Michael:
I don't think that we are in disagreement. By "professional" I
meant a career in the arena that represents the profession in
governmental circles, etc. Many of us are doing what we want to
do in other areas of psychology, with success, and consider
ourselves successful. But we are unlikely to be called upon to
suggest funding priorities or write a friend of the court brief.
I don't disagree with Paul Brandon's characterization of the
purpose of the Diener letter. My point was that this was a
pretty weak threat and that one reason it was so weak was that
Diener could not resign and go to a professional organization of
similiar influence.
My fear is that the current APA is the real psychology of the
new millenium...
Ken
---------------------------------------------------------------
On Thu, 31 May 2001 21:19:14 -0400 "Renner, Michael"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Ken Steele wrote:
> "...If he actually quit APA over the issue then his professional career
> would be finished..."
> ------
> Ken, I couldn't disagree more. Many working scientists,
> scientist/practitioners, and teachers would applaud such an action, taken as
> a stand on conscience. And I agree with Paul Brandon that going public at
> this point is not posturing but likely rather an attempt to generate or
> apply some political pressure.
>
> I know lots of folks who would desperately like to see APA strap on a spine
> and support a science-based approach to public policy on issues concerning
> behavior, but despair of getting the organization to be what it claims to
> be. This is far from the first gutless, boneheaded, and politically cowardly
> thing they've done. I believe in the concept of APA, but the reality of what
> APA really is, day to day, suggests that it may be unsalvageable.
>
> Many of us haven't been APA members in over a decade, and our careers are
> doing OK.
>
> Michael Renner
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Michael J. Renner, Ph.D.
> Interim Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs
> Professor of Psychology
> West Chester University
> West Chester, PA 19383
>
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Telephone: 610-436-3310
> Fax: 610-436-2763
> http://www.wcupa.edu/_facstaff/facdev/
> "The path of least resistance is always downhill."
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
----------------------
Kenneth M. Steele [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dept. of Psychology
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
USA
