Richard Dawkins has said some dumb things over the years, but this tweet comparing humans to ‘cows, horses, pigs, dogs, and roses’ to prove that eugenics would work in practice takes the cake.
It’s one thing to deplore eugenics on ideological, political, moral grounds. It’s quite another to conclude that it wouldn’t work in practice. Of course it would. It works for cows, horses, pigs, dogs & roses. Why on earth wouldn’t it work for humans? Facts ignore ideology.
— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 16, 2020
Dick really should’a stopped after the first sentence … but, of course he did not.
And the rest is Twitter dragging history:
I have literally never seen an argument against eugenics that hinges on the idea of whether or not it "would work." The issue is what would it mean to say that eugenics "works," which you conveniently have not defined. Care to elaborate on what a "working" model of eugenics is?
— Rani "Laura Palmer Eldritch" Baker (@destroyed4com4t) February 16, 2020
Also like, we have selectively bred dogs whose eyeballs can roll out of their heads when sneezing and have trouble even breathing. Horses with fatal digestive issues that spontaneously go blind. Pigs that overheat and die. Selective breeding is not a stellar success story.
— Rani "Laura Palmer Eldritch" Baker (@destroyed4com4t) February 16, 2020
Yikes.
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But you know, it would work in practice. Note, Richard has been called out for advocating abortion for babies who might have Down syndrome sooooo we’re not entirely shocked he went there with eugenics.
What do you mean by “work” you absolute piece of shit?
— ????????. (@clppng) February 16, 2020
There ya’ go.
Just leaving this here. pic.twitter.com/EZPwMWFOoj
— Snigdha (@snigskitchen) February 16, 2020
You absolute pin-headed simpleton. It doesn't work in practice because too many of the goals turn out to be arbitrary fantasies, and too many of those fantasies are the pet projects of abusive bigots who fuck up any civilization they get their hands on. Are you new here? Christ.
— Scott Lynch (@scottlynch78) February 16, 2020
The sad thing is he is not new here and should absolutely know better.
— Palestinian Defense Forces (@jennineak) February 16, 2020
Genuinely can't think of many more people who have absolutely trashed their reputation by being on this website than you.
— Beckshevik (@RebootedStef) February 16, 2020
Truly.
— thomas violence (@thomas_violence) February 16, 2020
Another piece of evidence tht you're a pseudo-scientist.
— Angie's Guy (@MinifigureDad) February 16, 2020
Thanks for reminding us why the sciences need humanities…
— Robin Mazumder (@RobinMazumder) February 16, 2020
what's the end game here mate?
— Ben Smoke (@bencsmoke) February 16, 2020
We’re not sure anyone really wants to know.
This is racist trash, Richard. The analogy you draw here between the ideology of eugenics and the domestication of cows or horses is false, dangerous, and historically illiterate.
— Dan Hicks (@profdanhicks) February 16, 2020
False, dangerous, and historically illiterate.
Just about sums it up.
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