Comments on: Starbucks makes an unintelligent design decision http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/ Sun, 20 Nov 2011 04:59:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: stellar_ash http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-7573 stellar_ash Sat, 02 Sep 2006 04:03:17 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/#comment-7573 Just sent to Starbucks' Corporate Social Responsibility department via: http://www.starbucks.com/customer/contact_forms.asp?nav=3f In regards to the quote now on Starbucks cups by Wesley Smith of the Discovery Institute. Please see http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/ for source. To have a quote from this person on your cups is to do an extreme disservice to your image as a liberal and progressive company. The Discovery Institute is well known to be a radical religious right forum that seeks to eliminate the sciences from the education system and replace it with the doctrine of a sect of Christian religion. (Yes, they only complain about biology in general, evolution in particular, but if you profess that the earth is less than 6000 years old, you need to get rid of geology, physics, etc that show that idea is patently false) The notion implied by the quote that humans are somehow apart or special from the rest of the world is to do a great harm to our world and us. The only thing that seems to be truly special about humans would seem to be an ability, beyond what our physical size would otherwise suggest possible, of removing the forest (and rest of nature) from around us. While a concept in the quote, that all humans should have basic rights, is not arguable, having a quote from a source such as this is like taking lessons in morality from the Taliban. If this is an indication of Starbucks' corporate philosophy or leanings, my business is going elsewhere. Just sent to Starbucks’ Corporate Social Responsibility department via:

http://www.starbucks.com/customer/contact_forms.asp?nav=3f

In regards to the quote now on Starbucks cups by Wesley Smith of the Discovery Institute.

Please see http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/ for source.

To have a quote from this person on your cups is to do an extreme disservice to your image as a liberal and progressive company.

The Discovery Institute is well known to be a radical religious right forum that seeks to eliminate the sciences from the education system and replace it with the doctrine of a sect of Christian religion. (Yes, they only complain about biology in general, evolution in particular, but if you profess that the earth is less than 6000 years old, you need to get rid of geology, physics, etc that show that idea is patently false)

The notion implied by the quote that humans are somehow apart or special from the rest of the world is to do a great harm to our world and us. The only thing that seems to be truly special about humans would seem to be an ability, beyond what our physical size would otherwise suggest possible, of removing the forest (and rest of nature) from around us.

While a concept in the quote, that all humans should have basic rights, is not arguable, having a quote from a source such as this is like taking lessons in morality from the Taliban.

If this is an indication of Starbucks’ corporate philosophy or leanings, my business is going elsewhere.

]]> By: y'ohio http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-7571 y'ohio Sat, 02 Sep 2006 03:11:03 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/#comment-7571 <i>Mac laptops [...] and the gentle strumming of Aimee Mann.</i> Just like heaven! Too bad heaven makes crap coffee. Mac laptops [...] and the gentle strumming of Aimee Mann.
Just like heaven!

Too bad heaven makes crap coffee.

]]> By: JR http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-7565 JR Fri, 01 Sep 2006 23:26:17 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/#comment-7565 Their coffee sucks, that's enough of a reason to avoid them. But don't worry, after the Northern Hordes invade and free you from oppression, we will install a Tim Horton's on every corner. Their coffee sucks, that’s enough of a reason to avoid them.

But don’t worry, after the Northern Hordes invade and free you from oppression, we will install a Tim Horton’s on every corner.

]]> By: Auguste http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-7563 Auguste Fri, 01 Sep 2006 22:19:18 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/#comment-7563 Right. I was trying to clarify in what was on the whole a brain-dead comment that I was really commenting more on the general zeitgeist of Starbucks-hating rather than anything you wrote. Which is why this thread was the <strong>perfect place</strong> for that comment. Shorter me: "Hey, you're the one who brought up Starbucks on a blog that <em>you know I read</em>!" Right. I was trying to clarify in what was on the whole a brain-dead comment that I was really commenting more on the general zeitgeist of Starbucks-hating rather than anything you wrote.

Which is why this thread was the perfect place for that comment.

Shorter me:

“Hey, you’re the one who brought up Starbucks on a blog that you know I read!”

]]> By: punkass marc http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-7561 punkass marc Fri, 01 Sep 2006 21:18:41 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/#comment-7561 Auguste, I am only pointing out their poor choice (and its contextual shortcomings). PZ linked this post and <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2006/09/disposable_philosophy_from_a_s.php#comment-208705" rel="nofollow">one of his commenters made a great point</a>: <em>I'm not bothered so much by the quote -- it's really as vacuous as any ot the others that I've seen on Starbucks cups. I'm bothered more by the fact that this cup-quote thing is symptomatic of a greater societal trend that I'm not very comfortable with. I'm sure everyone here has noticed, but modern discourse is frought with epistemic relativism, and not the kind that arises from giving ethics careful consideration. These days balance, not correctness, is the thing we should strive for in opinion. </em> Auguste, I am only pointing out their poor choice (and its contextual shortcomings).

PZ linked this post and one of his commenters made a great point:
I’m not bothered so much by the quote — it’s really as vacuous as any ot the others that I’ve seen on Starbucks cups. I’m bothered more by the fact that this cup-quote thing is symptomatic of a greater societal trend that I’m not very comfortable with. I’m sure everyone here has noticed, but modern discourse is frought with epistemic relativism, and not the kind that arises from giving ethics careful consideration. These days balance, not correctness, is the thing we should strive for in opinion.

]]> By: Auguste http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-7560 Auguste Fri, 01 Sep 2006 21:02:13 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/#comment-7560 I haven't heard the Starbucks union-busting story, but other aspects - especially their offering of full benefits to part-time employees - make me wonder if we're targetting the right corporation. Not in complaining about Wesley Smith, but in, you know, throwing bricks on anarchist marches. And by we, I mean them. I like their iced green tea. Just saying. I haven’t heard the Starbucks union-busting story, but other aspects – especially their offering of full benefits to part-time employees – make me wonder if we’re targetting the right corporation. Not in complaining about Wesley Smith, but in, you know, throwing bricks on anarchist marches. And by we, I mean them. I like their iced green tea. Just saying.

]]> By: R. Mildred http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-7559 R. Mildred Fri, 01 Sep 2006 20:45:36 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/#comment-7559 Yeah but important bloggers don't go to <I>those</I> areas of DC, and congress critters certainly don't admit they exist. I mean jesus, next thing you know they'll be POC in government who are more than mere tokens! And the next thing you know civilisation as we know it (racist, discrimnatory by default) will collapse... Yeah but important bloggers don’t go to those areas of DC, and congress critters certainly don’t admit they exist.

I mean jesus, next thing you know they’ll be POC in government who are more than mere tokens! And the next thing you know civilisation as we know it (racist, discrimnatory by default) will collapse…

]]> By: Kayla http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-7558 Kayla Fri, 01 Sep 2006 20:24:42 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/#comment-7558 Re MikeEss: <i>They could start with “What I would like is — I’d like the country I grew up in. It was a good country. I lived in Washington, D.C., 400,000 black folks, 400,000 white folks, in a country 89 or 90 percent white. I like that country.”</i> I guess Pat Buchanen isn't very good with statistics, or he's talking about a very long time ago. These days, DC's 60% black and 30% white. More importantly for the Right, I'm sure, is that it's 70% Democrat (and went 90% for Kerry). Re MikeEss: They could start with “What I would like is — I’d like the country I grew up in. It was a good country. I lived in Washington, D.C., 400,000 black folks, 400,000 white folks, in a country 89 or 90 percent white. I like that country.”

I guess Pat Buchanen isn’t very good with statistics, or he’s talking about a very long time ago. These days, DC’s 60% black and 30% white. More importantly for the Right, I’m sure, is that it’s 70% Democrat (and went 90% for Kerry).

]]> By: The Inoculated Mind : They are the evil empire… http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-7556 The Inoculated Mind : They are the evil empire… Fri, 01 Sep 2006 19:41:23 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/#comment-7556 [...] Starbucks Coffee, based in Seattle, WA, now prints a Discovery Institute quote on their coffee cups. The Disco Institute, also based in Seattle, shills anti-evolution propaganda. We suspect that Dr. Evil must be behind this one. Read all about it at Punkassblog.com. And the gleeful reactions of IDers here at UD. [...] [...] Starbucks Coffee, based in Seattle, WA, now prints a Discovery Institute quote on their coffee cups. The Disco Institute, also based in Seattle, shills anti-evolution propaganda. We suspect that Dr. Evil must be behind this one. Read all about it at Punkassblog.com. And the gleeful reactions of IDers here at UD. [...]

]]> By: punkass marc http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-7554 punkass marc Fri, 01 Sep 2006 19:22:19 +0000 http://punkassblog.com/2006/09/01/starbucks-makes-an-unintelligent-design-decision/#comment-7554 It's bad because the quote is taken out of context. In a vacuum it might not be the worst quote ever, but it's coming out of a patchwork of TEH CRAZY, and it's really bad form to quote people in ways that misrepresent the entirety of their opinion. It also implies Wesley Smith deserves some amount of consideration, when he's really no more truthful than the Freepers. It’s bad because the quote is taken out of context. In a vacuum it might not be the worst quote ever, but it’s coming out of a patchwork of TEH CRAZY, and it’s really bad form to quote people in ways that misrepresent the entirety of their opinion.

It also implies Wesley Smith deserves some amount of consideration, when he’s really no more truthful than the Freepers.

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