+1 Let's see... "balance" in a discussion with a creationist would be that God created the heavens and earth in 11.5 thousand years rather than 6000? and more silliness...
Partially apropos ... http://gurstein.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/internet-freedom-and-post-snowden-g lobal-internet-governance/ http://tinyurl.com/n3onw87 M -----Original Message----- From: futurework-boun...@lists.uwaterloo.ca [mailto:futurework-boun...@lists.uwaterloo.ca] On Behalf Of Mike Spencer Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 8:51 PM To: futurework@lists.uwaterloo.ca Subject: [Futurework] Re: Republicans block science laureate vote > More of phony "balance" and its co-dependents > > http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/why-were-shutting-our-co > mments I think there's a (possibly subtle) difference there. If a broadcast medium puts a creationist on a panel of biologists discussing recent developments in life science, that's phony balance. Same if they do a news piece on the diminished lives of Palestinians and then set that off against a pro-Israeli idealogue. [1] PopSci is responding to the overt trolls and belligerent ranters who have little better to do than look for venues where they can hurl invective at anyone who holds an opinion they dislike. The reported Demise of Usenet since the onset of Eternal September in '93 is a gradual one. Many news groups that were formerly useful or at least interesting are now dominated by hectoring, brainless rants, pointless arguments and the like. Has nothing to do with "balance" but with a completely open venue for the stupidly belligerent with nothing else to do but to unburden themselves of their pent-up fear, hostility, egocentricity and bitterness. As an example the hfx.general (founded for general conversation about/from Halifax, NS) is now almost exclusively populated by (A) a belligerent, potty-mouthed rightwing extremist, former military policeman and three or four cronies who chime in to support him and (B) an educated guy with a career in the sciences who seems to regard exchanging volleys of insults, sneers and witticisms with Group A as an entertaining form of recreation. B justifies this on the grounds that racist, anti-science and other pig-headed proclamations should not go unchallenged. So I guess B thinks he's bringing "balance" to the "debate". But it's not debate, it's just recreational bickering. The couple of dozen long-time regulars have abandoned hfx.general for a non-Usenet medium. I can see why PopSci doesn't want to provide the venue for same. - Mike [1] Of course, given the intellectual level exhibited by today's media and the attitude of same toward anything requiring more than a 5th grade reading level, such a juxtaposition might be a case of "You and Him Fight", just encouraging outraged exchanges for their entertainment value. -- Michael Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada .~. /V\ mspen...@tallships.ca /( )\ http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/ ^^-^^ _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list Futurework@lists.uwaterloo.ca https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list Futurework@lists.uwaterloo.ca https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
