Thinkquote of the day: On Dawkins' popularity

A friend writes, " ... Dawkins [an anti-theistic Darwinist ] is a force to be reckoned with, if only because he commands so much media attention and popularity."

Yes, I came across a beautiful comment for By Design or by Chance? from one of Dawkins' editors:

More than that, the elegant Oxbridge don is a cultural icon. As one of his editors explains: If you’re an intelligent reader, and you read certain literary novels that everybody has to read, along with seeing Tarantino movies, then reading Richard Dawkins has become part of your cultural baggage.[6] (p. 104)

Yes, cultural baggage. We need to keep in mind that it actually does not matter if Dawkins is talking rot. His fans are very anxious to hear and accept that rot. It goes with everything they believe, and against everything they do not believe.

As a result, they will behave - at best - toward those who question it as people do toward those who would deprive them of a pleasure. At worst, they will assume that they have been attacked personally, and respond in kind. My guess (as good as anyone else's) is that we'll see more of that before we see less.

My other blog is the Post-Darwinist, which keeps tabs on the intelligent design controversy.