> Bharathi Jagadeesh <bjag at ln.nimh.nih.gov> writes:
> >2) Harsh criticism (sometimes personal) because you have to learn to
> >face it.
Robert (morphis at physics.niu.edu) writes
> How shall I say this?
>> Fuck off and die.
>> Yup, that works.
Yes, if that kind of comment left me on the podium with tears on my face
it would be a definite problem. Is your motivation to teach me to take
it? If so, I do have to state that you have not earned my trust yet. If
not, you're just proving the point that someone who did want me to
succeed needed to teach me.
Interestingly, you now have the distinction of having said the nastiest
thing to me that has ever been said in a debate!
> But why, unless you had a truely sensitive soul
> you were worried would shrivel up and die under the experience (no insult
> intended toward sensitive souls), would you want to spend time doing this?
> Do you truely have nothing better to do?
Ah yes, in fact, the world teaches women to be truely sensitive souls,
and I have seen far too many women disolve in to tears, or become
incoherently speachless when faced with unfair opposition. I have a
feeling that breaking down in tears on the stage, even once, in a major
meeting of your field _could_ end your career. You'd spend the rest of
your career making up for being the "girl who broke down when asked
questions."
> >3) Strong criticism because the scientific idea is flawed. This includes
> >criticism with poor interpersonal style -- like this idea is
> >embarrasingly stupid, how could you possibly think that. But it should
> >be followed up with examples, though the receiver of the criticism might
> >have to ask for it.
>> No, as you described it above #3 has nothing to do with science. It
> happens to be something that has to be put up with in any human endevour.
> That doesn't mean we should applaud it, or that we shouldn't attempt to
> file off the rougher edges, but merely that we do have to expect it.
>> Yes, this is a hot button issue with me.
I do think that smoothing over the edges is a good idea. It's better to
state the criticism of the idea in a way that's on point, and doesn't
require detective work by the receiver to understand. But I'm willing to
take even criticism with poor interpersonal style, if the alternative is
having someone be so worried about hurting my feelings that I get no
criticism at all (I'm glad that you don't feel that way). I hope that I
don't _deliver_ poor criticism, but again, I think I should be free to
state that an idea is dead wrong, if I can back up my opinion, and in
those words.
