Richard Dawkins Forum

[Hermit]

Anyway, the Queen doesn't really decide who gets honoured, does she?

So what of it? Dawkins wasn't really begging for the honour?

[lordpasternack]

Anyway, the Queen doesn't really decide who gets honoured, does she?

So what of it? Dawkins wasn't really begging for the honour?

Even if he was begging for the honour, as you see it - why does it vex you so much? And what do you think it has to do with the direction his site has taken?

[Hermit]

Anyway, the Queen doesn't really decide who gets honoured, does she?

So what of it? Dawkins wasn't really begging for the honour?

Even if he was begging for the honour, as you see it - why does it vex you so much? And what do you think it has to do with the direction his site has taken?

It vexes me because he first mutilated RDF Mark I, then killed it and lastly made the current web presence the brackish backwater that it now is. I don't buy the story that Timonen did any of that without his go-ahead, and I don't buy the story that the charity commissioners were a factor concerning point two and three.

[lordpasternack]

Anyway, the Queen doesn't really decide who gets honoured, does she?

So what of it? Dawkins wasn't really begging for the honour?

Even if he was begging for the honour, as you see it - why does it vex you so much? And what do you think it has to do with the direction his site has taken?

It vexes me because he first mutilated RDF Mark I, then killed it and lastly made the current web presence the brackish backwater that it now is. I don't buy the story that Timonen did any of that without his go-ahead, and I don't buy the story that the charity commissioners were a factor concerning point two and three.

Well, I agree with you to some extent that some of his actions were (misguidedly) borne out of PR concerns that may not have been the specfic concerns that he stated publicly - that there was a small bit of bullshitting of us going on, one way or another... But that's about as far as I go in agreeing with your intuitions here. I see a bit more going on.

At any rate, if he wanted the damn knighthood in particular, he would have STRESSED making the site more purely about reason and science, than atheism and anti-religious sentiment. There may be some slightly questionable undercurrent to his agenda of guarding some of his PR (and not doing very well at it generally, actually) - but I have no reason to think that your own hypothesis is accurate here. I can well imagine some PR demons that Richard might have that might make him jumpy - and they're probably more borne out of his trustingness, naivety and good nature again, than his ego and any aquisitiveness for shiny rewards.

I say that because I already have a shitload of PR demons myself, and it's a good thing I'm never going to be running for political office, or wrapping a charitable foundation up in my reputation any time soon. Or at any rate it's maybe a good thing that I have nerves and a spine of steel enough to say "so fucking what?"

[Hermit]

At any rate, if he wanted the damn knighthood in particular, he would have STRESSED making the site more purely about reason and science, than atheism and anti-religious sentiment.

That's assuming he is as rational as you and I presume ourselves to be. Have you heard of the expression: "It looked like a good idea at the time"?

[lordpasternack]

At any rate, if he wanted the damn knighthood in particular, he would have STRESSED making the site more purely about reason and science, than atheism and anti-religious sentiment.

That's assuming he is as rational as you and I presume ourselves to be. Have you heard of the expression: "It looked like a good idea at the time"?

Could we maybe call this line of conversation quits by at least calling it unsubstantiated and unsubstantiable, and not a particularly convincing explanation of Richard's motives for various actions, right at the outset?

I'm certainly having a very difficult time believing, as someone who has paid a lot closer attention to Richard than yourself, that his desire for an honour, for a knighthood, was in the vicinity of crux of any of his moves over the past x months and years... That's all I can say, really...

[Clinton Huxley]

Dawkins is old hat. It's like having discussion about why Betamax failed.

[lordpasternack]

Dawkins is old hat. It's like having discussion about why Betamax failed.

I did say to him in a recent email that maybe we both have to come to terms with the fact that he's an old codger now.

I think I'm a charming bastard.

[Hermit]

At any rate, if he wanted the damn knighthood in particular, he would have STRESSED making the site more purely about reason and science, than atheism and anti-religious sentiment.

That's assuming he is as rational as you and I presume ourselves to be. Have you heard of the expression: "It looked like a good idea at the time"?

Could we maybe call this line of conversation quits by at least calling it unsubstantiated and unsubstantiable, and not a particularly convincing explanation of Richard's motives for various actions, right at the outset?

I'm certainly having a very difficult time believing, as someone who has paid a lot closer attention to Richard than yourself, that his desire for an honour, for a knighthood, was in the vicinity of crux of any of his moves over the past x months and years... That's all I can say, really...

You can quit any time you like, but I am not impressed that you followed your request to do so with an assertion that you know better.

[lordpasternack]

At any rate, if he wanted the damn knighthood in particular, he would have STRESSED making the site more purely about reason and science, than atheism and anti-religious sentiment.

That's assuming he is as rational as you and I presume ourselves to be. Have you heard of the expression: "It looked like a good idea at the time"?

Could we maybe call this line of conversation quits by at least calling it unsubstantiated and unsubstantiable, and not a particularly convincing explanation of Richard's motives for various actions, right at the outset?

I'm certainly having a very difficult time believing, as someone who has paid a lot closer attention to Richard than yourself, that his desire for an honour, for a knighthood, was in the vicinity of crux of any of his moves over the past x months and years... That's all I can say, really...

You can quit any time you like, but I am not impressed that you followed your request to do so with an assertion that you know better.

It wasn't an assertion - merely a deduction of probability. I've paid much closer attention to Richard, and likely gleaned a clearer picture of his psyche than yourself - and as a result I probably am in a better position to guess his motives than yourself. And I didn't say "you're wrong and I'm right" - I just said that it's unsubstantiated, unsubstantiable, not OBJECTIVELY convincing on the face of it - and not very believable to me personally, as someone who has observed Richard a little more than you... That's all.

You could be right - I just don't see a great deal going for your hypothesis.

[Hermit]

I've paid much closer attention to Richard...

How many more times do you feel you need to tell us? I happen to think that you are too close. Sometimes one gets a clearer picture from a distance. Not that I think my surmise is any better than yours. I just don't think it is any worse either. Perhaps I should have made it explicit that Dawkins' aspiration regarding the gong are the only motivating force in relation to his web presence. I just rate its influence on his decisions a bit more highly than you do.

[lordpasternack]

Perhaps I should have made it explicit that Dawkins' aspiration regarding the gong are the only motivating force in relation to his web presence.

What a frankly bizarre assertion to make... The only motivating force?

[klr]

Perhaps I should have made it explicit that Dawkins' aspiration regarding the gong are the only motivating force in relation to his web presence.

What a frankly bizarre assertion to make... The only motivating force?

I'm afraid I don't buy that suggestion for a even a millisecond.

[charlou]

Dawkins is old hat. It's like having discussion about why Betamax failed.

I did say to him in a recent email that maybe we both have to come to terms with the fact that he's an old codger now.

I think I'm a charming bastard.

Your emails ... Does he reply?

[Thinking Aloud]

Dawkins is old hat. It's like having discussion about why Betamax failed.

I did say to him in a recent email that maybe we both have to come to terms with the fact that he's an old codger now.

I think I'm a charming bastard.

Your emails ... Does he reply?

Hey! I was going to ask that!!