Because I’m repulsed by the very pronunciation of Gove’s name–not to say by the narcissistic self-righteousness he can be seen visibly repressing on every public outing–I haven’t been following this. How extraordinary. Is it from a bucket list, do you think, written age 13 in the first flood of pubescent religious fever, “100 things I’ll do to make people love me and God when I become Leader King” ? Is it a “vow” ? Meanwhile, by pretending, in a kind of Swiftian gesture, to support the Guv, Dawkins shows once again that scientists can’t do politics because they are always too distracted by their own intelligence.
May 20, 2012 · 9:38 am
Dawkins is wrong. Never engage with the bastards. Never underestimate the stupidity of the fattened flock that is the British electorate.
Rather than join in the whole debate, I prefer to add Gove to my list of people I will kill when I am diagnosed with cancer.
He is currently at number seventeen, but if he continues with his current form he might break in to the top ten.
As a lifelong atheist, I find Dawkins an embarrassment. Whiteonesugar might agree that those who butt heads tend to have too much in common with each other.
Now, if every schoolchild were to be gifted the works of Homer … or Joanna Russ!
My reaction to whiteonesugar: is he a member of the British electorate?
Of course I am a British voter… Have never voted for a winning candidate tho’ as I am a labour voter in a rural backwater.
Don’t worry that I see myself as any better than the electorate I referred to, I know my weaknesses are many and I do little good – but at least my negative impact is limited to the few people around me… Unlike the G man.
Is Whiteonesugar a member of the British electorate? No, I don’t think the criminally insane get to vote.
Whiteonesugar, think of Freddy N and your blood pressure. Now: deep, cleansing breath, and stay away from flogged horses.
Homicidal rage is an entirely appropriate response to these bastards, given the amount of misery they cause. If only they could feel it, they might stay where they can do less harm.
I share all of whiteonesugar’s despair when confronted by Gove & what he represents. Especially by the self-righteousness which enables the Guv, a bit like an overplayed character from a 1950s Dickens movie, to proceed with schemes both morally repulsive & culturally risible at the same time. Also, I cannot bear his face, from which all of the 19thC can be so easily read. I’m not surprised that anyone should feel violent towards him. Who would want a vain seven year old private schoolboy in charge of any aspect of their lives ? Who wouldn’t feel utter despair when confronted by the idea that the only way to get rid of him is to rely on an electoral system he has already successfully manipulated to gain & maintain power ? A bit chilling, really. He & Dawkins both seem to me to be bloated Gothic parodies of themselves, & the public discourse they make between them reminds me of nothing so much as the first two volumes of Ghormenghast, in which the useless architectural space represents an equally useless intellectual, emotional & social space.
I’ve no love for Gove, but isn’t he just the occupant of an ecological niche? If we strike him down, won’t the niche soon be filled again?
We need to destroy the niche, make the environment hostile to the slithy goves. I’d eliminate their prey species, but clearly …
…and the quality of your comment shows why you are the paid writer and I am not. I still hate them… Have just had a leaflet explaining the precise way that the NHS will be butchered in front of me and the tone makes it quite clear I should be thanking them. Ah well.