Nobel Prize Scientist TIM HUNT fired!

[Varabently]

That's just dumb. Of course someone's skin colour influences how their 'ability to perceive problems/issues' BECAUSE of racism and oppression people with certain skin colours have a harder life and they have a bigger struggle than this white scientist so they are more inherently sensitive to issues and even more empathetic to racial abuse.

If I was black and experienced racism I have already a better perception of racial issues and problems than a white person who has never experienced racism.

That's funny because I lived in the southern US and experienced racism (as a white person) almost daily. So am I allowed to have a perception of what's racist? I certainly experienced it personally, but since I'm white it doesn't count or something?

[Kalis]

No he said to the bbc that his joke was honest and that he believed some of what he said that doesn't sound like much of an apology to me especially with so many already having a hard time in science because of centuries of misogyny.

I really dislike the argument that says he should be forgiven because of his contribution to science. He shouldn't be on those grounds. We've finally managed to address historical abuse cases against celebrities who were seen as untouchable - I don't believe anyone is above being reprimanded as necessary. But if he had properly apologised, I would have supported him.

If he'd apologised, and retracted his comment, I'd have supported him. I don't think we can have comments like this (even a 'joke' gone wrong, because the line between jokes and bullying can be a wavy one) accepted, especially by prominent field leaders in positions of power - however in his apology he didn't seem at all repentant.

You claimed he said that women "...are more concerned with falling in love with other scientists rather than the science", but he never said anything like that. It's blatant and deliberate misrepresentation of his words.

He's an advocate for gender separated labs as he believes that mixed labs cause distractions to scientists.


You have lied and misrepresented him consistently in this thread, from the title onwards.

[Aeula]

A sign of how pathetic the world is becoming to be sure.

What he said is pretty much true as well from what I gather, they shouldn't have fired him.

[Jaxi]

This has nothing to do with political correctness...

Of course it does. If the comment was not widely received in a negative light by mass social medias, no one would have a reason to distance themselves from him.

[Mehrunes]

It's the same principle: immunity for your actions due to the harm wrought being outweighed by the value of your scientific advancement. If we're going to be rational in applying this, rather than just making a bunch of really bitchy internet posts because we didn't get our way, we should apply it in a consistent manner.

Where's the inconsistency? Just because one thinks that harm of sexist remarks is outweighed by the value of your scientific advancements, doesn't mean the same applies to the harm of murder. We kinda grade different kinds of harm differently. Which can be noticed in the fact that murder is a crime and sexist remarks are not. Gradation. It could very well be murder > value of this guy's scientific advancement > sexist remarks in terms of importance. Your previous post was ginormous hyperbole and not a witty remark about inconsistency (unless applied to DEATHETERNAL alone, I can't really know their thought process on where murder is placed in this context).

[Jinnobi]

His comments and subsequent weak apology were far below the standards of a professional scientist. It made him sound like a bit of a tit.

"Silly", "mild", "just harmless fun"...

We're so used to sexism that we're not able to see what's right in front of us. He's a sexist old fool.

Yet, if he made some biting, off-color remark about fundamental Christian scientists: you'd be all cheers and pats on the back. Anyone can see that when you reduce an esteemed scientist to "a sexist old fool" because of an unsavory joke, that you are more than a little biased. This isn't about treating people nicely, it's about defending your agenda -- which entails figuratively annihilating people for not agreeing with your view of the world and what is important. He can be as mean-spirited, offensive and cruel to people as he wants, as long as he respects women's rights and minorities - and the targets of his jokes aren't women and minorities.

Fuck your sensibilities. He made a joke that isn't politically correct, and his punishment is far out of proportion. Come at me.

[Shinra1]

Here you bring in skin colour without a reason.
"If I was black and experience racism" yes you would recognise it better, but not because you were black but because you had experienced racism. Same for "white person who has never experienced racism". You wouldn't recognise it as well because you didn't experience it. It has nothing to do with skin colour.

I am white and I have experienced racism, where do I fit into your bad example?

Your example should have been "people who are black have a higher % chance of suffering from racism, which in turn causes black people to recognise racist environments or behaviour sooner". Yet you didn't, you had to bring in skin colour without it serving any point.

I'm tempted to ignore your posts because they're getting sillier each time. The black person who experiences racism experiences it because they are black so YES, FUCKING ABSOLUTELY being black has EVERYTHING to do with his perception of racial issues.

And nowhere did I say that white people can't experience racism but certainly not from black people because being black means you can't be racist only prejudice.

[smegmage]

That's just dumb. Of course someone's skin colour influences how their 'ability to perceive problems/issues' BECAUSE of racism and oppression people with certain skin colours have a harder life and they have a bigger struggle than this white scientist so they are more inherently sensitive to issues and even more empathetic to racial abuse.

If I was black and experienced racism I have already a better perception of racial issues and problems than a white person who has never experienced racism.

The ease in which you regurgitate the same crap you've read online is almost painful, thank god it's equally laughable.

[Revi]

being black means you can't be racist only prejudice.

You should just lead with this, so people know where you stand and can ignore you.

[Jaxi]

I think if he were some minimum wage employee embarrassing his employer on his Twitter account and being released for that we wouldn't even stop to question it.

You didn't answer the question.

I don't assume any such thing. You guys just never listen when I explain privilege and continue to insist it's some absolute measure.

Never listen?

At least in the US, being white gives you privilege and being male gives you privilege.

Being white gives you privilege. There is no wiggle room added into that statement, Nixx. You did not say it may give you privilege, you said it does give you privilege. You introduced the absolute.

[Deleted]

He must be the dumbest scientist on earth if he really made a sexist joke at a female scientist empowerment conference...

[zorkuus]

And nowhere did I say that white people can't experience racism but certainly not from black people because being black means you can't be racist only prejudice.

There are no words to explain how stupid that is.

[Deleted]

To be consistent those people have to stop using GPS.

Made precise by the theorys of a staunch sexists.
If they are ready to do that for their cause well they would have my respect.

[Frostweaver]

So this guy made a sexist joke a week ago (?) at a female scientist empowerment conference in Korea about women crying when whenever critisied and that they are more concerned with falling in love with other scientists rather than the science.


He was fired from his main post at the University College London but he and his wife say they were 'hung out to dry' by the lynch mob after news of his joke went viral on twitter.

Read here: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2...w-mary-collins

I think this is good news no one should be above criticism even a Nobel laureate he made a complete mockery of women and his university and he deserved to be fired. He's extremely privileged as a white male and I think his joke + reaction to his sacking show him as a disconnected and ignorant person.

You should go get a sense of humour....

[Shinra1]

You claimed he said that women "...are more concerned with falling in love with other scientists rather than the science", but he never said anything like that. It's blatant and deliberate misrepresentation of his words.

He's an advocate for gender separated labs as he believes that mixed labs cause distractions to scientists.


You have lied and misrepresented him consistently in this thread, from the title onwards.

I did not misrepresent him. He misrepresented himself when he crossed a line with that so-called joke. His apology wasn't much of an apology. It's like saying 'I'm sorry for saying this...but I actually believe some of it is true' he said women are bad at handling criticism because of the fact that they are women that's sexism he also alluded to the idea that women because of their gender where a distraction to the men and even served as succubuses seducing the male scientists from the science.

He grew up in an era of gender segregation I'm pretty sure he went to a male only school so of course he's going to be an advocate for something that disadvantages women and denigrates them as inferior because they don't have a swollen clitoris on the outside of their bodies.

[GennGreymane]

If it was only a joke, I feel this was an overreaction, but calling him privileged is stupid. He worked hard and dedicated his life to his field of study and was properly awarded.

I want to know where the pressure came from, actual female scientists (many posted funny pictures of them in lab attire and the joke being, they iz not sexy at all in those cloths) or modern femnazis who would make Susan B Anthony roll in her grave.

[Mehrunes]

And nowhere did I say that white people can't experience racism but certainly not from black people because being black means you can't be racist only prejudice.

This is the most idiotic thing I've read in a while. Now I remember the OP, didn't recall them with this avatar. Which raises the Poe's law...

[Deleted]

You can have white privilege while still being poor and being unprivileged in that area. They don't cancel each other out.

Of cource they do any other claim is pure discrimination.

[Jaxi]

Yeah and in what miraculous fantasy world is it that nobody gets offended by anything? This has been happening since the 50ies back when people even got fired already for making stupid public remarks about fat people. Maximizing profits = don't offend anyone at all. Unless your product depends on controversy to sell.

What was considered normal back in the 50s would never have flown today.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo...ads#.bkL42VJlk

[Urza29]

this joke he said could of been worded differently, and formed into more of a personal story than a joke, and it could of still had the small comedic effect that he i guess thought it would have

"Over the years in the lab I've found that working with women in particular can be difficult at times, having fell in love with female scientists and women of science have fallen in love with me, and whenever there was criticism about their work, crying and teary eyes were in order a lot of times"

something to that effect, at least has more taste and more context, the original statement doesn't even make sense, after reading his "apology" i think if he had tried to convey that message of being honest, and that his personal experience was that there was a lot of crying, regardless of it being because of the female scientists, i think it would gone over a bit better and found kinda funny, because some people would say that's true, women do cry more then men and tensions ran high, add in love and you have a combination that needs explaining