On Mar 13, 2025, at 5:13 AM, ΕΜΜΑΝΟΥΗΛ ΣΑΡΕΙΔΑΚΗΣ
<000100730073ca33-dmarc-requ...@jiscmail.ac.uk> wrote:
The problem is not to ensure confidentiality of what one writes. It is
to ensure that one can write publicly (within some limits, see below)
without fear.
To go back to the original conversation, I think we have here an
example of a “pendulum effect”. The onslaught on what cannot be said
started on the “progressist”, “woke”, “politically correct” side, as
explained in the article forwarded yesterday on this thread by Bryan
Lepore. These people were well-meant, on a high moral ground and
earnestly dedicated to rectifying earlier iniquities. Nevertheless, as
often happens with well-meant actions, these initiatives quickly
degenerated, in this case into rather indiscriminate censorship,
nonsensical grammar (ungrammatical pronouns and the like) and
sometimes worse.
Then, the pendulum swung, and the “progressist” bigots were replaced
by the real ones, who are not on a moral high ground, but are feeding
on the mistrust and outrage generated by the previous status quo. The
real bigots are of course many times worse than the ones that became
so by excessive enthusiasm, and this is what we are seeing now (mostly
in the US for the moment, but it’s spreading).
So, I think the questions to ask are: is any form of censorship
acceptable and, if yes, to what extent? My answer to the first
question is yes: any bigot Right and Left should not be allowed to go
around spreading lies and victimising people. The US has been in many
cases an example of too little censorship: it is one of the most
tolerant places in the West for those who are openly Neonazi for
example. The answer to the second question must be: censorship should
be tolerated to the least possible extent, it must be well-vetted,
well-justified and liable to questioning, challenge and rational
revision at all times. Ideally, it should also have some rapport with
a somewhat objective notion of truth. Given the strained relationship
of the present US Government with all the above concepts, I have
little hope.
Emmanuel
Dr. Emmanuel Saridakis
Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
National Centre for Scientific Research "DEMOKRITOS"
Athens 15341, Greece.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From: *David <dgwater...@gmail.com>
*To: *CCP4BB <CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK>
*Date: *Thursday, 13 March 2025 12:10 PM EET
*Subject: *Re: [ccp4bb] Words to avoid
I guess I should remind subscribers that the CCP4BB has a public
archive, at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=ccp4bb
<https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=ccp4bb>.
On a personal note, I always appreciate the courage of those who
call out the bullshit in the world, and I've enjoyed the eloquent
messages in this thread (though the content is depressing).
Best wishes,
David
On Wed, 12 Mar 2025, 21:04 Katherine Sippel,
<katherine.sip...@gmail.com <mailto:katherine.sip...@gmail.com>>
wrote:
My response was more of a suggestion to make sure these
types of conversations are held via a personal email where
"The Man" would require sufficient probable cause for a judge
to issue a warrant rather than an institutional email that
does not have such a barrier. That being said, I have had more
than one work email recently where I asked myself "would you
want to have to defend this in front of a McCarthy-esque
congressional inquest" and made a phone call instead. So,
you're completely right. Thank you for the gut check.
Cheers,
Kat
On Wed, Mar 12, 2025 at 2:31 PM Artem Evdokimov
<artem.evdoki...@gmail.com <mailto:artem.evdoki...@gmail.com>>
wrote:
The first thing that happens as freedom of speech dies is
that diligent self censorship becomes the norm. People
acquire a Komissar inside their heads.
When I was a kid, my parents had to remind me daily not to
share with school kids the jokes told at home because
'mommy does not want to go to Gulag'.
Word to the wise.
Artem
On Wed, Mar 12, 2025, 15:21 Katherine Sippel
<katherine.sip...@gmail.com
<mailto:katherine.sip...@gmail.com>> wrote:
I love this conversation. It is an important one right
now that addresses the intersection between the
precise language needed to communicate science and the
greater zeitgeist around politicization of vocabulary.
It will be interesting to see how the etymology of
scientific language migrates in response to this
selective pressure.
However, if you will allow me to put on my tinfoil hat
for a moment, I feel compelled to remind the faculty
from publicly funded universities in the US that your
institutional emails may be subject to Freedom of
Information Act requests. I was at the University of
Florida when the Organic Consumers Association decided
to go after Kevin Folta via US Right to Know, and it
was nasty. I would not put it past the administration
to weaponize FOIA requests in the future to root out
dissent among US academics. Just something to consider
when engaging in these types of conversations.
Cheers,
Kat Sippel, PhD, ELS
On Wed, Mar 12, 2025 at 1:41 PM Harry Powell
<0000193323b1e616-dmarc-requ...@jiscmail.ac.uk
<mailto:0000193323b1e616-dmarc-requ...@jiscmail.ac.uk>> wrote:
"_golf_ of America” particularly apt with current
POTUS…
Harry
> On 12 Mar 2025, at 17:49, Oganesyan, Vaheh
<vaheh.oganes...@astrazeneca.com
<mailto:vaheh.oganes...@astrazeneca.com>> wrote:
>
> You never know what is on their minds
(Musk&Don). Would you guess anything related to
Greenland before hearing it, or golf of America?
>
> Vaheh
>
> From: CCP4 bulletin board <CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
<mailto:CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK>> On Behalf Of Harry
Powell
> Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2025 1:30 PM
> To: CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
<mailto:CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK>
> Subject: Re: [ccp4bb] Words to avoid
>
> I don’t thnk that’s why it’s been banned...
>
> > On 12 Mar 2025, at 17:09, Ian Tickle
<ianj...@gmail.com <mailto:ianj...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> >
> >
> > --------- Forwarded message ---------
> > From: Ian Tickle <ianj...@gmail.com
<mailto:ianj...@gmail.com>>
> > Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2025, 14:08
> > Subject: Re: [ccp4bb] Words to avoid
> > To: Herbert J. Bernstein <yaya...@gmail.com
<mailto:yaya...@gmail.com>>
> >
> > I spell it 'polarisation' anyway (from Late
Latin 'Stella Polaris' = 'Pole Star').
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > -- Ian
> >
> >
> > On Tue, 11 Mar 2025, 20:00 Herbert J.
Bernstein, <yaya...@gmail.com
<mailto:yaya...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> > Dear Colleagues,
> > When I got home today, Frances presented me
with an article from the
> > NY Times which contained the attached list of
words and the explanation,
> > "As President Trump seeks to purge the federal
government of "woke" initiatives, agencies have
flagged hundreds of words to limit or avoid,
> > according to a compilation of government
documents."
> > For this audience in particular, please note
that "Mx", "polarization", "orientation",
"status", "systemic". "discrimination",
"equality", "expression", "barriers", and "bias"
are among the words to avoid. Care should be
> > taken in writing proposals and reports since
AIs may be used for screening
> > and they are' likely to miss explanatory context.
> > Regard,
> > Herbert
> >
> >
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