorce is unimaginably toxic. It was only a matter of time before the poison burst to the surface. Her poison, concocted behind the closed doors of her short marriage, has burst out into our world.

 

[zooterkin]

A bad divorce is unimaginably toxic. It was only a matter of time before the poison burst to the surface. Her poison, concocted behind the closed doors of her short marriage, has burst out into our world.

Sorry, I have no idea what you're basing that on. Yes, they've separated, and probably divorced by now; I'm not aware of any public information about it beyond that.

 

[jof]

Is RW really sutch an imortant figure, that this ad hom. gossip is neccesary?

 

[UnrepentantSinner]

There's such a thing as an important fashion blogger?

I misstated things a bit. There's a Facebook page called Humans of New York that documents the city by taking pictures of random New Yorkers (cops, busboys, street performers, business women, etc.). One photo was of a 13 or 14 year old model and fashion blogger. The tweens/teens who probably had never heard of the page started a flame/"like" war about who was the youngest fashion blogger bringing a lot of drama to the thread. My friend, who is a big fan of Humans of New York took them to task for this and thus got drawn into the battle.

She posted a transcript to a FB group to which we both belong and I offered my Emily Rosa comment. Here's a bit of the transcript and my comment (added to the transcript, not the original HoNY thread).

■Janice Isaac I'm not putting down the girl (fine, she's 13 -- huge difference), whom I said was lovely or the photograph, I'm putting down the degeneration of the comments on this page. Note the fact that the subject is repeatedly "liking" any comments the support her, and her friends, young and old, are jumping on those who don't. This isn't appropriate behavior for HoNY's wall. This is appropriate behavior for middle school. I'm disappointed to see this page becoming like a million other FB groups.
■55 minutes ago · Like · 1
■Janice Isaac Oh, and Amanda? It took me about a moment to see that you are a FB friend of the subject's, as are the other commenters who've been everywhere in this discussion. Please try to understand that some of us graduated from middle school a long time ago and don't enjoy seeing this group turned into a fan club. For a FOURTEEN year old.
■Janice Isaac correction: "liking" any comments THAT support her. (including yours, I noted)
■Ellen Stella Blair ‎@Janice Do I recall anyone asking for your opinion? You're the one spending your Sunday night behind a computer hating on a middle school student. Want to do something better with your time? You started this and you should end it. If you dont want me to have a fanclub then so be it. Society is ruined because of you- no one asked you to be here and maybe you should sit down and reevaluate your priorities. You graduated Middle School a while ago and I see you learned nothing and no respect and I'm in middle school and I still have a bigger heart than you. Sorry, but just because I'm younger doesnt mean that you have the right to be a hypocrite. Thank you.
■37 minutes ago · Like · 3
■Janice Isaac I didn't hate you. I hated the way the comments degenerated. I thought it was immature of a fight to break out. I didn't even join into this until things degenerated and you and your friends started bashing people and posting nonsense simply because people commented about other fashion bloggers. I couldn't care less about fashion blogging, preteen or otherwise. I care about the puerile crapfest that is going on on HoNY's wall. If you've been following his page, you'll know that he gets all sorts of comments, and his subjects (like Holly Von Voast) roll with them, laugh about them. They don't get a posse over to "like" all the comments they like and attack even the most minor dissenting view, like who is the youngest blogger. I mean who cares? You're young, you're doing a cool thing, enjoy that people appreciate it. Enjoy that people notice how beautiful you are. Don't bother to "like" or attack every comment you like or don't like. If you're on the internet, you should know that not everybody will agree with you. I have nothing against your blog (which I haven't seen) nor do I have anything against kids doing interesting and meaningful things. I admire kids doing interesting and meaningful things. But I've had a long-standing affection for this page and this group, and I'm sad to see it go downhill.​

---------------------

Bret Cantwell In 1998, 11 year old Emily Rosa published a paper demonstrating the inefficacy of theraputic touch in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Rosa
She is somebody who accomplished something young in life.
Ellen is a fashion blogger at 14.
She is nobody who has accomplished nothing young in life.​

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

I think the seed for her downfall was planted when she had her public wedding at TAM. That was the peak of her story arc^WP.

I had never heard of that. Seems a little "LOOK AT ME!!"

A bad divorce is unimaginably toxic. It was only a matter of time before the poison burst to the surface. Her poison, concocted behind the closed doors of her short marriage, has burst out into our world.

I'll take your word for it that it was a bad divorce, but I don't think there's any reason to suppose that there's any connection between that and Watson's public persona, unless she has made statements to that effect.

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

I misstated things a bit. There's a Facebook page called Humans of New York that documents the city by taking pictures of random New Yorkers (cops, busboys, street performers, business women, etc.). One photo was of a 13 or 14 year old model and fashion blogger. The tweens/teens who probably had never heard of the page started a flame/"like" war about who was the youngest fashion blogger bringing a lot of drama to the thread. My friend, who is a big fan of Humans of New York took them to task for this and thus got drawn into the battle.

She posted a transcript to a FB group to which we both belong and I offered my Emily Rosa comment. Here's a bit of the transcript and my comment (added to the transcript, not the original HoNY thread).

■Janice Isaac I'm not putting down the girl (fine, she's 13 -- huge difference), whom I said was lovely or the photograph, I'm putting down the degeneration of the comments on this page. Note the fact that the subject is repeatedly "liking" any comments the support her, and her friends, young and old, are jumping on those who don't. This isn't appropriate behavior for HoNY's wall. This is appropriate behavior for middle school. I'm disappointed to see this page becoming like a million other FB groups.
■55 minutes ago · Like · 1
■Janice Isaac Oh, and Amanda? It took me about a moment to see that you are a FB friend of the subject's, as are the other commenters who've been everywhere in this discussion. Please try to understand that some of us graduated from middle school a long time ago and don't enjoy seeing this group turned into a fan club. For a FOURTEEN year old.
■Janice Isaac correction: "liking" any comments THAT support her. (including yours, I noted)
■Ellen Stella Blair ‎@Janice Do I recall anyone asking for your opinion? You're the one spending your Sunday night behind a computer hating on a middle school student. Want to do something better with your time? You started this and you should end it. If you dont want me to have a fanclub then so be it. Society is ruined because of you- no one asked you to be here and maybe you should sit down and reevaluate your priorities. You graduated Middle School a while ago and I see you learned nothing and no respect and I'm in middle school and I still have a bigger heart than you. Sorry, but just because I'm younger doesnt mean that you have the right to be a hypocrite. Thank you.
■37 minutes ago · Like · 3
■Janice Isaac I didn't hate you. I hated the way the comments degenerated. I thought it was immature of a fight to break out. I didn't even join into this until things degenerated and you and your friends started bashing people and posting nonsense simply because people commented about other fashion bloggers. I couldn't care less about fashion blogging, preteen or otherwise. I care about the puerile crapfest that is going on on HoNY's wall. If you've been following his page, you'll know that he gets all sorts of comments, and his subjects (like Holly Von Voast) roll with them, laugh about them. They don't get a posse over to "like" all the comments they like and attack even the most minor dissenting view, like who is the youngest blogger. I mean who cares? You're young, you're doing a cool thing, enjoy that people appreciate it. Enjoy that people notice how beautiful you are. Don't bother to "like" or attack every comment you like or don't like. If you're on the internet, you should know that not everybody will agree with you. I have nothing against your blog (which I haven't seen) nor do I have anything against kids doing interesting and meaningful things. I admire kids doing interesting and meaningful things. But I've had a long-standing affection for this page and this group, and I'm sad to see it go downhill.​

---------------------

Bret Cantwell In 1998, 11 year old Emily Rosa published a paper demonstrating the inefficacy of theraputic touch in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Rosa
She is somebody who accomplished something young in life.
Ellen is a fashion blogger at 14.
She is nobody who has accomplished nothing young in life.​

To be honest, seeing it out of context, the whole thing seems unbelievably petty and stupid* to me.

*Or whatever the non-ablist equivalent is.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

It is interesting that people are taking side now. Shermer and Blackford et al a while ago, now Ben, Harriet, and even Novella. PZM and RW's scorched earth discourse is not gathering many new followers from the skeptic community.

I think PZ is finding that his speaking engagements are drying up. Other than Skepticon V, where he is a regular, I don't think he's spoken at any major conference in a year.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Is RW really sutch an imortant figure, that this ad hom. gossip is neccesary?

No, but we're bored and there's nothing on TV.

 

[zooterkin]

I just like the fact that Watson made an effort to post on Hall's blog just in order to say "you're beneath my attention", and Hall didn't even bother to respond. It's the most sensible use of Hall's time, it's giving Watson the level attention she deserves, and it's an almighty bitch-slap, all rolled in to one. Watson has to make an effort to tell Hall she's beneath Watson's attention, and Hall...paid her no attention.

Saw this on Facebook today, which seems relevant.

http://lifehacker.com/5986087/scien...-with-jerks-and-why-its-healthier-for-you-too

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Saw this on Facebook today, which seems relevant.

http://lifehacker.com/5986087/scien...-with-jerks-and-why-its-healthier-for-you-too

Certainly, as I've been getting older, I've found myself engaging less and less with people who straw man me, etc. I'm not always successful in doing so, but my online life is certainly smoother for it.

 

[squealpiggy]

I misstated things a bit. There's a Facebook page called Humans of New York that documents the city by taking pictures of random New Yorkers (cops, busboys, street performers, business women, etc.). One photo was of a 13 or 14 year old model and fashion blogger. The tweens/teens who probably had never heard of the page started a flame/"like" war about who was the youngest fashion blogger bringing a lot of drama to the thread. My friend, who is a big fan of Humans of New York took them to task for this and thus got drawn into the battle.

She posted a transcript to a FB group to which we both belong and I offered my Emily Rosa comment. Here's a bit of the transcript and my comment (added to the transcript, not the original HoNY thread).

■Janice Isaac I'm not putting down the girl (fine, she's 13 -- huge difference), whom I said was lovely or the photograph, I'm putting down the degeneration of the comments on this page. Note the fact that the subject is repeatedly "liking" any comments the support her, and her friends, young and old, are jumping on those who don't. This isn't appropriate behavior for HoNY's wall. This is appropriate behavior for middle school. I'm disappointed to see this page becoming like a million other FB groups.
■55 minutes ago · Like · 1
■Janice Isaac Oh, and Amanda? It took me about a moment to see that you are a FB friend of the subject's, as are the other commenters who've been everywhere in this discussion. Please try to understand that some of us graduated from middle school a long time ago and don't enjoy seeing this group turned into a fan club. For a FOURTEEN year old.
■Janice Isaac correction: "liking" any comments THAT support her. (including yours, I noted)
■Ellen Stella Blair ‎@Janice Do I recall anyone asking for your opinion? You're the one spending your Sunday night behind a computer hating on a middle school student. Want to do something better with your time? You started this and you should end it. If you dont want me to have a fanclub then so be it. Society is ruined because of you- no one asked you to be here and maybe you should sit down and reevaluate your priorities. You graduated Middle School a while ago and I see you learned nothing and no respect and I'm in middle school and I still have a bigger heart than you. Sorry, but just because I'm younger doesnt mean that you have the right to be a hypocrite. Thank you.
■37 minutes ago · Like · 3
■Janice Isaac I didn't hate you. I hated the way the comments degenerated. I thought it was immature of a fight to break out. I didn't even join into this until things degenerated and you and your friends started bashing people and posting nonsense simply because people commented about other fashion bloggers. I couldn't care less about fashion blogging, preteen or otherwise. I care about the puerile crapfest that is going on on HoNY's wall. If you've been following his page, you'll know that he gets all sorts of comments, and his subjects (like Holly Von Voast) roll with them, laugh about them. They don't get a posse over to "like" all the comments they like and attack even the most minor dissenting view, like who is the youngest blogger. I mean who cares? You're young, you're doing a cool thing, enjoy that people appreciate it. Enjoy that people notice how beautiful you are. Don't bother to "like" or attack every comment you like or don't like. If you're on the internet, you should know that not everybody will agree with you. I have nothing against your blog (which I haven't seen) nor do I have anything against kids doing interesting and meaningful things. I admire kids doing interesting and meaningful things. But I've had a long-standing affection for this page and this group, and I'm sad to see it go downhill.​

■ Eloise McSparky You know who else hated middle school bloggers? HITLER!​

 

[Mr. Scott]

Is RW really sutch an imortant figure, that this ad hom. gossip is neccesary?

Are you arguing that she's unimportant, and doesn't deserve the attention she craves?

Or, should her privacy be respected, even though she made a spectacle of her marriage, and a private encounter in an elevator?

Tracing the poison to its source is a worthwhile endeavour, and it can always be traced to an individual's heart and painful past.

 

[tsig]

Is RW really sutch an imortant figure, that this ad hom. gossip is neccesary?

Clearly RW is the Atheist Anti-Christ.

 

[tsig]

Are you arguing that she's unimportant, and doesn't deserve the attention she craves?

Or, should her privacy be respected, even though she made a spectacle of her marriage, and a private encounter in an elevator?

Tracing the poison to its source is a worthwhile endeavour, and it can always be traced to an individual's heart and painful past.

Continually drinking that poison with relish isn't.

ETA: RW told a guy "don't do that" and the world of penile enabled exploded.

 

[jof]

Are you arguing that she's unimportant, and doesn't deserve the attention she craves?

Or, should her privacy be respected, even though she made a spectacle of her marriage, and a private encounter in an elevator?

Tracing the poison to its source is a worthwhile endeavour, and it can always be traced to an individual's heart and painful past.

Yes, yes, no.

 

[squealpiggy]

Continually drinking that poison with relish isn't.

But if you are going to drink poison you may as well drink it with relish. Or at least hot sauce.