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Another truly terrible, poorly researched puff piece, this time out of @TelegraphUKnews, painting the letter as a cancelation attempt rather than the academic spring cleaning it is; the first line incorrectly calls him a "linguist" - embarrassing https://twitter.com/sapinker/status/1285231316838100999
"a letter asking for Pinker to be removed from the list of distinguished fellows at the Linguistic Society of America"
...and what else? Removed from the list of media contacts. Which they're going to pretend didn't happen. Journalism!
...and what else? Removed from the list of media contacts. Which they're going to pretend didn't happen. Journalism!
"an assault on his reputation that could have had a chilling effect on his field of study"
As if all of his behavior thus far hasn't been an attempt to silence people who critique his awful attempts at "intellectualism"?
Also what "field of study"? Not linguistics...
As if all of his behavior thus far hasn't been an attempt to silence people who critique his awful attempts at "intellectualism"?
Also what "field of study"? Not linguistics...
Remember, this is a guy who calls himself a cognitive scientist, who barely has anything to say about language EVER, and who has been repeatedly called out for making claims that contradict current linguistic research!
"The accusations sound terrible; the evidence was thin."
Contributing to parrot his talking points without doing any actual research, @TelegraphUKnews
Need a refresher on why each of those six points were good evidence of his misconduct? Here: https://link.medium.com/mkg9NXOrh8
Contributing to parrot his talking points without doing any actual research, @TelegraphUKnews
Need a refresher on why each of those six points were good evidence of his misconduct? Here: https://link.medium.com/mkg9NXOrh8
"a classic example of “offence archaeology”"
Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize a great and brilliant man such as Pinker should never be held accountable for things they said! Especially someone who has not retracted or entertained criticism for any of them! My bad!
Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize a great and brilliant man such as Pinker should never be held accountable for things they said! Especially someone who has not retracted or entertained criticism for any of them! My bad!
"Offence archaeology" is a gaslighting attempt, plain and simple. It is not a valid critique.
Some have accurately criticized the letter for not stating the evidence clearly enough, that's partly why I wrote that medium post. The evidence itself is good.
Some have accurately criticized the letter for not stating the evidence clearly enough, that's partly why I wrote that medium post. The evidence itself is good.
"more than 150 prominent thinkers – including Pinker... wrote an open letter against canceling"
They did not write it, TCW wrote it, in between helping his friends expel themselves from his home in the middle of the French countryside
They did not write it, TCW wrote it, in between helping his friends expel themselves from his home in the middle of the French countryside
And if you thought OUR letter was thin and poorly supported... hoo boy maybe you should read that garbage?
Then it's a bunch of unrelated crap, including this "The Harry Potter author JK Rowling, for example, would insist she is all for transgender rights, yet has been sucked into an epic online battle with trans-rights campaigners for whom she is not righteous enough."
WHAT
WHAT
Okay this thread is about Pinker and the LSA letter BUT.
The idea that you think defending JK and her absolutely heinous campaign of harassment and hate toward trans ppl is a reasonable move... you have disqualified yourself entirely from weighing in on ANY discussion.
The idea that you think defending JK and her absolutely heinous campaign of harassment and hate toward trans ppl is a reasonable move... you have disqualified yourself entirely from weighing in on ANY discussion.
. @TelegraphUKnews you need to handle your people. They are completely out to sea.
The last paragraph is about Bari Weiss, who quit her own job of her own volition because she wasn't allowed to get people fired for disagreeing with her.
The argument is... thin.
The argument is... thin.
