Comments on: James Watson controversy http://patrickcollison.com/blog/2007/10/james-watson I hate self-referential taglines Thu, 17 May 2012 04:02:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Kevin Reale http://patrickcollison.com/blog/2007/10/james-watson#comment-170 Kevin Reale Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:16:51 +0000 http://patrickcollison.com/blog/2007/10/james-watson#comment-170 I doubt that there would be the same level of concern if Watson stated that he had reservations about Americans or Continental Europeans. People who have historically been oppressed seem to be a lot more sensitive to this issue and so true research into this topic is being obstructed by what's considered to be socially acceptable. In Ireland, we have the "life-deciding" Leaving Cert. It is widely known that girls generally do better than boys and the hysteria that would follow in a reverse result, is instead commuted to an annual paragraph stating that "changes have to made" in the newspapers on the day the results are released. And yet, nothing is ever done. I for one am thankful; I would hate to think of the amount of taxpayers money that would be poured into possible solutions if boys did better. I doubt that there would be the same level of concern if Watson stated that he had reservations about Americans or Continental Europeans. People who have historically been oppressed seem to be a lot more sensitive to this issue and so true research into this topic is being obstructed by what’s considered to be socially acceptable.

In Ireland, we have the “life-deciding” Leaving Cert. It is widely known that girls generally do better than boys and the hysteria that would follow in a reverse result, is instead commuted to an annual paragraph stating that “changes have to made” in the newspapers on the day the results are released. And yet, nothing is ever done. I for one am thankful; I would hate to think of the amount of taxpayers money that would be poured into possible solutions if boys did better.

]]> By: Fintan Palmer http://patrickcollison.com/blog/2007/10/james-watson#comment-159 Fintan Palmer Sat, 20 Oct 2007 15:18:20 +0000 http://patrickcollison.com/blog/2007/10/james-watson#comment-159 In today's politically-correct world you have to be really careful how you approach an argument like this one. I haven't read all of Watson's comments (only what's been on the front page of The Independent) but I suspect that even if there was some balance to what he was saying it was the kind of thing that the media could easily spin. Interestingly Steven Levitt (of Freakonomics fame) did some research in this area but his blog post (http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/james-watson-black-intelligence-and-new-research-by-fryer-and-levitt/) the reaction has been the complete opposite. Maybe that's because the tone of what they were saying wasn't easily sensationalised? -- Fintan In today’s politically-correct world you have to be really careful how you approach an argument like this one. I haven’t read all of Watson’s comments (only what’s been on the front page of The Independent) but I suspect that even if there was some balance to what he was saying it was the kind of thing that the media could easily spin.

Interestingly Steven Levitt (of Freakonomics fame) did some research in this area but his blog post (http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/james-watson-black-intelligence-and-new-research-by-fryer-and-levitt/) the reaction has been the complete opposite. Maybe that’s because the tone of what they were saying wasn’t easily sensationalised?

– Fintan

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