So it strikes me that these (utterly ridiculous) allegations that Lena Dunham sexually abused her sister are a good example of what I’m talking about when it comes to argumentative incentives. As I said, argumentative behaviors are like all human behaviors in that they are subject to influence through incentives. What types of arguments do […]
Continue reading →Chin-scratching about the lack of moderates in the Mooooooslim world tends to produce a lot of dopey analysis, so the bar to come across as really stupid is quite high, but Nina Burleigh has cleared it. Here’s a paragraph that a seemingly literate adult wrote: There is truth to the collateral damage accusation. But let’s […]
Continue reading →I intend to write a long piece next week about a new study finding that academic science is not systematically or significantly sexist in some ways, and its New York Times writeup, this coming week. I have some ideas, some criticism, and some praise. Before that, I would just like to ask: please, please, please, read the […]
Continue reading →And, frankly, I’m sick of pretending that they don’t. You will likely have seen that Pierre Omidyar’s First Look Media has parted ways with Matt Taibbi, the longtime Rolling Stone writer and former co-editor of Moscow’s The Exile, a tabloid newspaper that he co-edited with former NSFW Corp, current Pando Media writer Mark Ames. In a very long […]
Continue reading →As a leftist yourself, why do so many of your arguments critique those on the left? Because the struggle for social justice is the most important task that human beings undertake, it is necessary for people of conscience to evaluate how well that struggle is going and whether current tactics are effective. When we talk […]
Continue reading →Today, Merrill-Lynch announced its new slate of subprime mortgage-backed derivatives through 2019. And there was, naturally, much rejoicing. Of course, because the people doing the rejoicing are made perpetually uncomfortable by rejoicing, and are much happier feeling aggrieved, there was also grievance. This is how you know that your treasured properties are so culturally […]
Continue reading →I’ve really been genuinely disturbed by #GamerGate. Obviously, some of that is just the threats and harassment of women online. But it’s also disturbing how successful they’ve been in pressuring advertisers, and in getting parts of the media to credulously accept much of their narrative. To me, it’s indicative of the problems that come about […]
Continue reading →Hey gang. A couple readers have asked me recently what’s going on with me generally. So here’s a little self-indulgent update. I’m on the academic job market right now. I am a fourth year PhD student, and I have another year of guaranteed funding after this year, but I have three chapters of my dissertation […]
Continue reading →Over at the Columbia Journalism Review, the premier repository of old-guard journalistic “seriousness” and Ivy League pedantry, Sarah Grieco has a very odd critique of Gawker. I don’t find it odd just because I disagree with it; I find it odd because it defines bullying in a particular way, then immediately abandons that definition. Grieco […]
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