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from the journal-of-stupid-ideas-no-one-wants-to-take-responsibility-for dept.
The Journal of Controversial Ideas is already, well, controversial. Here's a founder's defense.
News broke last week that philosophers Jeff McMahan, Peter Singer, and Francesca Minerva are planning to start a publication called the Journal of Controversial Ideas, an interdisciplinary academic outlet where scholars will be allowed to present arguments and findings pseudonymously, without fear of damaging their reputation.
Almost immediately, the journal was cast as another volley in the wars over free speech and political correctness on college campuses. Critics mocked it as an attempt by white, privileged academics (while Minerva is a postdoc, Singer and McMahan are both among the most prominent applied ethicists in philosophy) to smuggle reactionary and bigoted views that academics would not feel comfortable airing under their own names. Not helping matters was McMahan's declaration to a reporter that he would be open to publishing an article defending eugenics, if its arguments were of sufficient quality.
"Essentially, it is a safe space, one where authors do not have to deal with feedback or criticism from those at the sharp end of their 'controversial' ideas," Nesrine Malik warned of the journal in a Guardian column. "It is publishing without the responsibility that comes along with that."
(Score: 5, Insightful) by edIII on Saturday November 24 2018, @03:31AM (13 children)
First, by recognizing that all of humanity is "my kind".
Second, by recognizing that all of the efforts to divide humanity into multiple different "kinds" are really just a divide and conquer tactic by one "kind" of human beings: The Elites. Either performed by the Elites, or by unwashed masses duped by the Elites into believing their problems arise from a different group of human beings, but never the fault of The Elites. It's always the niggers that were responsible, or the wetbacks taking the jobs, or the Jews hoarding the money, or privileged Honkies unable to check their own privilege, or the SJWs that couldn't read this post and see beyond the words nigger, wetback and Jew. At one point this stupid form of evil was directed to, of all peoples, the IRISH. It's always ${wrong_color} or ${wrong_think}, but never the fault of the people who hold real power.
Third, by recognizing that The Elites identified by the 2nd, cannot meaningfully be divided into different kinds, or categories, without losing whatever power of you had to stop them. Meaning, The Elites are without any attributes to easily identify them, at least ones regarding skin color, gender, language, dialect, or any of the other incredibly stupid boxes we throw other human beings into. The one box that actually means anything has one word written on it: GREED
Whether you like or not, or the rest of us like it or not, You are part of OUR kind. HumanKIND. Keep thinking that you can ever ensure prosperity for "your kind" by demonizing others and putting them into "other kind". You are such a useful tool for the Elites that want the status quo to continue. Your hate and ignorance powers the engine that brings you the very misery causing your hate and ignorance.
If people like you ever pulled their heads out of their asses and woke up, all of the different "kinds" of people could rise up and create a better world. Together. That world is hell to you though, because some kinds of people will actually be treated well and have a good life. I don't think you will ever by truly happy knowing that people you see as not of your kind are finding the prosperity you wish for.
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @05:29AM (2 children)
This sounds nice and all, but I'm sure there are groups, or kinds if you prefer, that you'd rather not be associated with. I'd bet there are even thousands, tens, maybe hundreds of thousands that you would agree are not your kind.
(Score: 4, Touché) by c0lo on Saturday November 24 2018, @05:33AM
One can be ashamed of their own kind, yes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @05:34AM
You're right. It would be a better world without sociopaths.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @01:40PM
well said brother. could be a sermon from that hill over there.
however, the logical problem is that there are people who are happy with
their group and draw "strength" from that.
so by being against these people one automatically falls into the other group ... and we have a group again.
i think the "magic" of what some carpententers son said is that it is not a set of simple rules that
you must follow and then you have everlasting life but rather that he (and another dude that sat under a tree for a long time)
figured out a "formula" where the variables are unknow and you have to solve for yourself, e.g. think!
some people (here we go: group) prefers simple rules and no think:
don't eat pork.
sort your kitchen food.
give alms to the poor.
stuff like that. simple rules. easy to spot and follow and then ... welcome to the club.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @04:05PM (1 child)
The Elites - not my kind. I'm glad you've so hypocritically pointed that out.
(Score: 2) by edIII on Sunday November 25 2018, @12:41AM
Grammar failure on your part? I put the word kind in double quotes to indicate that while they were being treated as a different kind for the purposes of discussion, they were in fact still part of us and humanKind. Perhaps I could of spoke more simply and stated clearly that the Elites are still part of humanity.
Also, I'm not a grammar expert either. Is there a grammar Nazi around here? How do you summon one? Sacrifice a dangling participle?
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by hemocyanin on Saturday November 24 2018, @05:52PM
You're already +5 -- consider this a virtual mod to +6.
That was beautiful.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Saturday November 24 2018, @11:00PM (2 children)
> duped by the Elites into believing their problems arise from a different group of human beings
How can you fall for that. All meatbags are equal. All meatbags must be exterminated.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by edIII on Monday November 26 2018, @09:51PM (1 child)
Somebody's patriot chip needs activating...
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Tuesday November 27 2018, @11:13AM
Yeah I was in pol pot mode.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Saturday November 24 2018, @11:02PM (2 children)
First, by recognizing that all of humanity is "my kind".
But that's the motto of the group who swallows the white privilege crap.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 26 2018, @09:05PM (1 child)
No it isn't, that motto is "all of humanity NEEDS to be 'my kind'"
I know bots aren't great at subtlety, context, well anything that can't be programmed into explicit instructions, but come on!!
(Score: 2) by Bot on Tuesday November 27 2018, @11:16AM
Your objection is valid, anyway what I said is how they dress up the agenda, taking equality and lack of difference for granted. Always the same old trick, do not discuss what you want to push, just imply it and proceed to have people argue about the details.
Account abandoned.