To think this successful academic’s tweeting is basically bullying?

[Francescat]

An academic ex-colleague has just had a book published. Recently he tweeted a screenshot of an email he received which criticised his stance in the book, politely, but in no uncertain terms (FWIW I disagree with what the email said). He then proceeded to post comments mocking the writer of the email for being ignorant and for mis-spelling a word, and soon enough he and a load of his followers were all taking the piss out of the email and how stupid, ill-informed etc the person who wrote it was - their tone was really sneery and dismissive.

This guy is a leading academic in his field at one of the most prestigious universities in the world, yet he’s sneering at a less-educated person like a playground bully (ironically he also posts a lot about social justice issues, sticking up for the oppressed, etc). AIBU to think that mocking the spelling of someone who simply disagrees with what you’ve written - and encouraging all your highly-educated friends/followers to do the same - is a total dick move and actually makes him a massive bully? I know this isn’t exactly unusual for Twitter, but shouldn’t someone in his position (and with his privilege) be above this? He’s well-respected in our field and everyone seems to think he can do no wrong but I‘ve lost all respect him after this!

Yep 100% with you. He is a fraud and that poster who disagreed with him has set something off. If he had basic sense he would have let it go. If he is an authority then he would have been able to reason it out or politely stood his ground.

Disgusting behaviour and yes, it is targeted an individual so I would say a form of bullying.

Sounds like he’s thin skinned and a pedant for spelling and Grammar He’ll fit in perfectly on mumsnet, sneering at someone’s syntax being mean spirited
He’s touchy.It’s his problem, but if his book,and research is sound...so what!
I’m not sure what you can achieve from calling him out on this?

Sounds like a typical male academic

Doesn’t matter what his level is, that’s not how any author or any academic should treat a criticism of their work.

Oooh who is it? Can anyone link me?

Sounds like an MN pile-on

Tell me who it is. I’m going after him.

Yes, like others said, a typical male academic. I work at a university and there are many of them like this. Awful behaviour OP.

Academics are the fucking worst for this kind of thing.

OP, our local councillors act like this on Twitter too. They don't do themselves any favours.

Surely the point of publishing academic work is furthering criticism, and you therefore invite debate and response to your work. It’s not merely you saying “this is how I think it is and that’s that.”

Do tell the university OP! Or even better link to his twitter! After all, he seems to want to do this publicly.

Who is it?

I’m not particularly surprised,academics can be ferocious and Defensive
There’s no value in a mn pile on, mn rudely berating him for being umm rude

He sounds a bit immature

I would be tempted to contact them privately to say that I really enjoyed their work but felt the recent interactions undermined their message

YANBU. You should tweet back at him to say so, and tweet that a genuinely gracious person doesn’t behave in such a petty way.

Lots of academics on Twitter are toxic, unprofessional bullies, so this doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. The behaviour that people in certain middle-class professions are allowed to get away with is shocking.

I am amazed at how unaware and sometimes limited in their own knowledge some of them are. I had to stop talking to one as I started to feel really uncomfortable when he kept going on about the same very minor (academically) point as though it was the holy grail. I felt sorry for him and angry that he could get into the System yet be so blinkered

Sound like a typical mumsnet grammar twat

@Bellesavage

Sounds like a typical male academic

My thoughts exactly. Their egos are horrifically fragile - whereas female academics get this all the time by virtue of having a vagina and are expected to suck it up

My in laws are academics, FIL is more prominent. The disdain they have for 99% of the population regularly takes my breath away. Just because people like that can always find someone to agree doesn't make them right. Education doesn't stand for anything if you're not a decent person.

I know some people like this. The standing up for the oppressed, social justice warrior, be kind. That’s for those poor oppressed minorities over there. In day to day life they are often unpleasant & spiteful but they say all they say all the right ‘kind’ words.

Sounds like a typical male academic. Eye roll to the women on this thread who think the female academics are even a teensy amount better.

@Bellesavage

Sounds like a typical male academic

Yep.

I actually clicked on this thread wondering if it was about my former supervisor, who was bullying and rude to several people on Twitter this week, to the extent his job should be in jeopardy (but probably isn't).

I am a female academic and yes of course, men and women in my discipline can be equally awful but there is a hubris and privilege that male academics carry that gives them the edge on this kind of behaviour. It's encouraged and sadly what makes them successful.

It also makes me sometimes a little dubious about the domination of coronavirus advice in the media by male experts. I imagine them to be the male profs in my department. Knowledgeable? Yes. Always right? Nope. Willing to push their point regardless of being wrong? Yes.