If you were active in online Atheism in 2011, you are probably aware of the Deep Rifts that formed back then, initially caused by what is now been coined Elevatorgate.
Even if you were not part of the movement back then, you will see the results of it now – the movement is split, and certain people, groups, and organizations won’t work together or appear at the same events.
Looking back at the split now, it is noteworthy that a lot of prominent, mostly male, atheists and the organizations they led, was on the side against Rebecca Watson and others who wanted to address the problem of sexual harassment (and racism and other sorts of bigotry) in the secular movement. On the other side of the split was a few noteworthy atheists, like Rebecca Watson and PZ Myers, a few conferences (e.g. Skepticon) and a lot of minor players in the movement.
Some prominent people and organizations tried to appear outwardly to not pick sides, but some showed their hands by inviting people from one fraction or the other, or by being willing to spend time with certain people.
As I said, some of the most prominent atheists at the time were on one side of the rift – these include people like Richard Dawkins, Lawrence Krauss, Ronald A. Lindsay, Steven Pinker, and Michael Shermer, many of which have since 2011 been credibly accused of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Most of these people were connected to John Brockman, who was close to Jeff Epstein, getting a lot of funding from Epstein, and introducing him to a lot of leading scientists, including several on the list.
Lawrence Krauss was also close to Epstein, and wrote to him frequently, and often forwarded mails to him. Because of this, a number of mails by the prominent atheists have come to light through the Epstein files
Rebecca Watson covers it here:
The video is a couple of months old, but I haven’t been blogging for a while, so I haven’t come around to covering it before now.
I might be unreasonable, but if I am on one side of a schism in a movement, and I found out that people on my side of the schism is not only credible accused of sexual harassment and assault, but also have ties, in some cases close ties, to Jeff Epstein, I would very seriously consider if I am not on the wrong side.
But then, if I ever was on a side in a schism that was actively fighting social justice, I would already know I was on the wrong side.
Ten years ago this June, I posted the following on Facebook.
I also, around the same time, said something like this:
In order to reconcile quantum theory and general relativity, which do you think out of string theory or loop quantum gravity are more likely to be productive lines of enquiry?
If you’re basically anyone I know, you will immediately recognise that you are comedically unequipped to even really fully understand the question, much less make any kind of attempt at a meaningful answer. And, crucially, you won’t mind admitting that. There’s no shame in not knowing. A tiny number of nerds understand that kind of thing, and we should all be grateful they understand it so we don’t have to. Best to trust they know what they’re about.
So please – don’t pretend that you have any more meaningful or valid an insight into the correct answer to the question “Should the UK leave the EU or remain in the EU?” Just be grateful that a tiny number of (different) nerds understand that kind of thing, too. And note that they are, ALL of them, saying “Remain” is obviously the correct choice. Some utter bellends disagree, but that would be like taking MY word on loop quantum gravity, a term it just took me three attempts to type correctly. Think on.
(It didn’t work, obvs.)