Starbucks has a program called The way I see it. It is a collection of a few hundred quotes which are placed on the side of coffee cups which are meant to encourage discourse. At first, Religions groups were offended by these messages. Starbucks responded to criticism by allowing content from the nutball fundie fringe. Yesterday, I came face to face with a great example of anti-science rhetoric.
The Way I See It #224
Darwinism's impact on traditional social values has not been as benign as its advocates would like us to believe. Despite the efforts of its modern defenders to distance themselves from its baleful social consequences, Darwinism's connection with eugenics, abortion and racism is a matter of historical record. And the record is not pretty.
This drivel was written by Moonie Dr. Jonathan Wells.
Dr. Jonathan Wells is a Discovery Institute hack. He spouts fundie ID screeds in a single minded effort to discredit the Theory of Evolution. He does so by vilifying something fundies call Darwinism, but what Wells actually means is the worship of Darwin in place of God. Of course, the broken logic here is that eugenics was a tragically misguided 19th and 20th century philosophy, the fact that eugenics was pursued as a social theory has nothing at all to do with the Theory of Evolution and Natural Selection. it is a red herring argument and thus pointless, even dishonest. Allowing fringe religions nuts like Wells and the Discovery Institute access to a million coffee cups is not equal time - it is insanity. What is Starbucks thinking?
4 comments:
Starbucks' decision is typical of corporate responses to controversy, to try to remain neutral and not take sides. I think they figure if they piss off both Christians and Atheists, they are doing something right.
But of course this is relativism, pure and simple--what some have called "pussy epistemology." It's the desire not to have to take sides or be bothered with facts. Just stake out a middle ground and shrug your shoulders. Keep the cash rolling in.
Starbucks is responding, oddly enough, as it should. Personally, I'd rather read the opinions of those I don't agree with than see them censored.
Hurray for Starbucks in putting forward a controversial opinion. (I'm sure that if an atheist wrote a piece, and it was lobbied, they'd publish it. Of course, I can't guarantee that!)
Carolyn Ann
You can comment and leave your own quotations on starbucks site (under the Our Stores section). Feel free to go write them a letter. They do publish some of them.
Uhh, ended up here on a google search for something unrelated. I'm curious as to why you think this quotation is in the least bit suspect. From my reading of history, it seems accepted that the idea of Darwinism had consequences, as does every idea of a culture/society. If you are deeply interested, a superb book is Darwinian Fairytales by David Stove. He was an agnostic (so NO religious axe to grind in the slightest), a philosopher of science. Pretty much tears some Darwinian concepts to shreds. He argues that of course, it's PARTLY true, of course we can see some evolution, but there is absolutely no way that that one theory can support the weight that is placed on it ie as an explanation for the TOTALITY of life. ;) He is also incredibly funny; a very enjoyable read even if you don't agree in full.
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