Jess, my comment was regarding the people who - as far as I can see - believe that anytime they approach a woman she should welcome them, regardless of the time, place, or her wishes. (sorry - you struck a nerve there)

In my experience, these people are no more or less prevalent within the skeptical community than anywhere else. Assholes are everywhere. It's incredibly disappointing that Richard Dawkins is one of them, but he doesn't speak for the skeptical community at large any more than Michael Moore speaks for all liberals.

(And to answer Zenkitty....no, it's not a cult. I know I'm punchy today, I just honestly can't tell what's a joke anymore.)

Leaving work sounds good. I may do so myself. They're doing construction work on my floor, and my cube wall has been replaced by a white plastic tarp that wafts gently in the AC, just at the corner of my eye where it's driving me nuts. Plus a ton of dust in the air and so on--I have broadband at home, so why not use it?

I know it's not a cult. I was more making fun of my own inability to come up with the word I wanted.

It's not a cult!

It's a collective.

It's not even a community as far as I can see. Not in the way Buffy fandom was a community. Very few people who aren't the Talent (for lack of a better word) seem to have any real ties to each other.

I wonder if my carpool buddies (Jennifer and Sean Carroll) propel me into BNF status. HAHAHAHAHA.

That was a weird time in my life.

It's not even a community as far as I can see. Not in the way Buffy fandom was a community. Very few people who aren't the Talent (for lack of a better word) seem to have any real ties to each other.

I think that's true as far as the internet is concerned and at a big event like TAM, but there are tons of local skeptics groups all over the place which have no big names attached to them. Those meetups create communities.

Oh definitely. I didn't think. Skepchicks run vaccination clinics and it appears that a community has sprung around WTF (Women Thinking Free).

SERIOUSLY. It's a very white male privilege and VERY ANGRY when you call it out sort of thing.

Yeah. It's why I stopped reading most skeptic sites. There's enough crossover with the Randroid/Reason set that it's nasty as heck when you call 'em on it.

Because their identities are wrapped up in believing that they are completely rational, and sexism/racism is irrational. Sometimes they double down and turn to evo psych to justify it all.

My laptop is braindead. I had to order it a new brain with disk (because I can't find the disk). My poor laptop.

Because their identities are wrapped up in believing that they are completely rational, and sexism/racism is irrational. Sometimes they double down and turn to evo psych to justify it all.

Exactly, Allyson.

They get all irrational about it, too.

(I've noticed that calling skeptics of any gender on their irrationality and the confirmation bias in their opinions -- skeptifem, I am looking at your irrational nonsense on porn and pitbulls -- is the quickest way to get them to foam at the mouth.)