The "Why did nobody tell me?" parenting book ad

That Cambridge faculty needs to check out JP's work if they think he is against the advancement of interfaith understanding based on their own supposition of political endorsement by association. I'd expect Cambridge brains to be able to deal with the deeper philosophical aspects of the case. I find it quite shocking that they apparently can't.

Also, I'd love to know the real timeline of the rescinding, because I saw news about it quoting the stuff about his views not agreeing with the views of Cambridge students a couple of days before Cambridge made the announcement that it was about the photo. Students should be exposed to views they disagree with. What on earth is the matter with academics who don't endorse and support this? It's really weird.

Baggs I said earlier in the thread that I haven’t read any of Peterson’s articles etc. At the moment I’m in deepest rural Alabama with limited, very intermittent WiFi , so sorry I’ve not been able to look at any of the links you posted yet.
But it’s not his clinical psychology I’m talking about.
It’s his appearing to endorse that t-shirt, and the reaction of the Christchurch booksellers and the Cambridge faculty.

I don’t think it’s necessary to have read all someone’s work or literary output to come to a conclusion about one aspect of their behaviour. People should be judged by their actions and omissions.

I haven’t read much of Boris Johnson’s outpourings, but I have still formed the impression that he’s an arrogant, self serving pr*ck, a view clearly shared by many other people.
Which I suppose supports the bandwagon theory.

Sorry, janea, I missed that you hadn't read anything of JP's.

The "appearance" of his endorsing that T-shirt is very shallow, I think, given the circumstances of the meeting and greeting, his support of free expression, which must include support towards the free expression of ideas one disagrees with if it is genuine, and this that he said (because people pay and often travel very long distances to meet him): ""Every single person that comes to meet me I want to be present for."

As I've already said, the rescinding by the Cambridge faculty seemed to happen before they knew about That Photograph.

Yes, I would say your conclusion about JP does support the bandwagon theory. I've had trouble finding the relevant sections of the book I'm reading on my Kindle. Not got the full hang of bookmarking and highlighting, etc. But the bandwagon theory, as I understand it, is about the importance of the social rewards (things like peer approval) and punishments for expressing 'right' or 'wrong' preferences in public interactions. This is a description rather than a criticism in the book. We are, after all, very social creatures with a need to conform with our peers if we are to feel comfortable.

I found one of my bookmarks. Blackford says: "Speakers want to persuade, and they certainly do not want to be dismissed, even demonized, without consideration of what they are actually trying to say." I think this is happening to JP. It has occurred to me to wonder if this sort of thing is more likely when a person appears to have a sort of fan base, as JP seems to. I can remember other Gransnet discussions, for example about what Richard Dawkins was saying about something or other, where there was the same sort of reaction.

With regard to Boris, I can't say I've ever wanted to find out much about him or to listen to his outpourings, as you put it. Perhaps what I have heard him say has simply been uninteresting. I seem to remember that he got the biggest audiences at the last Tory Conference, or was that somebody else?

Bit rambly! ?

If anyone's interested, This is another story about academics accusing a young scholar of guilt by association and trying to wreck his promising early career while they're at it. This is at Cambridge Uni too.

Any research involving race, genetics and IQ is bound to cause controversy, isn’t it?
And the motives of the researcher scrutinised and called into question.
What I couldn’t help wondering was the role of the young scholar’s supervisor(s) in all of this.
They must have approved his research and could have been expected to come out in his defence?

The books I mentioned upthread, The Tyranny of Opinion by the philosopher Russell Blackford is good on the apparent weakness of some academics to support their colleagues.

The story about Prof Biggar at Oxford is another one that's a bit of a disgrace. Fortunately Oxford stuck up for him, or at least didn't capitulate to the outrage mob.

Oxford Union welcomed Jordan Peterson very warmly too.

Come on, Cambridge: buck up!

book

Link to a thread about academic peer review —an individual's experience.

Apropos the original “Why did nobody tell me” train of thought I tend to think that Robert Fulghum has it all worked out! Can I recommend “All I Really Needed To Know I Learned In Kindergarten” as a model for everyone’s behaviour.

I wouldn't want to read any book by that man. He is obviously endorsing the generalisation of Islam displayed on the other man's T-shirt.

Not sure what the connection is with the book advertised on MN. No way would they endorse that. Perhaps a little out of order to link it?

Oh my gosh! The MN book is by Justine!

Must be harmless.

That’s interesting Baggs.
I’m left wondering who F1000 actually are, as they appear to be mysterious, self-appointed publishers of research papers?
What scrutiny are they subjected to?