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> I would be curious what kind of person feels like they're on the receiving end of hate from "woke" people. In December 2014, Scott posted a comment [0] in a

> I would be curious what kind of person feels like they're on the receiving end of hate from "woke" people. In December 2014, Scott posted a comment [0] in a discussion on his blog about how, as an adolescent, he had struggled greatly with anxiety issues, and how he believed that some messages some feminists were broadcasting had contributed to his mental health problems. And in response, a huge number of online feminists decided to publicly denounce him in a massive pile-on; Amanda Marcotte's contribution is representative [1] Ever since then, some "woke" people have been convinced that he's a "bad person". And he's said other things to upset them since, e.g. publicly disagreeing with proposals that his field (quantum computing) abandon some of its technical terminology ("quantum supremacy"), which some claim "makes women and minorities uncomfortable in our field" [2] So yes, Scott really is on the receiving end of a lot of online hate from certain people, and it has never stopped–including trolling campaigns against his blog [3], demands sent to his department that he be fired/disciplined, etc. And Scott calls the people behind this campaign against him "woke" (or even, as he does in this blog entry, "wokesters"). I know a lot of people have an allergy to that word, but can you see how it makes sense from his perspective? Why shouldn't he use it? [0] https://scottaaronson.blog/?p=2091#comment-326664 https://scottaaronson.blog/?p=2091#comment-326664 [1] https://www.rawstory.com/2014/12/mit-professor-explains-the-real-oppression-is-having-to-learn-to-talk-to-women/ https://www.rawstory.com/2014/12/mit-professor-explains-the-... [2] https://scottaaronson.blog/?p=4450 https://scottaaronson.blog/?p=4450 [3] https://scottaaronson.blog/?p=6552 https://scottaaronson.blog/?p=6552

ZeroGravitas 4y ago
A sample of the "woke" people that are attacking him: > And oh, your wife? I lookrd her up Scott and… She’s maybe a 3 on a good day. You know, maybe a 6 at a MAGA rally where all the other chicks are fat midwestern racists. She’s got that TERF Karen look Scott. Let’s be real, you wish you could have bagged one of those hot blondes instead but that’s what you ended up with. I really doubt that’s satusfying enough to keep you from lusting after your younger hotter students. God you’re such a fucking sexist creep. Sounds like an obvious troll to me (and to some of his other commenters). But he replies in full earnestness to him. Probably a mistake, but I'd still put the blame on the troll rather than the victim.
- sterlind 4y ago
  Such trolls depress me because people will conclude 1) they're real and 2) representative. And then I and my people get blamed for their behavior, even though I'd never do anything like that. sigh Anyway, what a cesspool. I'd enjoy reading his blog but I don't need that toxicity in my life.
  - barry-cotter 4y ago
    Amanda Marcotte and Jessica Valenti exist. There are lots of people who take great joy in their hatred on every side of political issues.
    - sterlind 4y ago
      By "my people" I meant trans women, but I'm sure you'd be able to find instances of bonafide trans women saying abusive or hateful things. Regardless, there are trolls, and the comment bore hallmarks of being a troll. But even still, my point is that I don't post hateful things like that, most of the trans people I know are kind people, and reading dehumanizing comment threads like this is incredibly depressing for me.
      - skissane 4y ago
        Maybe I’m misinterpreting you, but your comments give the impression that you think Scott is anti-trans, or when he says “woke” he means trans people. I don’t think that’s true. The term “woke” is used by lots of different people in lots of different ways. Some people view the existence of trans people as a type of “wokeness”, so I can understand how you could have formed the impression that’s (part of) what Scott means by “woke”-but if you read more of what he has to say, I think it will become clear he doesn’t define “woke” in that way at all. Unless I’m misunderstanding what you are saying. You started talking about “my people” in a conversation about “wokeness”, I thought you were self-identifying as “woke”, and I’m probably not the only one who read you in that way. Now you say by “my people” you meant trans women, which leaves me confused about what you were trying to say all along. You also speak of a “cesspool” and “dehumanizing comment threads” and I’m wondering what you are actually calling those things and why you are calling them that. Again, I suspect you may have the wrong impression, but I’m not entirely sure what you mean, so maybe my suspicion is based on misunderstanding you.

ZeroGravitas 4y ago

A sample of the "woke" people that are attacking him: > And oh, your wife? I lookrd her up Scott and… She’s maybe a 3 on a good day. You know, maybe a 6 at a MAGA rally where all the other chicks are fat midwestern racists. She’s got that TERF Karen look Scott. Let’s be real, you wish you could have bagged one of those hot blondes instead but that’s what you ended up with. I really doubt that’s satusfying enough to keep you from lusting after your younger hotter students. God you’re such a fucking sexist creep. Sounds like an obvious troll to me (and to some of his other commenters). But he replies in full earnestness to him. Probably a mistake, but I'd still put the blame on the troll rather than the victim.

sterlind 4y ago
Such trolls depress me because people will conclude 1) they're real and 2) representative. And then I and my people get blamed for their behavior, even though I'd never do anything like that. sigh Anyway, what a cesspool. I'd enjoy reading his blog but I don't need that toxicity in my life.
- barry-cotter 4y ago
  Amanda Marcotte and Jessica Valenti exist. There are lots of people who take great joy in their hatred on every side of political issues.
  - sterlind 4y ago
    By "my people" I meant trans women, but I'm sure you'd be able to find instances of bonafide trans women saying abusive or hateful things. Regardless, there are trolls, and the comment bore hallmarks of being a troll. But even still, my point is that I don't post hateful things like that, most of the trans people I know are kind people, and reading dehumanizing comment threads like this is incredibly depressing for me.
    - skissane 4y ago
      Maybe I’m misinterpreting you, but your comments give the impression that you think Scott is anti-trans, or when he says “woke” he means trans people. I don’t think that’s true. The term “woke” is used by lots of different people in lots of different ways. Some people view the existence of trans people as a type of “wokeness”, so I can understand how you could have formed the impression that’s (part of) what Scott means by “woke”-but if you read more of what he has to say, I think it will become clear he doesn’t define “woke” in that way at all. Unless I’m misunderstanding what you are saying. You started talking about “my people” in a conversation about “wokeness”, I thought you were self-identifying as “woke”, and I’m probably not the only one who read you in that way. Now you say by “my people” you meant trans women, which leaves me confused about what you were trying to say all along. You also speak of a “cesspool” and “dehumanizing comment threads” and I’m wondering what you are actually calling those things and why you are calling them that. Again, I suspect you may have the wrong impression, but I’m not entirely sure what you mean, so maybe my suspicion is based on misunderstanding you.