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Well, today a colleague with no organismal biology training told me three times to my face that my PhD was “basically Lamarckism”.
It always amazes me how eager white men are to be incredibly rude to their colleagues—inaccurately and for no real purpose.
It always amazes me how eager white men are to be incredibly rude to their colleagues—inaccurately and for no real purpose.
I’m posting this not because this is a super unusual occurrence, but because it *isn’t* an unusual occurrence.
For the non-biologists in the room, Lamarckism is basically the idea that stretching the necks of giraffes during their lives == longer necked babies.
For the non-biologists in the room, Lamarckism is basically the idea that stretching the necks of giraffes during their lives == longer necked babies.
This is obviously wrong given what we know now, but the term is exclusively used in a derogatory manner (in spite of the fact that for his time, Lamarck wasn’t actually as off the wall as he now seems—he just ended up wrong.)
All of this to say, consider refraining from tripling down on gratuitous rudeness.
Costs nothing to say “oh can you tell me more” or just “interesting” and move on.
Costs nothing to say “oh can you tell me more” or just “interesting” and move on.
If you’re going to be condescending and uncollegial
.... at least be right
.... at least be right
