Link: https://www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/james-watson-remembrance-from-dna-pioneer-to-pariah/
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
He co-discovered DNA’s structure but later engaged in rank racism and sexism
By Sharon Begley Nov. 7, 2025
STAT senior science writer Sharon Begley wrote this remembrance of James Watson before she herself died in 2021.
Cutting. I love it.
I’m so confused, did she predict the day Sharon predict the day Watson was going to die, nearly for years AFTER he own?
No it’s common for papers to have prewritten obituaries for people they know will die soon, or even just important people in general so they can get them published quickly. She would have just had place holders for the date and his age that the editor filled in before publication. She probably didn’t expect that Watson would outlive her.
Oh, gotcha! I’m not a bright person.
I think it’s safe to assume she wrote something like [insert date here]. That seems like a pretty obvious explanation to me anyways.
Yeah, I shoulda thought about that.
I’m reminded of a quote by Max Planck:
"A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die”
Or more succinctly paraphrased:
“Science progresses one funeral at a time”
Thank you for James Watson, for this final contribution to science. We are better without your festering bigotry.
I’m just learning about Mr. Watson’s darker side, here
His wiki page says:
In a BBC documentary that year [2007], Watson said that he did not see himself as a racist.
/smh They never see themselves as racist, but that usually means they are.
And, for anyone thinking “well. I’m not racist…” Remember, you DEFINITELY have some internalized biases. I’ve got them. I acknowledge them. I try to overcome them. If you aren’t, you should too! Also, being antiracist in general.
If someone ever finds themselves in a situation where they feel the need to say that they don’t see themselves as a racist…
You see, it’s not racism if it’s based on
real, empirical dataa stubborn intuition driven bigotry based on thoroughly debunked science.See and I keep telling people I’m racist and people don’t believe me despite my words clearly showing I am. I think I confuse people because the ex-wife is Jewish and my girlfriend is African lol
NB. Words are stupid. Actions define a man.
If someone says stuff like that you can bet they’re extremely racist.
Do you see yourself as racist?
yes
Do you not?
Huh. On top of all that he took credit for discovering the double helix of DNA when Franklin’s student showed him the work done by Franklin’s group without permission.
This is the sort of spite that manifests greatness. A stellar clapback I’d have expected to hear in the temples of old when a priest takes the verbal lash to a king who was hated by his subjects. Quite the professional takedown. Well executed!
A diss from beyond the grave, this is some top notch stuff.
what was the dis
This guy sounds like he was quite a piece of work. Also, unfortunately, a real racist piece of work. Its pride, hubris. Everyone is susceptible to sin as such, even the smartest folks, sometimes especially the smarter folk. To be Prideful is selfish. Pride says “i am the best and need to answer to no one”. Also in a group, selfishness is a negative trait that won’t benefit a group, and can potentially harm said group.
So many “traditionally” smart folks are just assholes…
Sharon Begley wrote “James Watson, dead at 97…” ? if not, where is her writing?
I’m going to assume she used placeholders.
I choose to believe that she was prescient - or that it was a curse.
I’m sure Death showed up and was like, “Hey, we’re going to get to that part. But first, I’m going to give you some dates and I would love for you to write some things about some real shitsacks.”
wait you mean you don’t know? then why did you share it lol
Bruh I’m linking published article. I don’t know the article she wrote before her death in 2021. So yeah, it’s a reasonable assumption that she only wrote down things that happened before she died.
bruh you didn’t answer my question lol
What kind of question are you asking, exactly?
You just come off as confused.
it was my first question prior to the one you responded to, you can search for “?” (question mark) to find it. sorry if you’re confused. it might be because I was posing the question to someone else shrug
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