DCP Invokes Orwell

[_Racer]

It's interesting to see the up-and-comers coming out of the woodwork. A while back, MsJack and Aristotlle and others were making persuasive predictions about how Mopologetics would wither away and die because there were no youngsters waiting in the wings. Well, we can now see that there are at least a few young acolytes who are willing to carry on the cause. It remains to be seen whether or not they will get marginalized and/or pressured away from their worst impulses by the Mormon Studies movement.

in my opinion mopologetics will never die as long as the church is around. This MI shakeup has surely neutered mopology and going forward, it might not be as mainstream or able to raise as much money without BYU's official seal.

Let's face it Mopology offers nobodies the chance to be sombodies. I can flip burgers at McDonalds by day and be considered an expert in the field of DNA/Meso America/Old Testament archeology/languages, or whatever tickles my fancy by night. I can publish shoddy papers about it and rub shoulders with my pseudo academic buddies and receive atta-boys and even rockstar status from the folks on sites like MDD. I can receive the desired accolades I crave even if it is within a small microcosom. I can have all of this without earning a PHD, writing a disertation, paying my dues, becoming published and respected in the Scientific and Academic world by applying the scientific method and proving theories, and having them reviewed by my peers. This is why dudes like Haymond and Smoot are drawn to mopologetics.

It's kinda like that guy who wants to be millionaire, but has "0" business skills, knowledge, or the patience and stamina to do it right, so he signs up fo Nu-Skin thinking that shilling a few bottles of lotion will provide him the same millionaire status and credibility of guys like Covey. They don't realize their pyramid mlm model is worthless and unacceptable to the rest of the business world because they are too busy hyping each other up with crazy mlm BS that is not grounded in reality.

[_Droopy]

Everyone invokes Orwell after being in here for any length of time.

[_Kishkumen]

Everyone invokes Orwell after being in here for any length of time.

Especially you. Orwell qua Orwell.

[_3sheets2thewind]

Danpeterson

A simple “Daniel Peterson is no longer with the Maxwell Institute,” or something to that effect, would have been quite adequate. I’m not asking them to publicly admit that recent events at the Institute have been misguided, unjustified, and poorly handled, but I would also appreciate their not attempting to put a smiley face on those events.

[_lulu]

Crockett, a former funder, and Dan go at it.

Good luck, however, with your continued public venting. Maybe I’d do it in your position, but it doesn’t seem to be headed towards any particular objective.

Bob

Reply

danpeterson says:

October 15, 2012 at 10:18 am

I’ve scarcely vented publicly at all, compared to how I feel about these events of the past few months. And, please recall, my concerns are only partly personal. Mostly, my objections to what happened have to do with larger issues than merely yours truly. (My critics, here and elsewhere, by and large don’t have a clue about those issues, but presume that they adequately understand what happened.) And those objections don’t — shouldn’t — just “go away.” They involve (among other things) matters of philosophy and approach, not of pique or wounded pride.

[_Gadianton]

At least folks can finally get the facts about this Orwellian institution straight from someone on the inside. Someone using his insider status to bolster his credibility as he reveals the juicy details that the whitewashers of history toeing the party line didn't want you to know.

I'm talking about Grant Palmer of course -- oops, might be on the wrong thread.

[_Kishkumen]

Crockett, a former funder, and Dan go at it.

Good luck, however, with your continued public venting. Maybe I’d do it in your position, but it doesn’t seem to be headed towards any particular objective.

Bob

Reply

danpeterson says:

October 15, 2012 at 10:18 am

I’ve scarcely vented publicly at all, compared to how I feel about these events of the past few months. And, please recall, my concerns are only partly personal. Mostly, my objections to what happened have to do with larger issues than merely yours truly. (My critics, here and elsewhere, by and large don’t have a clue about those issues, but presume that they adequately understand what happened.) And those objections don’t — shouldn’t — just “go away.” They involve (among other things) matters of philosophy and approach, not of pique or wounded pride.

Bob has been really impressive in this whole thing. What he gets, as a professional, that the classic-FARMS writers do not understand, is that this kind of public display of spleen is, in the end, a self-defeating enterprise. With every loud grumble from the corner of Sic et Non the Bradford decision takes on increasing legitimacy and Bradford's stock simply rises. Most professionals understand that this is not the way to rebound from such a setback.

What does one do? Engage aggressively, but quietly, in building a new apparatus that truly impresses and hews to a standard that puts the old FROB to shame. That way, Daniel et al. could claim that this new, impressive publication and institute represent what they might have achieved had not the shackles of Church bureaucracy and control prevented them.

All of that could speak for itself and thus be much more effective.

Instead they hastily slap together this web publication, as put together by some kid who obsessively tracks the movements of President Monson as though the LDS prophet were a geriatric Justin Bieber, and overwhelm the couple of decent things that they do put in it with a heavy slathering of the usual old crap (some of it obviously recycled). In the meantime, Daniel watches MI like he has long watched MDB, obsessively, and snipes constantly from the sidelines. It is utterly tiresome and such a waste of talent.

The whole thing evokes bathos, and that is about it.

[_sock puppet]

Crockett, a former funder, and Dan go at it.

Good luck, however, with your continued public venting. Maybe I’d do it in your position, but it doesn’t seem to be headed towards any particular objective.

Bob

Reply

danpeterson says:

October 15, 2012 at 10:18 am

I’ve scarcely vented publicly at all, compared to how I feel about these events of the past few months. And, please recall, my concerns are only partly personal. Mostly, my objections to what happened have to do with larger issues than merely yours truly. (My critics, here and elsewhere, by and large don’t have a clue about those issues, but presume that they adequately understand what happened.) And those objections don’t — shouldn’t — just “go away.” They involve (among other things) matters of philosophy and approach, not of pique or wounded pride.

Bob has been really impressive in this whole thing. What he gets, as a professional, that the classic-FARMS writers do not understand, is that this kind of public display of spleen is, in the end, a self-defeating enterprise. With every loud grumble from the corner of Sic et Non the Bradford decision takes on increasing legitimacy and Bradford's stock simply rises. Most professionals understand that this is not the way to rebound from such a setback.

What does one do? Engage aggressively, but quietly, in building a new apparatus that truly impresses and hews to a standard that puts the old FROB to shame. That way, Daniel et al. could claim that this new, impressive publication and institute represent what they might have achieved had not the shackles of Church bureaucracy and control prevented them.

All of that could speak for itself and thus be much more effective.

Instead they hastily slap together this web publication, as put together by some kid who obsessively tracks the movements of President Monson as though the LDS prophet were a geriatric Justin Bieber, and overwhelm the couple of decent things that they do put in it with a heavy slathering of the usual old crap (some of it obviously recycled). In the meantime, Daniel watches MI like he has long watched MDB, obsessively, and snipes constantly from the sidelines. It is utterly tiresome and such a waste of talent.

The whole thing evokes bathos, and that is about it.

As the lion approaches winter, the late autumn winds leave a chill in his bones. He's not looking for a new den, to sire a new pride, but to find and hold up in one of his old ones, lick his wounds and bear out as much winter as he can. Old scores are the only ones now.

* * *

Bob has a better instinct to keep charging ahead after the next prey, not yet ready to simply grouse about the fact that any other lion has snatched and eaten the gazelle that he killed earlier.

[_Kishkumen]

As the lion approaches winter, the late autumn winds leave a chill in his bones. He's not looking for a new den, to sire a new pride, but to find and hold up in one of his old ones, lick his wounds and bear out as much winter as he can. Old scores are the only ones now.

You should really render that in the form of a haiku.

[_Chap]

As the lion approaches winter, the late autumn winds leave a chill in his bones. He's not looking for a new den, to sire a new pride, but to find and hold up in one of his old ones, lick his wounds and bear out as much winter as he can. Old scores are the only ones now.

You should really render that in the form of a haiku.

Winter is coming
Older bones feel deeper cold
The lion looks back

(Well, at least it's 5-7-5 and it does mention the season!)