My Thank You Gift to Everyone Who Pledged to the Counteract a Bigot Drive

Posted on February 4, 2013    Posted by      299 Comments

As you know, I recently had cause to launch a pledge drive to send money to organizations working to better the lives of women, GLBT folk, people of color, and those who have been sexually assaulted. In three days, starting from my initial pledge to commit up to $1,000 to these organizations (if certain conditions were met), over $50,000 has been pledged by folks who wanted to stand with me. I’m deeply honored and humbled by this, both by the show of support for me, and rather more importantly, by the show of support for organizations focused on women, GLBT, people of color and those sexually abused. Thanks, folks.

As a way to show my appreciation, I commissioned a piece of art.

Now, as some background, out there in the stupider parts of the Internet, there are dudes who think of themselves as “alpha males.” My experience with these fellows is that they tend to be ignorant, status-anxious and undersocialized; they tend to mask their various panic attacks about race, gender and sexuality by maintaining those panic attacks are in fact a sign of their superiority. They disdain those who are comfortable with a world in which diversity is respected and encouraged — especially those who are men — and call them “beta” or “gamma” males and/or describe them as “rabbits” or some other species which they presume to be frightened or prey.

With that in mind, for those of us who are comfortable with diversity, who try not to be racist, or sexist, or homophobic, who don’t see the world as an apocalyptic zero-sum battle to the death between ourselves and whomever we try to hide our confused fear of by considering them as lesser beings, who aren’t in fact appallingly ignorant bigoted shitballs every single waking hour of the day, may I present to you an avatar — an icon, if you will, of who we are and how we choose to live our lives:

Yes, Gamma Rabbit, who likes people as they are, fears no one no matter how they live their lives, and who is comfortable with himself and his own personal values of kindness, tolerance and diversity. Sure, there are some who look down on him and his ways, but you know what? Gamma Rabbit knows that those people are kooky, silly, wacky racist sexist homophobic dipshits, and aside from looking forward to the day when they might pull their heads out and join the rest of the human race, lets them alone to do their own thing. Because Gamma Rabbit has other, better people and things to think about.

So to everyone who pledged so far, and to those who might pledge in the future: Here, have a Gamma Rabbit. My gift to you, with thanks.

(Artwork: Joel Watson)

Update: People are already clamoring for t-shirts in the comment thread. Okay, quick poll:

I would note that if such a t-shirt were produced, my cut of any net profit would go off to a charity (probably RAINN).

Update, 11:42am, 2/4/13: Another interpretation of Gamma Rabbit, from author Kirby Crow:

I think we may be on to something here.

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299 Comments on “My Thank You Gift to Everyone Who Pledged to the Counteract a Bigot Drive”

  2. Seriously love this do much. Also appreciate you pointing out us trying to be less racist etc. I may not be perfect, but it’s worth the effort.

  3. CaitieCat approves of the Gamma Rabbit.

    And what’s cooler, Gamma Rabbit doesn’t care anyway! Hurrah Gamma Rabbit!

  6. Gamma Rabbit believes in being and letting be. Gamma Rabbit is neither afraid nor anyone you need be afraid of. Gamma Rabbit is the ultimate non-violent super-hero!!

  7. First, Joel Watson.. Cool!
    Second, May I suggest a CafePress option or print sales or something to add to the eventual kitty? The larger this can get, the more it must piss off the inspiration. I wish I had the resources to commission a plushie with proceeds for charity as well.

  9. Very cool! Gamma rabbit is, of course, a fan of Beta carotene.

    Though the name really makes me feel like he should be a giant green rage monster, though. “Gamma Rabbit Smash!”

  13. I am on record that I think you’re spending too much time on this shitbag, John, and while that hasn’t changed, I’d also like it on record that this is pretty damn hilarious. And all that lucre for good causes sweetens it up quite a bit.

    * Polite round of applause…. *

  14. A tee shirt is definitely needed. I actively avoid pink, but for this I would make an exception.

  16. I love this. Today is my birthday, and this is the best gift ever. To my brilliant, sexy husband and the awesome geeky, smart, kind, self-esteemed men in my life who bring joy and progress and nerdy books, this rocks. Also, the women. All of us: no matter what shade, history, whom we love and lust over, the survivors, the joyous, the strong.

    Also, I love rodents. :)

  17. I haven’t posted, because I already give 10-15% of our income to various causes every paycheck, but I’m not adverse to your recent drive. However, I love the bunny, and I feel compelled to confess that I’m the “alpha” in our lesbo-centric pack. Of four cats, one dog, two humans; 7 females, one male; the gay, female, human, POC is the head of household and it fucking sucks. I am tired. Very, very tired. OMG, you have no idea the trouble I’ve seen; nobody knows my sorrow. You can’t imagine the number of litter boxes per week that need changing…

    Mr Beale and company can eat my dust. In my household, he wouldn’t even rank. Too bad, so sad.

  18. You should sell t-shirts as a fund-raiser, either pink with yellow gamma, like the bunny, or featuring the bunny.

  19. I kind of want to get this tattooed on me just to watch the gibbering howls of Alpha rage, which I would enjoy with a nice rum and coke.

  21. We need that on T-shirts. And full-page NYT adverts. And mass-produced porcelain lawn ornaments we would never, ever in a million years think about sneaking onto the front laws of hompohobic racist shitbags.

  22. James Caplan:

    By all means, you or anyone else can feel to use the image for icons, etc., on a non-commercial basis.

    OldBrownSquirrel:

    I would not be surprised to see Gamma Rabbit on t-shirts at some point in the near future. If there is demand.

  23. LOL. Beta. The only other place I’ve seen that used is the by the /b-tards on 4-Chan. Naturally.

  24. Note to folks: I’ve updated the post with a poll about t-shirts.

    Jerome O’Neil:

    To be clear, this wasn’t about any specific “alpha male” twit out there. It’s more of a general statement regarding the entire class of assjack.

  27. Ian: I had the “privilege” recently to stand next to a pair of late-college age boys (probably 21 or 22) as the discussed among themselves which of the other college age boys they knew were “alphas” and which were “beta f@&s”, and which girls they intended to date then break up with so they didn’t have to “feel those feels”. They irony hovering over this interchange: they were standing in line, just the two of them, waiting for the 11pm opening night showing of “The Hobbit”.

  28. I assumed it would be a picture of “alpha Scalzi”. Shirtless. Ripped. Holding a gun. Chewing on a small animal. Kicking some Commie ass. Covered in sweat stains, blood, and tobacco.

    This is cool too, though. I won’t buy one, because my wife won’t let me (which sort of shows where I am on the alpha hierarchy).

  29. @mintwitch, I am intrigued by your lesbo-centric pack and wish to subscribe to your blog feed.

    @John, small request re the shirts, it would be awesome if it were a printed design instead of one of those kind of iron-on type things that crack after a few washings and make the inside of the shirt feel all weird. (I am sure there are actual names for these different ways of shirt production.) I for one would certainly be willing to throw in a few extra bucks for some sort of premium option.

  30. I love Gamma Rabbit! I probably wouldn’t go for a t-shirt, but I REALLY want a plushie: so much so that I may just have to make one myself. *grin*

  32. “appallingly ignorant bigoted shitballs…” John, you have a special gift for invective that always brings a smile to my face when you let it loose.

    Also, nice rabbit! Thanks!

  33. Who the heck decided that rabbits were something to be mocked? Didn’t they ever read/watch Watership Down? Or Monty Python and the Holy Grail?

    Sheesh.

  35. You ever start production on those shirts, please post the link, I’d buy at least one. With one caveat…I’m of the female persuasion. It’s mightily annoying to go to a clothing site, click on “women”, and find that the tshirts for my body shape (or what they think it is, anyway) are almost all of the “fitted” variety. Last time I inadvertently ordered a fitted womens’ tshirt from cafepress, I emailed them to tell them so. They didn’t make me send the shirt back, which was nice of them, and they credited me the money for the shirt, which was even nicer, but if I’d known about the stupid “fitted” thing ahead of time I could’ve saved myself the trouble. So please…no “fitted” shirts for the women! Thanks in advance, Scalzi!

  38. @Anne Gray, I think a hand puppet would be even more appropriate than a plushie.

    You know, so teh evul femuhnisssssts can operate Gamma Rabbit’s mouth.

  39. If a gamma rabbit bites you, do you get gamma ray bees? Does their honey glow in the dark?

    I want a shirt. I love the rabbit, thank you for the art. (I didn’t chime in in the previous thread, but I applaud everyone who has pledged; I’m with Mintwitch, I give to similar charities regularly.)

  40. “those people are kooky, silly, wacky racist sexist homophobic dipshits”

    Way to engage. I’m sure this incisive critique will instantly motivate them to change their awful ways.

  41. Goodness, no thanks:

    I am embarrassed for you that you think this is me trying to engage with such twits; I am additionally embarrassed for you that you think these twits would be interested in change.

  42. AlanM: The shirtess alpha Scalzi should have a pink gamma tattoo.

    The folks suggesting the plushie: Put the gamma on its belly about where the design is on a Care Bear.

    Mr. Scalzi: This is a great campaign. After this, I don’t suppose you would care to take on the sexist racist homophobic dipshits on the radio, would you?

  43. “To be clear, this wasn’t about any specific “alpha male” twit out there. It’s more of a general statement regarding the entire class of assjack.”

    I get that. There’s just a whole lotta assjack out there, man. And because it’s always all about me, I would rather see you spend that time pounding out a new book or blogging about something more interesting than a bunch of Brucie Kibbutz clones.

    I will do my best to not be a dick about it, though. It is your time, after all.

  44. Thank you for explaining the rabbit thing (or at least their bizarre use of the word) that word being used as a pejorative was confusing me. Apparently they have never encountered a pissed off bunny!

  45. I’m not sure – Did I actually pledge any money, or just say that if you’d decided to open things up I’d like to get in on it, Scalzi?

    I’m pretty sure it’s the latter – and can you tell me where to send it to?

  46. @Timeliebe, check the link to the last thread, in which Mr Scalzi announces his intention. The comment thread talks about where to pledge and how.

  48. Given that I carry a Hello Kitty wallet (grown men have recoiled from the thing–it’s hilarious) I would be all over this shirt.

  50. The artwork was wonderful and brought a big smile to my face. Thanks to you and to the artist! I would SO wear the T-shirt around town.

  51. Gamma Rabbit uses Lorentz contraction to rocket quickly into the future. Meanwhile, his opposite, Alpha Beaver, remains stuck in the past.

  52. I am unsurprised but facepalming with vigor at how many silly people there are out there who still use concepts from Rudolph Schenkel’s long-debunked wolf research to discuss human behavior.

    And they always get Schenkel wrong, too: in his theory, the alpha male and alpha female were a reproductive pair that outranked all the other wolves of any gender.

    As it turns out, wolves hunt in families, not packs: one father, one mother, all their currently unpartnered progeny. Schenkel’s observations were skewed because he was studying a captive population whose family bonds had been all messed up in the course of being captured, so the one intact reproductive pair assumed the “parent” roles to all the others.

  53. “…all the wolves of any SEX,” I mean! I am too used to writing about people and their genders, so that was a reflex.

  56. @mintwich, like mythago, I am intrigued. I have a similarly lesbo-centric situation, although we do have a male housemate as well and there are two male animals (out of five cats and a dog). So 9 mammals in the house, 6 female, 2 definitely lesbians and the jury’s out on the cats. :P

  57. The bunny suits you. You do realize that you are standing on one foot and hopping the entire time you think he cares, don’t you?

  59. [Deleted because it didn’t make sense on a sentence level but all the individual words added up to vaguely racist – JS]

  60. This is very cool, although I do wonder if I’ll return tomorrow morning to see that the immediately previous comment has been malleted….

  62. Wait, what? Alpha males? Gamma rabbits? I’m /so/ glad I’m a Beta (© 1931 Aldous Huxley)…
    Seriously, this is cool, and I’d consider a t-shirt if they happen.

  64. Cosplay awaits…..

    The Alpha male stuff is a hoot. I have a lot to say about that site – but also a lot of work to do on other people’s manuscripts, which is much more important, so I’m not going to clutter up your thread.

    BTW, have you thought about putting this on a mug?

  65. Deleted, as expected. My point being that it matters not whether you can personally handle reality, because there are indeed places where reality will handle you. Unpleasantly.

  67. John, the current troll (who I will do you the courtesy of not responding to) has inspired me to let my reality handle something: count me in for $100 at the end of your drive.

  69. [Deleted for having a pathetically stupid understanding of evolutionary biology — JS]

  70. [Deleted for becoming progressively more ignorant as he goes along — JS]

  73. @ Carina
    They haven’t had their coffee yet, it being early morning over here and most Whatever traffic being US-based.

  74. “Gamma Rabbit believes in being and letting be. Gamma Rabbit is neither afraid nor anyone you need be afraid of. Gamma Rabbit is the ultimate non-violent super-hero!!”

    Gamma rabbit looks stoned off his rocker and has no genitalia – I therefore must agree that he is a perfect avatar for Scalzi. :D

  76. Even better, have you noticed the greek gamma symbol looks like a rabbit face. Maybe you can start a campaign wearing rainbow ribbons in the loop but with trimmed pointy ends upward.

  78. This is WAY COOL! It sounds like maybe if I want to raise money for my favorite cause, all I need to do is to insult John Scalzi sufficiently, and he will start a fund and raise a lot of money for it! OK, John, are you ready?

  79. GAMMA rabbit?

    ROFLMAO, because numerous studies in baboons and macaques have shown that mating success is not a function of dominance rank, it’s better predicted by social friendships with the troop’s females, and the ability to form stable cooperatives among males. By their nature, the alpha and the males trying to become the alpha spend so much time with their dominance activities they have fewer relationships with the females.

    The “gamma” males (those adult males that were neither the troop’s alpha nor the aggressive wanna-be alphas) tended to get more grooming, more food offered to them freely, and had more stable male-male coalitions than the showier aggressive members. One author noticed that when large predators were being driven away the alpha and the wanna-be alphas were out in front being all macho cannon fodder – defense of the group is their main role – while the gammas were in an alert defensive ring around the females and young.

  80. “The “gamma” males (those adult males that were neither the troop’s alpha nor the aggressive wanna-be alphas) tended to get more grooming, more food offered to them freely, and had more stable male-male coalitions than the showier aggressive members. One author noticed that when large predators were being driven away the alpha and the wanna-be alphas were out in front being all macho cannon fodder – defense of the group is their main role – while the gammas were in an alert defensive ring around the females and young.”

    Yeah – cause having your milk money stolen and getting a wedgie in front of the girls locker room is a sure fire way to get a date for the prom!

  83. If you decide on T-shirts, I’ve done work with the company Skreened, in Columbus OH. They also do print on demand shirts (and other schwag), they’re environmentally aware, and they have online ordering. I’m not an employee! I’ve just used them and liked them!

  84. This is rhetorical, so doesn’t need an answer, really, but what is it with comparing humans to species with whom they have little in common? (I’ll make a possible exception for apes). It’s like saying “pangolins are highly secretive, scatter shit everywhere and puff into a ball when threatened” or “male sperm whales form bachelor groups and beach themselves” – so that’s what we should do. Who cares what animals do, except as an interesting case in their own right?

    It’s like Philip Pullman’s spirit animals. Most people want wolves or panthers, and end up with a chicken.

  86. Thanks, JMS, I wondered whether the alpha/beta nomenclature was being incorrectly applied to humans. For a group that professes logic and reason over those icky female emotions, MRA’s sure don’t know their science.

  87. Odd Question: Does the fact that the RSHD has a picture of the this Gamma Rabbit image on his site in the his side bar count as one hit for the donations? Or would it be a single hit a day?

    Just curious.

  88. Sorry, specifically he has the picture of the Gamma Rabbit under his listings of “Target Rich Environments” (aka, “Blogs I Don’t Like”, I’m guessing).

    (And I know I shouldn’t be looking at his blog; it’s not good for my blood pressure, but it’s like looking at an accident or obvious troll – you just can’t help but stare and wonder what happened to make this all go so wrong…)

  92. Annie Douglas:

    If he’s posted it there in the sidebar, that counts as money in the bank, yes.

    MJB:

    I talk a lot about the neighbor’s dog who shits in my lawn, too.

  99. Dept. of FWIW: If I skimmed his blog sufficiently and accurately, the rabbit is in fact a reference to Watership Down. In that the majority of readers here are rabbits trapped in the feminazi hellhole of Whatever-Efrafa, controlled by Gen. Scalzi Woundwort and kept in line by a Jim Hines-led gamma owsla. Or something like that. (?) And we need to wake up and realize the freedom offered by RSHD’s worldview, in the role of Hazel.

    Who is a rabbit.

    ::Fry squint::

  101. This reminds me of Fat Amy calling herself Fat Amy so “you twig bitches can’t use it behind my back” in Pitch Perfect.

  107. This is a question for JMS about your self-correction, which jumped out at me as particularly interesting even on a thread that has Gamma Rabbit:
    Am I understanding you correctly that while human beings are considered to have gender / be gendered, other animals have sexes? If so, is that because gender includes socially constructed elements which aren’t present in other animals, or is there another reason?

  112. @ Tsu Doh Nym: “numerous studies in baboons and macaques have shown that mating success is not a function of dominance rank, it’s better predicted by social friendships with the troop’s females, and the ability to form stable cooperatives among males.”

    That reminds me of an interesting wildlife program I saw a few years ago about this. The dominant male of a thriving troop of monkeys (I forget what kind) was a benevolent leader who maintained cooperation, stability, and peace in the troop. But he was getting older, and a posturing, preening, aggressive young alpha male, after disrupting the troop several times with increasingly violent challenges that turned the troop edgy and nervous, eventually killed him and took over as the troop’s dominant male.

    From then on, the troop become cowed, miserable, and dysfunctional. This posturing alpha monkey bullied the females, who developed all sorts of stress problems and illnesses, and he fought constantly with other males, driving them out of the troop–including males who were still too young to survive alone and quickly died after his ostracization.

    Before long, the troop decided it had had enough, and they all–females, too–banded together to kill him. After he was dead, an even-tempered “beta” male who’d been close to the former benevolent troop leader became the dominant male, and the troop was soon thriving again.

  113. Not only would I buy the T-shirt, I plan to post the image in my classroom, with a brief explanation (expletives deleted, of course) about what is stands for.

    We auction minor things off at the end of the quarter that students can buy with “dragon bucks” – rewards for doing good things. I may buy a few spare shirts to auction off.

  114. ” ahead of time I could’ve saved myself the trouble. So please…no “fitted” shirts for the women! Thanks in advance, Scalzi!”

    But what about those of us who look good in fitted shirts and would like to buy one?

  115. I confess myself ignorant: is there such a thing as a non-fitted “female” teeshirt that is different from the default (as are so many things in our society) “male” teeshirt? I’ve not heard of such a thing, myself, though of course I am aware of the fitted female teeshirts with extra room in the bust. Perhaps it’s just a matter of available colors, but given the pink and lavender bunny, I shouldn’t think that would be a problem.

  117. Is it okay to just come on here and say that I think this whole idea is awesome and fantastic, and if I had any money I’d pledge too? I’d like to contribute something more worthwhile, but really haven’t got much else to say beyond how impressed and happy I am that this is a thing!

  119. Also, can we please make sure that a reputable company with fair labor practices makes the shirts?

    I think buying shirts from a sweatshop would sort of be contradicting the purpose of raising money to help these groups.

  120. I’d like to see the men wear this T-shirt in public places…you would sure show them alphas! (ok, they might die laughing but at least you stood up for your beliefs).

  123. “Abaddon: why should I care about someone calling himself alpha?”

    Just for the record, VD does not consider himself to be an alpha, nor does he claim to be.

  124. If a T-shirt is the only option, I’ll get one, but I second the request above for a mug that I could use every day. Or a magnet. Or even a button. This is an image that cries out to be on lots of things.

  126. @Annie Douglas and John Scalzi. Near as I can tell, on those blog John is either Chief of the Rabbits or King of the Rabbits (sometimes Rabbit People). I haven’t been counting generalized gamma or rabbit references, but the pink rabbit is pretty specific.

  127. Snarf: that was a general question, I can generalise it even further: why should I care about someone whose ideas about human psychology and behaviour are based on inadequate and misunderstood pop-psych and has zero current biological knowledge?

  128. The fact that these knuckleheads are sexist, racist, homophobes is what got me to pledge some money as counterbalance to them.

    The fact that they’re chest thumping, knuckle dragging, “alpha males”… meh… I just feel… I think the word is “pity”. As far as I can tell, the only poeple who are focused on whether or not they’re an “alph male” are people living in fear of the world around them. Declaring themselves an “alpha male” is a way to try and overcome that fear for a little while.

    Love the art work, by the way.

  132. fwiw, though not a huge fan of the original art, i quite enjoy and might get a shirt of the kirby crow art.

  134. The Joel Watson, pink rabbit for the ladies and the Kirby Crow black/white rabbit for the men? I would wear the Kirby Crow t-shirt in a heartbeat. Also, bumper stickers would be cool too!!

    Aside from that, I think adding the word “egotistical” (or similar phrase like, narcissistic cockmuffin, arrogant fucktard, etc) to the phrase “racist sexist homophobic dipshit” would be a rather nice addition. Of course, it’s probably too late to do so because RSHD, has already been firmly established as the phrase of choice. Ah well, just my two cents. Mr. Scalzi, you have my complete support in this endeavor, best of luck.

  135. I voted that I’d buy the shirt, and noticed that the voting was about 50% (two votes more for Yes than No). Assuming that at least a third or maybe even half of the No votes were folks who would buy items other than shirts, it looks like a great opportunity for a Zazzle-type shop that will raise money for the charities out there.

  137. I confess that I am tormented by the paradoxical recursion of my views on Alpha/Beta/Gamma.

    On the one hand, I think the urge to divide people into Alpha, Betas, and Gammas is self-evidently archaic and silly, the sort of self-seriousness you get from adolescents who swallow Nietzsche or Rand without chewing carefully.

    On the other hand, if you challenged me, I’d have to admit that I think that I think the urge to divide people into Alphas, Betas, and Gammas — and especially a preoccupation with whether other people think you are an Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, and making sure you act in a way generally accepted by other believers to be Alpha — is distinctly Beta.

    It’s confusing. I need a drink.

  138. ” The Joel Watson, pink rabbit for the ladies and the Kirby Crow black/white rabbit for the men?”

    That’s sexist.

  139. Good point Christina, it wasn’t meant to be. Perhaps I should have more clear, that the shirts in a general sense marketed towards those two groups, but certainly, both shirts should be available for both men and women, size chart wise.

  140. I’d buy and wear the Kirby Crow rabbit in a heartbeat. The other one I’d buy on a mug or something.000000000000000000000111 <— Sorry, that was the cat; she feels strongly about these issues also.

  141. First off, if the t-shirt materializes I’m so buying a couple if not a whole bunch for me and my friends. I only ask they come in a decent range of sizes. I’m at least a 3x and I have friends who run the gamut from tiny to fluffy like me.

    Second off, If I do get one I’m tempted to get a bunch of my female friends together at a con and get my picture taken surrounded by lovely and geeky women.

    Or should we request this of John? After all, he knows a lot of wonderful women and could easily get more volunteers than I could. It would be terribly amusing and a great way to twit the nose of RHSD.

  142. I can see it now: The Gamma Rabbits animated TV series, where rabbits explore the wonders of tolerance, diversity, intelligent discussion, and not being total dickheads. (Elevator pitch: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic by way of South Park and Archer…)

  143. @Ken:

    “On the one hand, I think the urge to divide people into Alpha, Betas, and Gammas is self-evidently archaic and silly, the sort of self-seriousness you get from adolescents who swallow Nietzsche or Rand without chewing carefully.”

    BWAHA.

    ” I’d have to admit that I think that I think the urge to divide people into Alphas, Betas, and Gammas — and especially a preoccupation with whether other people think you are an Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, and making sure you act in a way generally accepted by other believers to be Alpha — is distinctly Beta.”

    Well, yeah. If you are one of those naturally charismatic people–and a decent one at that–then people will flock to your social group. THEY will find YOU. You don’t need to stand on rooftops and shout out who you are, nor resort to self-important puffery

  145. I’m not sure which I like better, Aggressively Pink Gamma Rabbit or Emo Gamma Rabbit. I think I need one of each. On a ‘boybeater.” =D Or a fitted girly tee.

  146. Stephen:

    Am I understanding you correctly that while human beings are considered to have gender / be gendered, other animals have sexes? If so, is that because gender includes socially constructed elements which aren’t present in other animals, or is there another reason?

    I’m not JJS, but I can answer this. You’re spot-on. One (rather simplistic, but useful) understanding of sex and gender is that sex can mostly be distilled down to biology, while gender is social, performative, and rather fluid. We can know an animal’s sex, but we can’t very well understand that animal’s gender.

    The sex = physical, gender = social framework isn’t perfect, but it’s a pretty good starting point for understanding the human experience of gender and sexuality. It also allows for more than two genders (or even infinite genders, along a continuum – even a multi-dimensional one). It falls apart a bit at the idea that there are two clearly defined biological sexes, because that’s not exactly true either; sex is socially constructed too. Nature does not have two perfectly clear categories for creatures with two sexes, just two rough categories. We humans like to pretend it’s nice and clear.

    We could talk about gender in other animals, but we’d be making a lot of assumptions, because we couldn’t ask them about their experiences. I think it’s fair to say that highly social species may have gender constructs… as an example, in cockatiels, parenting and other social roles and behaviors are *not* divided strictly by sex. Individual birds take on different characteristics. We could probably study flocks of tiels and find patterns we could identify as genders. But we couldn’t ask the birds themselves. (Mine would just say “pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty.”)

  147. My first thought upon seeing the image was a plastic blow-molded Gamma Rabbit, to be placed on lawns instead of (or with) the blow-molded lawn flamingos.

    Keep using your powers for good, Scalzi. I’ll find a way to contribute. You’d think an alpha would have thought of this consequence. Or at least remembered it.

    Latch-hook rug pattern. Giant iron-on for sails. Flags.

  148. Both of these are fantastic! I would totally wear either design on a t-shirt.

    Props to you and everyone who’s pledged to this campaign. You are awesome. <3

  149. I like very much the second version and would wear a t-shirt with this image with pride. Thank you for your championship of the gamma race.

  150. “I’m not sure which I like better, Aggressively Pink Gamma Rabbit or Emo Gamma Rabbit. I think I need one of each. On a ‘boybeater.” =D Or a fitted girly tee.”

    Why does the pink have to be aggressive? Why does black and white have to be “emo”? And I’m not sure little boys find the term boybeater any less hateful than women find the term wife beater. Wouldn’t it be better to just call it a tank top?

  152. My Gamma Rabbit looks a lot more like the Kirby Crow version, with a healthy dose of Bun-Bun.

    I suspect my definition of Gamma differs a bit from RSHD’s.

  155. @MasterThief
    I would SO watch that show.

    And I’d possibly be interested in a Gamma Rabbit shirt. I have far too many shirts but it would go well with my Fluttershy “yay!” shirt….

  158. Here’s a shout-out for Emo B&W Gamma Rabbit! I could wear that on a black tank top to all of my ballet classes! And very Donnie Darko-esque. Admittedly, I originally only watched that movie for the excellent Gary Jules cover of Tears for Fears “Mad World” at the end.

  159. @ Patrick: Oh, nooooooo! You’ve made me remember the rabbit in Donnie Darko. That was terrifying! I spent four years forgetting it! That rabbit was Menace Incarnate.

  160. I like Emo Gamma Rabbit. I am loath to wear the cartoony pink one (no offense to the artist because it’s very cute but it just doesn’t fit with my wardrobe and personal aesthetic) but could get behind the white-on-black version. :)

  161. Uh, and ditto Christina to whomever said the first rabbit was for the women: Stop assuming that pink cute things are automatically for the ladeeeez. That is all. (Says the girl who got married in combat boots and octopus tights.)

  163. If I am confident and secure in my [beliefs/identity/etc.], I need not be intimidated by those who differ from me nor coerce them to conform to my [beliefs/identity/etc.]. Sad that so many lack the confidence they purport to have.
    Hey, Gamma Rabbit: Why settle for “tolerance”? Do you want to be “tolerated”?
    Allow me to humbly suggest substituting “respect” as one of your 3 core values.
    It’s probably closer to your actual practice, as well.
    Happy hopping!

  164. I love them both for differing reasons. I want to make them into cross-stitch patterns. MyPhotoStitch.com doesn’t want to play nice with the pink one; if someone knows of a more robust pattern-maker-izer that won’t break my bank (and works either on a Mac or on the Web), I’m all ears!

    Get it? Ears? (I’ll show myself out…)

  165. “Uh, and ditto Christina to whomever said the first rabbit was for the women: Stop assuming that pink cute things are automatically for the ladeeeez. That is all. (Says the girl who got married in combat boots and octopus tights.)”

    Thanks!

    Why are the guys on this thread silent, how come us girls have to shoulder the entire burden of pointing out people who are enabling sexist thought patterns?

  166. An “alpha-male” telling me I’m a “gamma-rabbit” is about as scary as a child telling me I’m on Santa’s “naughty” list.

    (with apologies to Ricky Gervais)

  167. Jeff Hentosz: “If I skimmed his blog sufficiently and accurately, the rabbit is in fact a reference to Watership Down. In that the majority of readers here are rabbits trapped in the feminazi hellhole of Whatever-Efrafa, controlled by Gen. Scalzi Woundwort and kept in line by a Jim Hines-led gamma owsla. Or something like that. (?) And we need to wake up and realize the freedom offered by RSHD’s worldview, in the role of Hazel. Who is a rabbit.”

    Whoa, wait, what? “Beta” Hazel who is a nobody in his warren? Who listens to his runt, nerd seer brother Fiver who has epileptic fits? Who tells two “alpha” soldier rabbits with more strength and experience than him what to do? Who rescues female rabbits from a stable but repressive warren run by male rabbits where they have no say (no vote,) and cannot leave so that they can come to Watership Down where there is a society where females can have more equality? Hazel who welcomes in hutch rabbits who are a different race than the rest of them and includes them equally in the society? Hazel who manipulates and tricks rather than fighting outright the General, a legendary “alpha” leader and fighter who may have survived a dog attack? Hazel, who is the antithesis of everything they supposedly stand for? The Christian themed the meek will inherit the earth Hazel? I think they have it a bit backwards. It makes gamma rabbit just a bit more special.

  168. @YIH Deleted, as expected. My point being that it matters not whether you can personally handle reality, because there are indeed places where reality will handle you. Unpleasantly.

    Have you considered, YIH, that the website of a failed wannabe sf writer who is universally derided may not be the best place to take advice on dealing with “reality”? I mean, as far as I know, the RHSD has no wife, no children, no actual career, and no accomplishments to speak of. Apart from over-puffed preening about how great he is, what does he have to offer?

  169. @John Scalzi Abaddon: why should I care about someone calling himself alpha?

    Because if you cared enough, you bastard, they might bring the series back or even make a movie like they did with “Firefly” by the same director.

  171. I’d take a t-shirt of the second idea. Not because I’m so insecure that I won’t wear purple, but because those I work with would think I was being ironic with the first shirt, but they might ask me about–and listen to the answer–the second shirt. Plus the rabbit is much more “No fucks given” then the first…

  173. @Phoenician in a time of Romans says:

    The RHSD has a family. That being said, I don’t think that should be a mark in favor of or against someone, and there’s no need to drag people who aren’t participating in his asshattery into the conversation.

  175. In my unfortunately extensive experience, being an asshole is not confined to any particular gender, race, social status, political affiliation, age, or – probably – species. Whether or not you have a family, are Nobel prize winner or wino, artist or asshat, flaneur or indeed feminist – there are no rules. Picasso was a complete tosser, as far as I can see, and he had wives coming out of his ears, as it were. There are a number of great writers who win the Dickhead Award of the Century. Day’s not one of the former, but it doesn’t really matter what his social circumstances are: his views are enough.

  177. Jabari, why on Earth would you think we want to know anything more about RSHD? Often, admittedly, “as far as I know” is a request for more information, but in his case the less said the better.

    eselle28, that’s tragic, actually. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have him for a spouse, or worse, a parent. I hope they manage to escape from him before the damage is too great.

  178. “I agree. Family is off limits as far as I’m concerned.”

    Thank you! It’s not his family’s fault he’s a RSHD, especially if he has kids. Although one has to wonder how he manipulated someone into marrying him.

  179. >Why are the guys on this thread silent, how come us girls have to shoulder the entire burden of pointing out people who are enabling sexist thought patterns?

    I’ve no idea. Because this is an inclusive group, would you rather be called ‘Christina’, or ‘Josh’?

    If you’re genuinely a nice radfem woman, then my apologies, and someone’s pretending to be you. If you’re not, well……perhaps John would like to wheel out a reserve kitten?

  180. Oh, damn, I took too long to type that and didn’t refresh. *bends neck for the stroke of the mallet*

  182. I think wearing the pink/lavender rabbit makes an even better statement if the wearer is male, especially if the male has the physical attributes of BigMachoNess. I want to get a bunch of Navy SEALs to pose wearing them!

    That said, I would wear the black and white one as a lapel pin (if it were made as one) on a business suit, which isn’t an option for the brighter version.

  183. >Why are the guys on this thread silent, how come us girls
    –
    I had two reasons: one is I hadn’t reached the end of the comments
    and the other is that my first thought was that the lavender rabbit
    seemed about right for an eight year old girl’s shirt, with the white
    rabbit being the sort of thing for a sullen teenager.
    No, that was my second thought. My first was that it would make
    for like, a /totes/ must buy Teddy Bear.

  184. @Xopher Halftongue:
    Jabari, why on Earth would you think we want to know anything more about RSHD? Often, admittedly, “as far as I know” is a request for more information, but in his case the less said the better.

    How to Be a Good Commenter wrote:
    “5. If I’m making assertions, can what I say be backed up by actual fact? I know you believe what you believe, and that’s nice for you, but if you want me or others to believe what you believe, then I’d like to see the data, please. Otherwise I’m just going to assume you are talking out of your ass, and I suspect most other people will make a similar assumption.”

    Phoenician’s whole post is based on this assertion: I mean, as far as I know, the RHSD has no wife, no children, no actual career, and no accomplishments to speak of.

    The link is simply challenging that statement. The RHSD has a wife (and has never been divorced), three children, (at least) three separate careers (though he recently dropped one). Whether his accomplishments are “to speak of” you’ll have to judge for yourself. *shrug*

  185. Xopher: *Standby for interservice rivalry comment.* The Navy would be a poor choice… Okay, I got that out of my system. Honestly? You probably’d have no problem getting a nice group of infantry, special ops, *sigh* SEALS, or whatever fits your macho specifications.

  186. Krusatta, I know. SEALs are the ones I knew a quick abbreviation for. Big Macho Guys. But if I were actually recruiting for a shoot I would contact the guys in Afghanistan who made the all-guy videos for “Call Me Maybe” and so on.

  187. There are several, and many units would have the requisite number of willing. My own unit did a rendition of Pirate’s Life with our Captain, whose name was Houke (yes really-though usually pronounced “HOW-ka”) at FOB Phoenix several moons ago. Generally, deployment makes you goofy, and most of us find zany but healthy outlets–like chair jousting.

    John–I could probably make this happen…

  188. I bet once the t-shirts get made it won’t be hard to get funding to buy them for serving military (especially deployed serving military).

  189. Oh no, I’ll buy the shirts and the money can support Wounded Warrior Project or DVA or Scalzi can keep it. This will be too…precious

  190. Actually what’s wrong with wearing a t-shirt with a lavender bunny when you’re a man? Is this something specifically ‘murrican?

  191. Nothing, Jubal, but a lot of people think there is. Those are the people we’re fighting against. Ask THEM what’s wrong with it; I for one don’t feel like entering their twisted mindset at the moment.

  192. Having been stationed in Italy, I see your point. However, my colleagues would think I was being ironic and the forest would be lost for the purple tree.

  195. I would absolutely love a Gamma Rabbit t-shirt; I’d buy one of each design, absolutely.

  198. Kat Goodwin: As I said, I skimmed. I’ll allow that I may have whiffed the conclusion. But I think we can all agree the main point is THEY’RE ALL FUCKIN’ RABBITS.

    Also, that a good test of your heart and humanity is whether or not you cry when the Prince with a Thousand Enemies comes a-calling.

    “BRIGHT EYES / BURNING LIKE FIRE…”

  199. Clarification on my t-shirt vote:

    I voted yes, on principle, but in reality might not because I don’t normally wear t-shirts. If there is a production effort, can it be something where other items are available (hence why I suggested cafe press). I’d so get a water bottle or mug for use at cons.

  200. To Christina: The first example you pointed out was a clear-cut case of gender essentialism. However, I’m not sure your others are. The last time pink was considered an aggressive colour was during centuries past, and boybeater used ironically (to contrast satirically with the more common wife-beater) don’t seem to enforce gender roles the same way as the first example does. (I feel like I have to answer this since I did agree on the first call-out of the “hey, girls could wear the pink thing!”)

    PS. Yes, I’ve noticed the assertation on the other site that Christina is a Josh and not posting in good faith. I’ve still attempted to reply as straight as possible, just in case.

  203. On a totally different note, my comment waaaaaay up at the top about wanting to get the Gamma Rabbit tattooed on me was used by the RSHD himself today, on his blog. I got called a rabbit and everything. I feel *so* special.

  204. I would not buy — but I think I’m not the intended gender. I would buy Kirby’s though.

    Or get a tattoo thereof.

  205. Your post brought tears to my eyes. If only you could be cloned!
    Very glad that I discovered this blog (via Pharyngula). Great reading.

  207. EvanTessuraea, what you said was what I would have said, only better. Wolf studies classify wolves by sex, based on observation of their visible genitalia. Gender is a far bigger question than that. I just write about sociological studies of people more, so reflexively used “gender” in the wrong context.

  208. I’d rather have the second rather than the first Gamma Rabbit. More elegant design. Yes, all I do is shop.
    Thank you for being you. Pledge being pledged.

  209. [b] Because Gamma Rabbit has other, better people and things to think about. [/b]

    Nothing could have made your point better than a post entirely dedicated to the subject. And a charity drive. And a newspaper interview. And polling for t-shirt sales.

  210. I kind of want to make a little web-game of “Whack-A-Troll” now, wherein you control Gamma Bunny wielding the Mallet of Loving Correction. It’d be like Mario Brothers, except instead of jumping on things you’d hit them with the Mallet. And periodically you could pick up a Kitten power-up, which would let you set the mallet to Kitten for a while.

    This desire *may* be the product of lack of sleep, however.

  211. Mudz:

    When people keep shitting on your lawn, might as well plant flowers. Which is to say, make other, better things out of that otherwise useless pile of shit. If they didn’t want me to do that, why did they keep giving me shit?

  212. Xopher: SEALs are the ones I knew a quick abbreviation for.

    The all encompassing phrase would be “special operations” people. also known as spec-ops and sometimes black ops. It is a military-branch-neutral term, so will encompass people in the army, navy, air force, or marines.

  215. @ Scalzi

    Haha, you’ve earned a little of my sympathy. Mostly because you didn’t mess with my comment. :)

    I shall restrain myself to comment, that disingenuity aside , whether you realise it or not, I think you have put yourself, essentially, on the wrong side of life. Your post demonstrates, not a lack of bigotry, but a more socially acceptable form of it. Or do you think that being slandered as racist, sexist, homophobic doesn’t count because as insults, they’re ineffective against your target?

  217. Mudz:

    It wouldn’t be slander, it would be libel. And it’s not libel because the dude is in fact sexist, racist and homophobic. There’s a pretty good textual record on that score. And of course, I don’t care what he thinks about me saying that. I’m not saying it for him.

  218. Gamma Rabbit gets the approval of SuperBunny (who is the super-hero alter ego of one of the shorter members of my household) “Saving the World from Bunny Danger”

  220. I was speaking generally, not Vox in particular. (I don’t actually think he is, honestly, but it’s unimportant.) According to your frame of mind I would also qualify as sexist and homophobic , possibly racist if I ever cared to venture an opinion thereof.

    What I’m saying is that you’ve made subjective judgments deploring our general caste of anti-feminism and the like, saying that we’re essentially terrible human beings that need to be quarantined away from civilised society. In order for it not to be bigotry, you need to support your statement, and it needs to be accurate. You need to show why our views are bigoted and hateful, instead of merely raising the banner and declaring them so.

    I consider it bigotry, simply because I think it’s inaccurate, and your statement is (at least in this post) unsupported by reason. It seems to exist primarily on the strength of your conviction that people who don’t believe in things like the literal sexual equivalence between man and women, could only hold such a contrary view for deplorable reasons. (This is an assumption I’m making, based on what I’ve observed so far. Feel free to disagree.)

    1.) If I said girls had breasts, I would be generally accurate, and it would not be sexism even though it applies to only girls.

    2.) If I said girls were horrible, conniving wenches, unless I provided statistical evidence of some sort, or perhaps genetic research to confirm that they are indeed the very basest of creatures, driven by malignant genes, it would be the very worst sort of mindless women-hatred.

    You seem to think that your judgment of our evil ways is common sense that doesn’t need to be explained or argued. But since no-one denies the veracity of the first statement, but there are many, such as I, that quite happily contest your views in question, you need to proceed along the lines of statement 2.

    You need to provide some support of your views. Not a statement, but an argument. Why does a respect for traditional values, biological differences between men and women, or even a general insensitivity to other people, make us sexist, bigoted or homophobic? (I’ll allow the euphemism). Surely you are aware we have reasons to believe as we do, that we draw not only on observation, but also what we believe to be a good grasp of human judgment, logic, statistics and in the case of Christians (and least convincing to you I’m sure) respect for the mores and laws first enacted by God?

    For example, you call us ‘dipshits’. But I doubt you genuinely assume we’re unintelligent. I’m sure you’ve noticed that Vox quite happily broadcasts an above-average IQ, and I seen several of your readers comment to that effect. I have no idea what mine is but I assume it is sufficient to allow me to participate in society as the average man.

    What purpose could this slur serve? How is this in content, any better than calling blacks dumb [N-word deleted; not a good word for you to use here, Mudz – JS], or anything to that effect?

  221. Phoenician’s whole post is based on this assertion: I mean, as far as I know, the RHSD has no wife, no children, no actual career, and no accomplishments to speak of.

    The link is simply challenging that statement. The RHSD has a wife (and has never been divorced), three children, (at least) three separate careers (though he recently dropped one). Whether his accomplishments are “to speak of” you’ll have to judge for yourself. *shrug*

    The Phoenician’s statement was quite accurate – “as far as I know”. I have been corrected now on him having children (although that does not enatail him now having a wife), so at least we can credit him with having it together enough to have persuaded some poor woman/women to have slept with him at least three times.

    i still stand by the other comments – from what I’ve read his “accomplishments” are mostly puffery put out by what seems to be himself. He started out in a failed obscure rock band, which he left after only two years with the band then going on to better “fame”, he helped write a couple of video games which sunk without trace with bad reviews, and he’s written a few crappy sf books which have only limped along because of the Christian millenialist niche market.

    Myself, each day I go to work, I know that I’m contributing even in a small way to something that helps people and will live on long after I’m dead. What I do counts – and I’m happy about that without needing to puff myself up about it.

    The RHSD has lived a wasted life, and (possibly apart from the three kids, poor bastards), will leave nothing behind him worth mentioning.

  222. The RHSD has lived a wasted life, and (possibly apart from the three kids, poor bastards), will leave nothing behind him worth mentioning.

    My apologies – apart, OF COURSE, from the Scalzi-organised contributions in his name to the causes he loathes. Ironically, the tens of thousands of dollars channeled because of him to women’s rights, GLBT causes and the like may end up being the only thing worthwhile ever associated with him.

  223. I think Vox is married. He’s mentioned a ‘Space Bunny’. So it seems Scalzi isn’t the only one with a fondness for rabbits.

    I will always appreciate him having written ‘The Irrational Atheist’ myself.

  224. Mudz:

    “What purpose could this slur serve?”

    To signify that one is acting in a manner consistent with being a dipshit. Unlike being a racist, a sexist or a homophobe, which have pretty obvious indicators, being a dipshit is more of a judgment call, but of course I am willing to make it. Being a dipshit can be independent of being a racist, sexist or homophobe, although in my experience there is a high correlation. Likewise, I imagine it as least theoretically possible to be a racist, sexist or homophobe and not be a dipshit, though again, in my experience the numbers there are low.

    However, when the various racists, sexists and homophobes come here from elsewhere to leave stupid messages and make nuisances of themselves, they’re assuredly acting like dipshits. Likewise, in the case of RSHD, as we’ve been abbreviating his references here, once again he’s got a long textual record of patent dipshittery, and beyond that it’s my personal assessment of him based on interaction with him, especially recently. You are able to disagree with that assessment, but I don’t much care; I trust my own judgment on the score. In both cases, if these fellows do not wish to be judged dipshits by me, they should not act in a manner which to me indicates they are so.

    In my opinion you have erroneously correlated dipshittery with intelligence; there are some reasonably intelligent dipshits out there, although again in my experience they don’t tend to be as smart as they believe they are, nor do they appear to understand that scoring well on some arbitrary, specialized indicator of a specific sort of intelligence makes them immune from acting stupidly, thinking poorly, or being a dipshit.

    In a more general sense, if you wish to know what I think corresponds with being a dipshit, simply look at the people I consider to be dipshits. I happen to think the answer will become obvious; but if it’s not, I trust patient examination will make it clear.

    Aside from that you’re making some assumptions that are not in evidence; among them that I think racists, sexists and homophobes should be quarantined away somewhere. In fact I believe racists, sexists and homophobes have precisely the same rights as everyone else. However, that doesn’t mean I have to be required to tolerate them in my personal spaces if I do not wish them there, especially when they are acting like total dipshits. And it doesn’t mean that when one of these dipshits starts bandying about my name for his own personal purposes, that I can’t choose to do something about it.

  225. @ Greg

    The all encompassing phrase would be “special operations” people. also known as spec-ops and sometimes black ops. It is a military-branch-neutral term, so will encompass people in the army, navy, air force, or marines.

    Special forces soldiers themselves are usually just called operators, operatives or agents, while special operations normally refers to the command itself.

  226. I am always surprised when people can’t tell the difference between an informed judgement on a select group of specific individuals and bigotry.

  228. John, I’ve tried to stay out of the fracas, but now you’ve gone too far. This shirt belongs on that level of cuteness hell where dogs that bounce when they bark (and the women who use them as fashion accessories), kitten videos (and the producers that post them on the internet), and most anime eyes (and the artists who add tears to them) should reside. I have decided that if I have to get a shirt printed, it should have this [image]http://www.ncbeerguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20105elmer_fudd2.jpeg[/image] on it. Maybe we could meet over coffee wearing our shirts and discuss the bill of rights? :)

  229. @ ynysprydain

    This is rhetorical, so doesn’t need an answer, really, but what is it with comparing humans to species with whom they have little in common? (I’ll make a possible exception for apes).

    No need. Humans are apes, literally.

  230. “Dipshit” is, in any case, far more likely to be a statement of opinion than one of fact and thus isn’t defamatory.

    I do like the little trolls wandering in here, with their most pathetic William F. Buckley imitations brushed to a shine, to defend their idol. It’s like that scene in the action movie where the badly-dressed and slightly dim mooks show up to warn the hero that The Boss don’t like him messin’ with business. And then our hero stuffs them into a garbage can.

  231. Kirby Crow’s GB is excellent, very stylish. I think the Joel Watson’s is cute, but I would like him better in green with muscles.

  232. Gulliver: Special forces soldiers themselves are usually just called operators

    Yeah, but a random comment of the order of “I’d like to see some operators wearing this shirt” might not convey the speaker’s intention. With zero context, “operator” has something to do with AT&T.

    Mudz: Or do you think that being slandered as racist, sexist, homophobic doesn’t count

    This graph is not to scale, but it communicates two things which are clearly separate but which you relating to as if they are identical.

    http://www.warhw.com/2012/04/09/bigotry-perspective/

    You need to show why our views are bigoted and hateful, instead of merely raising the banner and declaring them so.

    Dude. Seriously? They have this thing called “The Internet”. It has lots of answers, so long as you’re willing to read them.

    http://bit.ly/VT8YN6

  233. I would buy a shirt if it were that second design shown in the update. That one looks really cool. The first one… eh, I don’t really want to wear that around all day.

  234. I’m the annoying Omega Male type … Alpha was fun but too much work so … Just raising the children.

  236. Mudz:

    I see your two follow-ups but the verbiage trips a bunch no-nos here for the site as politely as possible, which gives me the impression you’re not intentionally trying to test the fences. Also, otherwise they’re beginning to wander off from the primary discussion. I’m going to leave them off but otherwise invite you to go ahead and e-mail me if you like with the same general concerns and I’ll follow-up.

  238. There both nice, but I gotta say, I prefer the mauve incarnation. It’s just so comin’ at ya…like it’s going to overwhelm you with sheer not giving a fuck. I wasn’t going to say anything, but I feel like Joel Watson needed the shout-out.

  239. They’re both notice. THEY’RE.
    I really should not post before my first cup of coffee.

  240. I want to say first, I am not a homophobe at all, my brother and his partner were among the first dozen couples to get married in WA earlier this year. I am totally pro-tolerance of the LGBT community.

    That said, the Gamma rabbit shirt just isn’t grabbing me. Great cause though, I applaud your readers support of it and you for spearheading it. Bravo and Huzzah to you and your community.

  241. What are the rules about reproducing either image? I’m not talking about trying to make money, but if I wanted to make some temporary tattoos and pass them out at cons (as someone else suggested), is that OK? Perhaps stickers, to go on your con badge? Badge ribbons? I’ll stop: you get the idea and I’m going to be late for work. Ooops!

    If the answer is up-thread somewhere and I missed it, sorry! I really did look, but I kept getting distracted.

  242. @Shannon Leight:

    “but if I wanted to make some temporary tattoos”

    If this is a thing that is possible, I humbly request the secret of this dark magics.

  245. While I adore both Gamma Rabbits, I think the second would be my preferred T-shirt. (although I would probably buy both if the option was available)

    This whole alpha-male thing perplexes me. True strength comes from kindness & gentleness, which seems to be something they aren’t aware of, or were never taught. A donation to the cause will be forth-coming. I cannot promise an amount, but there will be a donation in honor of my father, who was a kind, gentle, and strong man. He is still sorely missed by all who knew him, all these 8 years since his passing.

  246. This whole thread I’ve been singing “Gamma Rabbit” to Jonathan Coulton’s “Code Monkey” in my head. I mean, it’s perfect!

    I really hope this gets turned into a song: “Gamma Rabbit…likes people as they are, fears no one no matter how they live their lives, and…is comfortable with himself and his own personal values of kindness, tolerance and diversity. Sure, there are some who look down on him and his ways, but you know what? Gamma Rabbit knows that those people are kooky, silly, wacky racist sexist homophobic dipshits, and aside from looking forward to the day when they might pull their heads out and join the rest of the human race, lets them alone to do their own thing. Because Gamma Rabbit has other, better people and things to think about.”

  247. I’m not up to filking Gamma Rabbit, but he also scans to “Trigger Happy” by ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic.

  250. @Gulliver, Greg, etc: “Special Forces” is a very specific term, especially in the Army. To wit, Special Forces=Green Berets. Other special operations personnel tend to refer to themselves by their service-specific career field. For example, I referred to myself as a Combat Controller, a SEAL will always call themselves a SEAL (How do you know there is a SEAL in the room? He will tell you.). “Operator”–within the JSOC community–is usually reserved for a Tier 1 SOF unit member…so…SEAL 6, Delta, 24 STS, etc. An explanation of the tier system would drag this thread even further off topic. The term has been heavily diluted thanks to the media, the various Soldier of Fortune reading posers, and movies. And mostly, if you ARE one, it is used by someone ELSE as a descriptive term…not something you use in an introduction. The conversation would go something like:

    “What do you do on base?”

    “I’m an operator.”

    “An Operator? That’s cool. So, heavy equipment, radios…?”

    “No, an Operator, black ops, classified operations…get it?”

    “Oh, OK, sorry, I didn’t know what you meant.”

    “That’s alright, it’s all classified anyway, I’m not supposed to even say anything about it, but you seem like an OK guy. Tell you what, buy me a drink and I’ll forget that I have to kill you.” -laughs

    “My pleasure. Hey *bartender’s name*, I’ll have another, and get Mr. Fuckingposer here some shut the fuck up.”

    Also @Gulliver: You grammar Nazi’d yourself! You are my hero!

  252. I never knew how evil the world was until my senior year in high school. That is the time I told my parents that “I really liked girls instead of boys”. I still remember my mothers words that have scarred my soul. “What?! You have always liked boys” she said. And my father was classic, “That’s your other life and your not to bring it around us!” I slowly started to tell friends and other loved ones. This was the year of 2002 and I don’t think I have ever said any other statement that made ever made me so lonely. No one wanted to associate with me anymore. That is when I lost hope in people. Today you have changed my mind. Thank you.

  253. With the references above to Watership Down, I’m reminded that among all of the alpha, beta, gamma and assorted other Microsoft Character Map Unicode rabbits, I think I may actually be a Rowsby Woof; loyal, loud, loving, and easily fooled!

  254. @ Scalzi

    I accept your right to delete, being preferable to the alternative, but I don’t approve of the reasoning behind the decision, for the following reasons:

    1) It will hide the exchange from public eyes. I’m not entirely insensitive, but I can’t help but note this. I actually think I will personally prefer this, myself, for this particular topic.

    2) As you seem to have noted, there was absolutely no malice, or ‘bad thoughts’ behind anything that I said (and I can’t recall what the verbiage might have been). Which means you took issue with and deleted a perfectly honest and sincere (and you say, polite) contribution, because I didn’t use quite the right words to express myself.

    Again, this all depends on your intentions for your blog. But if there is intended to be any constructive debate on this site, you’ve effectively enforced measures to ensure that it won’t get off the ground.

    3) I don’t recall going off-topic, so I’ll have to take your word for it. I don’t think ‘beginning to wander off’ is a reasonable qualification for deleting a moderately substantial post.

    (Unless it was my reply to Gulliver, but that was in an entirely separate post, so it holds no water.)

    And I’ll correct you on one thing. I don’t really know what the ‘fences’ are, but I did know they existed, if not precisely where they lay. But if I did know what these no-nos were, I would still have ignored them, because you’re essentially asking me to twist 100% unadulterated straightforward honesty, into some sort of weaselly PC brown-nosing.

    You could ask me not to swear, since that’s serves no purpose, but trying to get me to put my words through a blender to be more awkward PC versions of the same things, is basically what I’m completely against. If we can’t be honest in our speech, how do we expect to maintain an honest society? I’m afraid there will be very little compromise from me on this.

    I will not modify anything that I choose to say, because I am very rarely ashamed of anything that I say. I do not accept that anyone has a right to produce offense at honest statements from a sincere man.

    In other words, if my sincerity and your fences collide, you of course still have the arbitrary authority to delete as you like. But personally, I’d simply expect you to rebuild better fences. Like, further away, so no-one accidentally blunders through them.

    The upside of this is that at least it will give me a chance to simplify the talking points. I shall email you when I have the leisure. I may be unavailable due to work for a few days.

  256. @ Greg

    An immensely informative graph.

    This graph is not to scale, but it communicates two things which are clearly separate but which you relating to as if they are identical.

    Being a bigot and calling someone a bigot surely is. However he was describing an entire impersonal group of people bigoted by their nature, and futhermore calls them/us ‘sexist’, ‘racist’, ‘homophobic’. (Assuming this is the case, since I have not clarified his precise target yet.)

    Personally, I care very little. Calling me a sexist/homophobe/racist has no effect on me, because it’s untrue. And all things considered, his ‘bigotism’ is less offensive than our ‘bigotism’, assuming we are such, But this is simply thanks to culture. I wouldn’t even call him a bigot myself. But I’m highlighting that he effectively is. We simply don’t pick up on it, because his prejudices are culturally acceptable, and he’s targeting crime-thinkers rather than races and the like.

    They are not equivalent in scale, but they are still both substantial.

    This is ‘formal’ objection, because it’s the unintentional hypocrisy itself I’m concerned with. I’m encouraging a more impartial social awareness. If you’re going to talk the talk, and all that.

    Me – You need to show why our views are bigoted and hateful, instead of merely raising the banner and declaring them so.

    Dude. Seriously? They have this thing called “The Internet”. It has lots of answers, so long as you’re willing to read them.

    It’s not the internet that is trying to insult me. Your affectation of sarcasm is puerile and misplaced.

  259. @ Krusatta

    “Operator”–within the JSOC community–is usually reserved for a Tier 1 SOF unit member…so…SEAL 6, Delta, 24 STS, etc. An explanation of the tier system would drag this thread even further off topic.

    Interesting. My dad was an Army Ranger, but never talked a lot about work. IIRC, in the Army, Rangers are Tier 3 and Special Forces are Tier 1, and it’s from the latter that the term operator first came into use, while other countries use alternate terms. Also, he was able to tell people his unit, though rarely did AFAIK, whereas higher echelons are prohibited from doing so while on active duty. Since the Army at least requires every service member’s service record to be in the public record, the upper echelons are listed with bogus unit assignments, though within the correct division, IIRC. Soldiers of fortune are contract mercs, right? Anyway, having never even served, I could have everything ass-backwards, you’d know much better than I, and I’ve digressed completely off-topic more than enough (::genuflects in the direction of the Mallet::). Thanks for the elucidation.

  260. Jubal 6:50 pm
    >what’s wrong with wearing a t-shirt with a lavender bunny when
    >you’re a man?

    Me, specifically: I’d feel silly. Why? Dunno. I just would. *
    Anybody else: Go for it. If I think you look silly that’s either my
    problem or I should thank you for brightening my day.
    And if I think you look cute I don’t have any candy.
    >Is this something specifically ‘murrican?

    No. Lots of places have clothing weirdness’s in the culture, and some
    get quite crazy about. — You dipsticks, don’t have a clothing police.
    Have these describables do something useful to your people, not some-
    thing that
    ‘K. Leaving that subject.
    SDT
    –
    * I suppose I could have sex with a guy, but, What for? Why bother?
    Look at a pic of Salma Hayek’s eyes? Oh, yes. So very yesyes. And
    just for the so very pretty.
    Her real eyes in person? I’d drown in them.

  261. Gee, thanks, Mythago, ruining my mystique! No one’s ever thought I had dark magics before. I wanted to revel in it for a leetle while. *sigh*

    (Since this is the internet, and you don’t know me…yes, that’s all tongue in cheek.)

  262. @Gulliver: The United States military is required by law to hold every service member’s record in the public domain. They are contained at NPRC in St. Louis (which BTW is an excellent resource to research genealogy). However, there are a number of delightful euphemisms which allow the military to not falsify records; things like “data masked” and the infamous black felt tip pen. Rangers, depending on their mission, qualify as a Tier 2 unit under the current distribution. Tier 3 or “white” ops are “specialized infantry units” like the 82nd, 101st, and 10th Mountain, as well as other specialized units. Tier 2 “grey” are Rangers, AF Pararescue, some TACPs, most of the SEAL teams, most Special Tactics Squadrons, Force Recon, etc. Tier 1 “black” are the four SMUs SEAL 6, ISA, Delta and 24th STS. Rather than thinking of it in terms of how “secret” the unit is, it is better to think of its mission requirements and focus. Tier 1 are scalpels, Tier 2 are combat knives, Tier 3 vary between battle axes and cleavers.

  263. Mudz says:
    snip
    “verbiage”
    snip.
    I got harsh words from an English prof when I used that word in a paper.
    Apparently, is no such word, and stating my belief that it meant something
    like ‘words sets a person uses’ or ‘how people use words’ was a thing that
    I should not have done.

    Don’t get me started about how is no way to know which French verbs
    are irregular.
    It’s easy.
    The old verbs are.
    The new ones aren’t.

  264. @Mythago

    Thanks! I am super stoked by this. I had no idea. My three year old and I have been doing temp tattoos as a father daughter thing. It’s super cool that we can do a homemade variety.

  265. As adorable as Gamma Rabbit is (the tee-shirt is a grand idea), if anyone I didn’t know came towards me with that much … er … friendly enthusiasm … IRL, I’d probably break and run. I know, I know, I’m a bad person and a cynic.

  266. I suddenly want an image of a platoon of Space Marines, each wearing Gamma Rabbit’s tee-shirt over their powered armor.

  270. Some women don’t buy shirts *unless* they’re fitted. I hate the so-called “unisex” shirts because they fit me like tents. So I’m in direct opposition to “no fitted shirts for women, please.” I wouldn’t buy unless there IS a fitted shirt option.

  271. I believe Maurice has trademarked Space Cowboy as well as Gangster of Love.

    I would have trademarked “Urban Spaceman”, if I existed…

  272. I would have trademarked “Urban Spaceman”, if I existed…

    That was a certainly a twist.

    I realize we still use space ships, but it seems silly to have space marines when there is no water/ocean in space. Or should we refer to astronauts/cosmonauts/whatever as Space Mariners, too?

  273. htom:
    My personal opinion of me wearing a shirt with an image on it is
    slightly less of a syncope generator than my watching someone
    get an injection (I really would rather watch Dom DeLuise do a
    naked flop dance (injection needles are scary)). *
    I /would/ wear an image of space marines wearing lavender bunny
    tees charging at an enemy.
    –
    –
    * Kind of an aside.
    I had no problems watching Dr. _ suture me, or cut off the flesh
    that had been cooked by the metal cutting blade but those hypos
    with the local! Very ughy. I didn’t faint, but it was very difficult
    for me to not run away. – – .
    To be clear, the following is a reference to a proposed law that
    would have banned everything offensive.
    The most offensive thing that I see on broadcast TV is a hypo
    needle sliding into somebody.

  274. I was going to post this in the Procedural Note entry which it addresses, but its comments are still closed, so I’m going to go ahead and put it here. If the other post’s thread is opened later this morning, I’ll repost it there and leave it to John to Mallet whichever he prefers.

    John Scalzi sayz:

    On a personal note, wow, this little thing went off in directions I genuinely did not expect last Saturday, when I decided to use my money to bring some good out of someone else defaming my name on a regular basis. I was surprised when people asked to join in and genuinely amazed both at how many people came along and how much money has been pledged. At this point, I’m pretty sure it’s not about me and my name anymore.

    I’m thinking it might also be a real-world example of this hypothesis:

    http://www.overcomingbias.com/2012/09/covert-virtue-the-signal-that-doesnt-bark.html

    I’m generally uncomfortable about announcing my own charitable donations, but not because of any shame in doing so. Rather, I don’t see it as altruism. Altruism is when you do something you have a notion is good, but without any clear idea of how it benefits you beyond making the world you share a better place. Usually, if I donate time, work and/or money to a cause, it’s because I’ve concluded that that cause is in rational alignment with my values and their practical moral implications. Those values are what give my life meaning to me, and so their practice is self-interested. Because I strive to hold enlightened values, I aspire to enlightened self-interest, but self-interest nonetheless.

    Note that I don’t consider altruism to be better or worse than enlightened self-interest, but they are different. In general, the more net energy I put into a cause, the more I prefer it to be out of enlightened self-interest than altruism, because then I have a concrete understanding of how my actions in service thereof are anchored to my values. That understanding might be wrong, but it’s something more than the faith altruism requires. On the other hand, humans, I think, mostly have a pretty good intuition (or conscience, if you prefer) on which to base such faith, so altruism is still a net good and still better than nothing.

    There is, I think, sometimes a sentiment that anything that benefits oneself, even if that benefit is to one’s moral integrity, is somehow corrupt. This strikes me as contradictory, because it puts the importance of not benefiting oneself above the importance of benefiting others by implying that mutual aid is something of which to be ashamed. And while I’m no utilitarian, I do find reasoning that puts personal modesty above practical good to be as flawed as saying that the important aspect of diet is not real food value, but how bad the taste, which is just as irrational when considering that we evolved, by way of natural selection, to find healthy foods tasty. That some unhealthy foods are also tasty is hardly an indictment against all tasty foods.

    Indeed, were I cynical, I might conclude that the usual motive for placing modesty over actual benevolence is in establishing one’s own puritanical superiority over those who genuinely do good.

    TL;DR – Modesty may be counterproductive, but it sure is comfortable.

  276. Well you know, they’re probably not actually having panic attacks over this. Plus I don’t know and can’t understand what you actually meant by panic attacks, by the way. Internet flamewars?
    On the other hand, I sometimes have panic attacks.
    Weirdly, the fact that they do or do not get panic attacks is not what make their point of view more or less bigoted than it already is or prove that, even if it wasn’t misogynist, it wouldn’t have been valuable. And those who do get panic attacks over this aren’t more bigoted than those who don’t but hold the same views, just like it does not make me or my views more or less real, more (insert here antonym of bigoted*) for getting panic attacks over others not caring about for example women’s rights or bad stuffs that happened to me because of this. Though, most people would say it makes my views less worthwhile to hear, either because I’m not representative of the average or because it proves I can’t think/reason clearly. It’s totally unrelated.
    They’re assholes by themselves, you don’t need to pretend they have a mental illness to prove that they are assholes or that their views are wrong or anything. Panic attacks and mental illnesses are not morally good or wrong or anything and aren’t the only thing that makes a person.
    By the way: our society’s views on mental illness does not make it possible for anyone to maintain that having panic attacks is a proof of superiority, as it’s viewed as making you a bad person and also justifying abusing you and stuffs.
    Also, I like both rabbit designs. Hopefully my comment is readable.
    *I think there is not one because it’s impossible to not be bigoted, at all, never. That or the english language and Google both hate me.

  277. I would absolutely buy a t-shirt in the second design. I like the message in the first design, but for some reason the expression seems more defensive than joyful. I like the kickass attitude of the second, which is a nice opposition to RSHD’s concept of “gamma rabbit.”

    Besides, it’s just more in tune with my inner gamma rabbit’s style. Nimta is the kind of gal who would be wearing leather jackets, smoking cigs, and driving a Harley, if that were the sort of thing a rabbit could do. Hooray for standing up to silly gender traditions. :)

    And relevant to the mentions of Watership Down, the issue of trolls reminds me of this quote:
    “Hoi, hoi, u embleer hrair! M’saion ule’ hraka vair.”
    (Translates as: “Hoi, hoi, the stinking Thousand. We meet them even when we stop to pass our droppings.” Lovely implication that the the Thousand (trolls) are as numerous and insignificant as rabbit poo.)

  278. @Phoenicean:
    (although that does not enatail him now having a wife)
    *sigh*
    If you really can’t simply accept me telling you that, you could do two whole minutes of research (horrors!) – it’s easy enough to figure out between the Rules and the FAQ.
    Now that I think of it, that line’s actually really humorous – you claimed ignorance as a defense of breaking “Rule 5”, and then went and immediately broke it again!
    The RHSD has lived a wasted life, and (possibly apart from the three kids, poor bastards), will leave nothing behind him worth mentioning.
    And what exactly should he do, to not have a “wasted” life? Something more than a full, happy family, lacking none of the necessities, and enough time left over to mess around with hobbies that interest you? (Getting paid for the hobbies, as well!)
    As far as leaving nothing behind – family is the only thing you really do in the end, isn’t it? (barring exceptional creations) I’ll note that broken and/or unhappy families don’t tend to have the children publishing books at age 7.

    (possibly apart from the three kids, poor bastards)
    Quoting this bit again, as Mr. Scalzi specifically said that family was off-limits. He must have missed this – it IS a fairly long thread at this point.

  281. When it comes to families who have dealt with the domestic violence thing (a nephew and neice who are close enough in age to be younger bro/) I’m glad to see they get a mention. I personally hate the whole RHSD line. In my life, the people I’ve know have included: Laotians, Cambodians, Viet Namese, Chinese, Thailanders, Germans, Swiss, Irish, English, Mexicans, Hondurans, Peruvians, Guatemalans, Venezuelans, Israelis, Yemenis, Canadians, Kenyans, Puerto Ricans, Jamaicans, Albanians, Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals (both sexes) and a whole host of colors.

    Two of the prettiest gals I’ve had the the chance to meet were a Hindu, my Irish other half. As for friendliest, one was a Yemeni male, and the other a German female (who was my 2nd/3rd mother–oldest sis fills one of those spots). One of the handsomest guys was Mexican (and a fookin’ awesome Soccer/Real Futboll player), able to charm any gal, and the friendliest is a dark brown American who speaks French better than most French people do (and who has been to 5 continents, minus Australia and Antarctica!).

    All of this is to say, John, I applaud your choice of groups, and the stand you’ve taken over the years. I need to donate a bit more cash, but even when I can’t, I vote to make things equal across the board. Sadly, too many people DON’T. I got a feeling that RSHD would vote to reinstate slavery, and wind back civil rights for anyone who isn’t a Straight White Alpha* Male.

    As a Gamma Rabbit, I have to say this: WE NEED YOUR VOICE!

    As individuals we can speak out.. vote… try to champion causes… but it is the recognized names that resonate with the public. Keep up the good work.

    *I find it funny that people like RHSD talk about “Alpha Males” as regards Homo Sapiens. None if’ its ilk seems to realize that “Alpha” status depends on the situation. If it comes to a book signing, I would know for sure you were the leader, and would hope that if it came to disabling a landmine, you would defer to my old-school U.S. Army 12B training. Circumstances decide who amongst Homo Sapiens is the actual “Alpha”… hell for both of us, the accountant in the room is our Master in finances, and Mintwitch is probably the general leading us against the Zombi Apocolypse.. along with Athena!

  282. As a closeted bi teen I live in constant fear. Fear that the people I love will push me away. Fear that my friends will scorn me. Fear that my redneck ass high school will become even more of a nightmare when I go from perceived to openly queer. I have been the victim sexual harassment, I hear people calling this or that gay. I hear people call one another fag, and bluster and claim fervently that they aren’t, as if it was a terrible sickness that they need to scrub off of themselves. I live like that, and I have it easy; easier than many others who resort to self harm, or commit suicide. you never hear about that though; you know it happens, but you never hear about it. If a straight white girl committed suicide the news would have a field day. If another queer is found dead, with a bottle of pills, it never sees the light.

    With that in mind you know what it means to me when I find someone who gives a damn. even more so when an entire community shows that they care. The money raised is amazing, but its enough for me to know that there are good people out there.

    So, from someone who is living in fear I would like to thank you all for making me feel a little more respected, a little less scared, and a whole lot more human. I really can’t express the gratitude I feel towards you all, So I will leave it at thank you, and hope its enough.

    PS. @mudz: the level of privilege you are exuding is really quite disgusting. To equate “dipshit” to a slur is frankly insulting. I take it you have never had a slur directed at you before, so allow me to explain it to you. A slur makes your blood boil with outrage, a slur make you feel physically sick, a slur makes you fear for your life, a slur makes you hate yourself almost as much as you hate the people using it, and you internalize that hate, it becomes the prevailing emotion in your life. I know I live with the damned things every day. If you want to talk about mistreatment why don’t you learn what it means first.

  284. [Deleted because it revealed all too well the tiny, scared little child behind that comment, craving love and acceptance. There, there, buckaroo. It will be all right! – JS]

  285. [Deleted for being a genuinely embarrassing attempt at being a big tough dude – JS]

  286. A pedantic feets-notes after all the hurly burly’s done:
    Konrad Lorenz was possibly the originator but definitely the popularizer of the term Alpha. Some species that appear in “forms such as herds and gaggles and swarms/swarms that have names and numbers and norms” (no prizes awarded for recognizing that obscure reference) have a pyramidal social structure, some a loose fluid ranking, some what appears to be purely cooperative temporary flocking. If it’s a pyramid, the one at the apex is the Alpha. ONLY the one at the apex. And in such species, the Alpha gets everything; he or she is the biggest, strongest, fastest, smartest, the mightiest spewer of baby-seeds, has the biggest antlers and the longest teeth, you name it.

    Yes, he or she. Also sometimes they (some species have alpha couples).

    Human beings are too complex to have alphas because we have too many hierarchies, rankings, and loose associations. Only rarely is the CEO of the company you work for also the supreme bishop of your church, your children’s commanding officer in the military, the leader of your country, the author of the best book you ever read, the winner of every Olympic gold medal, and the person with the club record for most tips in the G-string. So properly, we don’t have alphas anyway.

    Furthermore, alphas are already-established; it’s like being king in a succession war. There’s only one at the end of it and retroactively we declare he was always the true king. So the bulk of “alphas” are wannabees doomed to failure.

    At the other ends of the scale, besides the betas (comfortably in the pack/herd/club), there are the gammas (dubious hangers-on, the Charlie Browns as in the Shulz character, not driven off but not included either, the benchwarmers and bottom seeds in any competitition), and the omegas — not tolerated, driven off to live as best they can, living like Cain with every man’s/monkey’s/wolf’s/duck’s/starfish’s hand raised against him. At least in lions and wolves, the omega will be attacked by any pack member, male or female, if it tries to approach, and its life is, to quote something better known, “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

    So the whole Alpha Male thing doesn’t even remotely work as a metaphor. Sure, there’s hierarchical behavior in pairing off and in social status. Bill Gates, Newt Gingrich, Jim Bakker, and Brad Pitt probably all have had whatever luck they’ve had because of it. But it’s not the same hierarchy, there’s no one alpha, and in short it’s a fairly lame metaphor for human behavior and not a meaningful description at all.

    Furthermore, gammas aren’t actually rejected or defeated; they’re just the reserve force in case the species needs to breed back after a disaster. They help with all the functions of the pack/herd and probably are a better ROI than the alphas (who tend to be expensive for the benefits they yield). In some species they may get fewer chances to mate but in many they do mate. They are, in short, not animal heroes but not animal failures either. If you remember Heinlein’s little sermon about baboons standing sentry against leopards, most of the sentries are gamma males.

    And then there are the omegas. Universally loathed and shunned. Able to get attention from their own species only by attacking the group; usually driven off, seldom if ever embraced.

    Anybody notice any omega-related metaphors that might be applied?

  287. Sorry, pink is not my color (I prefer black or earth tones). My wife might like one. I do, however, love Gamma Rabbit’s eyes. They remind me of George Underwood’s “Gentle Giant” art for the band of the same name.

  288. Look, I like your books, I have bought and read all of them.

    Well, not your latest series, but I will, once its done.

    I am not even trying to suck up to you, I just think you are a great author which practically assures that you have a functioning brain and are open to new ideas.

    Here is the thing thing though:

    When it comes to Game and whatnot, we are right, you are wrong,

    Yes, when it comes to intersexual interactions the truth is not pretty but it demonstrably works.

    I wish it would not.

    I wish you had it right.

    Alas, you dont.

    Here is the most easily digested version of it, check it out or dont:

    [commercial link deleted — JS]

    And yeah, yeah, yeah, the language is a litte bit aspie, thats because the founders were exactly that, the evopsych included uses terms that are used incorrect in a biology context, subcultures tend to develop their own lanhguage, it goes against what feminism has taught us the last decades, it goes against what we want to believe.

    But it works.

    Works, works, works.

    And I find it hard to dismiss what works, just because I do not find it convenient,.

  289. Orion:

    “When it comes to Game and whatnot, we are right, you are wrong”

    Leaving aside all the inherent nonsense, sexism and outright fear of women that comes wrapped up in “Game,” this is very much like going up to someone playing chess and saying, “Dude, you’re playing Candyland totally wrong.” It’s correct only to the extent that chess is not Candyland.

    You kids have fun playing Candyland, Orion.

  290. Sir, I am not quite sure how old you are but I think we are pretty close when it comes to age.

    Further, I do not have any idea what you believe what “game” actually is, but it has progressed far beyond canned openers and furry hats.

    There is a Christian author, Dalrock who has a blog about game and is, as far as I know a happily married man.

    So is the one who whose link I posted, so is Rollo Thomassi.

    I would rather die than “peacock” in the next bar, using canned openers, trying to puck up a disease ridden….

    Well I just would not.

    So, what is your idea of what we are actually doing?

    Because to me it is obvious that you simply dont know, yet, you seem to have a strong opinion regardless.

    Why?

  291. Orion:

    “I would rather die than ‘peacock’ in the next bar, using canned openers, trying to puck up a disease ridden….”

    I’m pretty sure you’re unaware of just how much disgust and loathing of women you’ve just packed into that last sentence; however, I am not.

    Which suggests “Game” continues to be exactly what I think it is.

    Time to move on now, Orion.

  292. [Deleted because Orion apparently has not read the comment policy, and does not appear to know what it means when I say it is time to move on. It means “you’re not posting on this thread anymore” — JS]

  293. oh well, you are still a great author.

    Thank you for your books and good luck with your career.

  297. @3/3/13 8:26 pm

    What do you mean no prizes awarded for recognizing obscure reference to Bernstein’s Mass? I wantz the whole innertoobs for my prizes, thank you.

  298. “Why does a respect for traditional values, biological differences between men and women, or even a general insensitivity to other people, make us sexist, bigoted or homophobic?”

    Because ‘traditional values’ are by definition sexist, racist, and homophobic, many of the ‘biological differences between men and women’ you think exist actually don’t (especially many of the supposed cognitive ones), and insensitivity makes you a dick.

  299. I am still not comfortable with this thread,

    It is as if all of us who subscribe to the Redpill are automatically in the wrong, as if our life experiences count for nothing,.

    We have learned nothing, our conclusions are worthless, we dont know shit….

    Ok….

    And yet, when we lay out our worldview, a lot of men react to it…

    I guess those are assclowns too.

    Thats all terribly convenient, we could not possibly have a point.

    Alright, the men who doom European societies by refusing to enter any contract involving procreation are probably assclowns too,

    Alas, without us pulling the plow, it all goes to shit,

    Ignore us.,.

    Please do….

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Athena Scalzi, contributor – AMS
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