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To: Junior; jennyp
"Stalin was into Lysenkoism, which repudiated Darwin"

I think this is a bit backwards. Lysenko was into Stalinism and totally ignored the state of genetic knowledge at the time to gain political power. He drove out the few decent geneticists in Stalinist Russia, for his own power. Stalin didn't give a rat's ass about genetics of any kind. His paranoia was so well known, that those geneticists must be bad and might as well as hit the road to Siberia along with every other piece of trash that looked askance at him. (BTW, there is an old Nova series piece on Lysenko - it is really chilling and worth seeing if you can find it - say about mid to late 70's).

I actually have Lysenko's book on my bookshelf. It's included in the "Enemy Corner" along with das Kapital and Mein Kampf and assorted other things. It really is an "evil" read. I used to wonder how the old USSR could have lasted so long until I realized that Western Europe propped them up for years, primarily out of fear, but also out of yearning for the "perfect socialistic state".

269 posted on 05/04/2005 6:54:54 PM PDT by furball4paws (One of the last Evil Geniuses, or the first of their return.)
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To: furball4paws
Lysenkoism had/has a certain intellectual appeal to the Stalinists and the Left in general. The left believes in Nature over Nurture and bridles at the implied limitations of genetic determinism. Soviet doctrine decreed that a new breed of man, the "Soviet Man," was coming as a result of the efforts of the state plus the plasticity of humanity.
271 posted on 05/04/2005 7:05:01 PM PDT by VadeRetro (Liberalism is a cancer on society. Creationism is a cancer on conservatism.)
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To: furball4paws
I used to wonder how the old USSR could have lasted so long until I realized that Western Europe propped them up for years, primarily out of fear, but also out of yearning for the "perfect socialistic state".

Leftists admired Stalin for the same reason they still admire Castro. Something about making the trains run on time, or perhaps universal health care.

I can't help but suspect that when Leftists think about socialism they envision themselves (and their children) as part of the ruling elite.

Right-wingers also have fantasies -- mostly about being successful entrepreneurs -- but these do not involve the use of force against others.

354 posted on 05/05/2005 6:34:42 AM PDT by js1138 (e unum pluribus)
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