So its like, I have to list my creds like innit….scene….you kno its real…… (ok, that is just about all the street slang I know, I am hopelessly middle class).
Anyhow, some of you may or may not be aware that I have been engaged in a little ‘discussion’ with someone regarding the validity of his claim that there are 3 million polygamists in the USA, he links this to his idea that because of this number that it equals that there are 3 million people in the USA who are born without a jealousy gene.
Whilst I have already stated what I think about the often lauded idea of there being a biological predisposition to non monogamy and even ignoring the preposterous idea that everyone who is a polygamist lacks a gene for jealousy (as far as I can see, an FDLS man with several wives need not really worry about jealousy at ALL, after all, all his wives are (supposedly) monogamous to him) the reason why I am pressing this instead of just letting him waffle on as normal is my strong, strong belief in not letting lies slide, without challenging it we just encourage bad behaviour. It is not my place to comment if he is placing himself as a representative of the board to new people or floods someone’s ads, much as I don’t like it, I am not a moderator, when he flooded my ad with accusations and demands I told him to remove his posts and never to post on my ad again.
When it comes to things that are baseless and completely fabricated and passed off as facts though, that is when I get very annoyed, we are on there not only to bond and make friends/contacts, we are there to learn and it grates that some people might be repeating those opinions as facts because someone who seems to have authority on the board (by the sheer weight of his posting count) passes his opinion off as such.
Those of you who don’t know (and probably more-so those who DO know) might be wondering why I am so vague with the details of my knowledge of genetics, well it is mostly because I don’t want to be one of those types of people that think they are better than someone else just because they have academic qualifications, after all, wisdom doesn’t come only from education and some of the smartest people around don’t have letters after their names and I know enough people who have quite high degrees but have little sense.
In many things a lifetime of experience is overwhelmingly more superior than three years of intense study however when it comes to science, a personal belief in something is not enough to make you an authority.
So to prove I am not just challenging him out of a fit of pique or personal dislike, I studied Human Genetics at the second best Universities for science in the country, I might not BE a scientist nor was I the best biology student (ok, I totally sucked at biochem and failed statistics and chemistry) however, where I excelled and what I would be doing if I went back into it was population genetics, bio-ethics and paleo-anthropology, these are the things that I took most interest in and loved, most of my papers and reports had something to do with bio-ethics with regards to advanced genetic technology and behavioural genetics wrt the idea of genes which code for personality traits (plus other human behaviours such as sexuality) so you see, I am not just being a loud mouthy cow (though I am sure many would disagree – harhar) but I am talking from study and interest and not some sort of vague notion of ‘poly-biology’ What the???????
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Hi Natja
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed population ecology and quaternary studies in the course of my bachelors, however as a flaky environmentalist I have no real depth of study in this area.
I must admit I find the idea of a "poly gene" (or lack of a "jealousy gene") nonsensical but also vaugely disturbing and reminiscent of eugenic arguments.
I am with you on the education is not necessarily intelligence thing. I know some very wise people with few if any formal qualifications. I think it's always a salutory experience to have your arguments intelligently ripped to bits in a pub by someone with no letters after their name!
I'm always intrigued by the fact that so many people prefer to claim genes rather than free choice as a supporting argument for their chosen way of life. I suppose if it's your genes to blame, society would have to be very cruel to condemn you: it's a safer argument, in fact, than "because I like doing things my own way" or "because I want more sex." It's almost inarguable, in fact.
ReplyDeleteI'm not entirely sure that it's a deliberate lie, though. I've met a few people who function on the "what I say three times is true" principle: once they have repeated something often enough they whole-heartedly and genuinely believe it. These are people to steer well clear of! However, even without that tendency, it is a sad fact that many people believe uncritically anything that is in print, or even spoken by a respected figure, especially if it seems to substantiate their own prejudices. (How else would the Daily Mail have such a wide circulation?) Religious dogmatists, hate-mongers and politicians have capitalised on this tendency for centuries. Without a critical filter, the original recipient simply repeats the nonsense to the next person down the line.
Oooh! Oooh! How about this one? Asian people's skulls are a different shape and have a different resonance chamber than white people's. How do we know this? It's simple! Asian music does not sound discordant to Asian people. I'm not joking! Someone told me this in all seriousness! A millisecond of critical thinking would have found flaws in this argument!
Oh my word, I have the most intelligent readers on this blog, as they say down here in London Town, I am right chuffed!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt is not the first time I have heard someone claim that Poly is an 'orientation' not unlike being homo, hetero or bi-sexual. I can't say I fully agree with it but I understand usually they don't try to use such flawed 'evidence' as support I mean.....there are '3 million' polygamists in the US and therefore they all have a 'poly gene'? It is completely bonkers, I just wonder wish someone would send him a quiet friendly word and tell him that he has got to stop making things up like that.
Intelligent? Aw shucks! *scuffs shoes on the ground* Maybe sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI think the only people he'd take it from are Steady or Antony. Maybe the mods, but I wouldn't count on it. My usual strategy with him is to be nice but a bit embarassing. You seem like a more "head on" kinda gal (sorry, laydee!). Sure there's no Aries in there? I suppose Leo might account for it, though...
>>My usual strategy with him is to be nice but a bit embarassing
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary my dear, I have NEVER found you embarrassing!
;o))
Naaah, some Aquarians are a bit *cough* opinionated, even the quiet ones have strong opinions, they just don't state them.
Kester said...
ReplyDeleteHi Natja
I really enjoyed population ecology and quaternary studies in the course of my bachelors, however as a flaky environmentalist I have no real depth of study in this area.
I must admit I find the idea of a "poly gene" (or lack of a "jealousy gene") nonsensical but also vaugely disturbing and reminiscent of eugenic arguments.
I am with you on the education is not necessarily intelligence thing. I know some very wise people with few if any formal qualifications. I think it's always a salutory experience to have your arguments intelligently ripped to bits in a pub by someone with no letters after their name!
08 July 2009 08:24
Judith said...
I'm always intrigued by the fact that so many people prefer to claim genes rather than free choice as a supporting argument for their chosen way of life. I suppose if it's your genes to blame, society would have to be very cruel to condemn you: it's a safer argument, in fact, than "because I like doing things my own way" or "because I want more sex." It's almost inarguable, in fact.
I'm not entirely sure that it's a deliberate lie, though. I've met a few people who function on the "what I say three times is true" principle: once they have repeated something often enough they whole-heartedly and genuinely believe it. These are people to steer well clear of! However, even without that tendency, it is a sad fact that many people believe uncritically anything that is in print, or even spoken by a respected figure, especially if it seems to substantiate their own prejudices. (How else would the Daily Mail have such a wide circulation?) Religious dogmatists, hate-mongers and politicians have capitalised on this tendency for centuries. Without a critical filter, the original recipient simply repeats the nonsense to the next person down the line.
Oooh! Oooh! How about this one? Asian people's skulls are a different shape and have a different resonance chamber than white people's. How do we know this? It's simple! Asian music does not sound discordant to Asian people. I'm not joking! Someone told me this in all seriousness! A millisecond of critical thinking would have found flaws in this argument!
08 July 2009 10:17
Natja's Natterings said...
Oh my word, I have the most intelligent readers on this blog, as they say down here in London Town, I am right chuffed!!!!
It is not the first time I have heard someone claim that Poly is an 'orientation' not unlike being homo, hetero or bi-sexual. I can't say I fully agree with it but I understand usually they don't try to use such flawed 'evidence' as support I mean.....there are '3 million' polygamists in the US and therefore they all have a 'poly gene'? It is completely bonkers, I just wonder wish someone would send him a quiet friendly word and tell him that he has got to stop making things up like that.
08 July 2009 10:40
Judith said...
Intelligent? Aw shucks! *scuffs shoes on the ground* Maybe sometimes.
I think the only people he'd take it from are Steady or Antony. Maybe the mods, but I wouldn't count on it. My usual strategy with him is to be nice but a bit embarassing. You seem like a more "head on" kinda gal (sorry, laydee!). Sure there's no Aries in there? I suppose Leo might account for it, though...
08 July 2009 11:17
Natja's Natterings said...
>>My usual strategy with him is to be nice but a bit embarassing
On the contrary my dear, I have NEVER found you embarrassing!
;o))
Naaah, some Aquarians are a bit *cough* opinionated, even the quiet ones have strong opinions, they just don't state them.
08 July 2009 15:09