Great quotes
It's interesting that this blog has sampled the population the way my research has: some people hate me, some people don't.
I don't know why I provoke such strong reactions from some people.
Why do some people get SO upset, and want to post their anger here for everyone to read? They have nothing better to do? If they don't, they might explode?
Please, people. Don't spontaneously combust just from something I said! I couldn't live with that on my conscience.
Some people seem to get it. If you're truly objective, you've reached that Zen state where you can discuss ideas, even ones that you might disagree with, as ideas, not as reflections of the person who proposed them.
I can't take it personally when people freak out and post here, but I am a little tired of reading all the negative, mis-spelled, non-constructive comments. It really is embarrassing how stupid some of them are, but I guess they feel the same way about me. I'm a bad representation of a scientist, is that it?
Here's another reason I started this blog: because scientists are people too. But nobody seems to know that.
At this point so many of the comments here are crap that I don't know where to draw the line on deleting them. Seems silly to just delete everything negative, but on the other hand, does leaving it all up there just encourage these people to come back and do it again?
In the past I've gotten so many helpful, informative comments that I've never wanted to turn off the commenting feature despite all the negative crap. Posting into the void is a lot less interesting.
But I'm picturing these people in their little cubicles or wherever they are, snickering to themselves as they write these petty little Anonymous comments and rubbing their hands together in a perfect imitation of an evil cartoon character.
It's actually really funny to imagine!
I mean, do you really think you're going to a) convince me to quit blogging or b) convince me to quit science?
For anyone else out there who has experienced these kinds of attacks, some quotes for us:
All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
--Schopenhauer
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
--Gandhi
Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.
--Gandhi
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
--Gandhi
I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones.
--John Cage
Labels: blogging, philosophy
4 Comments:
I like your blog but I don't think I would get on with you face to face. I am also one of those people that is either loved or hated by those around me. I don't know what it is. I think we would argue a lot.
All I do know is that if you are causing controversy, inspiring debate and provoking a reaction in someone, you are doing something right. The spelling and grammar thing is infuriating for you. Just the way you are, and that is fine. I don’t think most people care enough about blog comments to check these things, however.
I don’t think you can accurately convey emotions in a comment box. I also believe that people use your comments box to over react because it is anonymous. Most rational people would never dream of reacting to your face the way they react in your comments.
Anyway. Keep doing it. Don’t stop.
You certainly seem to attract some very vicious anonymous commenters. I don't know how I would handle having such negativity in my comments section.
I agree with PropterDoc: if you're getting such heated responses, you must be talking about something important, or something people don't want to believe. I also think he's right about people hiding behind their anonymity.
Can you please NOT start deleting comments willy-nilly? That seems like a waste of effort on your part, and perhaps one of those random ideas will spark something in someone who passes by, although they may be stupid ideas in your opinion. Just a thought, I'm one of those people who's a historian by nature and wants to preserve words "just in case."
Dear Ms. PhD,
I can not tell you how much I appreciate your blog (and some others written by post-docs out there)! There is not enough discussion of the topics you (and others) bring up, and I'm learning more and more about other options and what kinds of expectations to have as a post-doc just because you (and others) facilitate these discussions. I don't get exposure to these discussions at work, and this blog (and a few others) make up for things that I feel I miss out on because I'm not in a big lab. So, THANK YOU (and that is an understatement).
I rather enjoyed your description of the anonymous persons sitting in their cubicles, rubbing their hands, by the way. And that is but one instance in which you have brought a smile to my face after a long day in lab. I definitely look forward to your posts (and this goes for other post-docs out there whose blogs I read).
-soon-to-be post-doc
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