Released tape shows Tim Hunt was joking

[kyoloco]

im learning new words tonight

[Deleted]

Even if it wasn't a joke, this should've never happened to begin with. That's the real joke.

[Wells]

Humor can help connect you with the audience. His may have been in poor taste in some people's opinions, but it's a joke none the less and not meant to be taken literally.

I see we'll continue to disagree on this no matter what the other says, so best to just end it here, Nixx.

No one is arguing its meant to be taken literally. I'm not sure why you keep harping on that point. The groups that severed ties felt his choices were unprofessional.

[Kasierith]

I would agree if it wasn't in the setting that it was in. But since he was making a toast and doing a speech, I see it as just a joke. Jokes aren't meant to be taken seriously. You get that, right?

A good comedian knows that there's a delicate line between offending people just enough to get them indignant enough to loosen up and laugh, and going over the line to hitting on their true feelings and invoking a negative reaction. He's worked in the profession long enough that he should know the sensitivity of the topic; there are very real problems of sexism in the hard sciences, particularly in physics engineering and math, that present barriers for many women all around the world. If this was a meant as a joke, that's nice... it doesn't change that it landed badly and hit a rather sore spot in the profession, and that it was meant as a joke does not excuse its effects.

And all of this builds into it was unprofessional. Which is what he was dismissed for. He was not dismissed for being sexist or whatever; he was dismissed because he made a very edgy public comment that was inappropriate for someone in his position and in that setting.

If someone isn't an actual comedian with a basic understanding of how to entertain an audience, they should stay away from edgy comedy.

[Wells]

Winter Blossom, out of curiosity, what do you do for a living?

[Deleted]

Winter Blossom, out of curiosity, what do you do for a living?

Probably fellatio.

Infracted - inappropriate

[Kasierith]

One of my gen ed requirements is a class that teaches you how to give speeches. It's like a 101 class. They straight up tell you not to incorporate humor if you're not good at it and to research your audience. If he had done either of those things, he'd still have his job. Protip: If you're bad at comedy, don't take the risk of offending your audience.

My public speaking professor told me never to try humor again under any circumstances or she would instantly flunk me from her class.

[Deleted]

A good comedian knows that there's a delicate line between offending people just enough to get them indignant enough to loosen up and laugh, and going over the line to hitting on their true feelings and invoking a negative reaction. He's worked in the profession long enough that he should know the sensitivity of the topic; there are very real problems of sexism in the hard sciences, particularly in physics engineering and math, that present barriers for many women all around the world. If this was a meant as a joke, that's nice... it doesn't change that it landed badly and hit a rather sore spot in the profession, and that it was meant as a joke does not excuse its effects.

And all of this builds into it was unprofessional. Which is what he was dismissed for. He was not dismissed for being sexist or whatever; he was dismissed because he made a very edgy public comment that was inappropriate for someone in his position and in that setting.

If someone isn't an actual comedian with a basic understanding of how to entertain an audience, they should stay away from edgy comedy.

To quote George Carlin, "I think it's the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately."

[kyoloco]

To quote George Carlin, "I think it's the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately."

unless you suck at comedy

[KrazyK923]

It's amazing seeing the same couple of warriors on here still arguing how wrong he was even after it was blatantly confirmed it was a joke and that people were laughing and nobody was taking offense except people after-the-fact without all the information.

Gotta love GenOT.

And all of this builds into it was unprofessional. Which is what he was dismissed for. He was not dismissed for being sexist or whatever; he was dismissed because he made a very edgy public comment that was inappropriate for someone in his position and in that setting.

Give me a break. He was dismissed because people who weren't there threw a bitchfit and pretended this was one of the worst things that possibly could have happened.

[kyoloco]

It's amazing seeing the same couple of warriors on here still arguing how wrong he was even after it was blatantly confirmed it was a joke and that people were laughing and nobody was taking offense except people after-the-fact without all the information.

Gotta love GenOT.

i find him to be courageous and an inspiration

in a leeroy jenkins way

[Kasierith]

It's amazing seeing the same couple of warriors on here still arguing how wrong he was even after it was blatantly confirmed it was a joke and that people were laughing and nobody was taking offense except people after-the-fact without all the information.

Gotta love GenOT.

My position: it's unprofessional to say something that you know can upset a lot of people over a very sensitive topic in the field.
What happened: people got upset over a poor comment concerning a very sensitive topic in the field.

I would consider my position justified given the chain of events.

[KrazyK923]

The world's pretty easy when you just shout loudly at anything that you disagree with.

The irony in this statement is absolutely off the charts.

- - - Updated - - -

What happened: people got upset over a poor comment concerning a very sensitive topic in the field.

What happened: People who weren't there and aren't even affected by anything he said taking offense on behalf of others and calling for someone's professional head. Tell me we haven't heard that story before. Sometimes you don't even need to say anything for people to take offense on behalf of others. Sometimes you just need to wear a shirt they don't like.

[Wells]

So we've established its wise to act professional in professional contexts then.

[Kasierith]

What happened: People who weren't there and aren't even affected by anything he said taking offense on behalf of others and calling for someone's professional head.

Nothing in my statement is contingent on what he said actually being morally wrong or the people offended by it being truly justified.

[Bryntrollian]

The guy isn't a professional comedian, he shouldn't be trying so hard to be funny.

Wow, you have to be a professional comedian to even hint at something resembling a joke these days

[Wells]

What happened: People who weren't there and aren't even affected by anything he said taking offense on behalf of others and calling for someone's professional head. Tell me we haven't heard that story before. Sometimes you don't even need to say anything for people to take offense on behalf of others. Sometimes you just need to wear a shirt they don't like.

Or make a youtube series they don't like. Its all Horseshoe Theory in action really.

[kyoloco]

Wow, you have to be a professional comedian to even hint at something resembling a joke these days

no, you gotta be one to dig yourself out of that whole though

[Deleted]

Nothing says "I think you people are too serious" like hyperbolically calling them gestapo.

But it's a pretty good comparison because it's certainly heading that way. Altough "Inqusition" might be more fitting, since they're happily burning people at the stake after having declared them to be witches.

[KrazyK923]

Or make a youtube series they don't like. Its all Horseshoe Theory in action really.

Oh goodie are we going to trot out this fallacy again that people who disagree with Sarkeesian all want her removed from the internet? Or that the ideology of people against her is far-right, or even moderately right?

I'm glad you're admitting, though, that the freakout over Tim Hunt was equivalent to far-right freakout. I agree entirely.