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BPS proponents don't respond well to criticism

Discussion in 'General Advocacy Discussions' started by Obermann, Aug 24, 2021.

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  1. Obermann

    Obermann Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Location:
    Stockholm
    Proponents of a biopsychosocial view of ME/CFS don’t respond well to criticism. Last autumn, Dr. Jörgen Malmquist published a book on ME/CFS in Swedish. It was available at the website bokus.com. I wrote a review; and, as it is a bad book that is full of misconceptions, the review was negative.

    Malmquist wrote an angry e-mail, and I asked him not to mail again. He mailed again, and after a long argumentative text he finally asked me to withdraw the negative review. Which, of course, I didn’t.

    Today I received another e-mail. The English translation is:

    “In the message [e-mail] I sent to you on January 11 2021, I said that I will use parts of the text [review] in other contexts, but use third person [when your name is mentioned].

    Because of your swinish, language falsifying text (“review”) at Bokus, I don’t owe you this courtesy. I can, therefore, in blogs etcetera write ‘as I in January 2021 pointed out to Sten Helmfrid’ or use other formulations when your name is mentioned.”

    Sigh! He is not a gentleman.
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2021
    MEMarge, ahimsa, Mithriel and 37 others like this.
  2. adambeyoncelowe

    adambeyoncelowe Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Well he's clearly threatening you (and harassing you). Can you let his publisher know about his behaviour? Some authors have morality clauses which mean they can get dropped like a hot potato if they do anything dodgy or likely to bring the publisher into disrepute.

    Of course, if he wants to name and shame you, you could do the same and tweet his emails (tagging his employers, etc).
     
    MEMarge, Arvo, MSEsperanza and 33 others like this.
  3. Peter Trewhitt

    Peter Trewhitt Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    It does seem to be a feature of a number of BPS advocates, from Prof Crawley accusing people including Dr Tuller (@dave30th) of libel but never providing evidence [for] such slanders, from the standard accusation that any patient objections are the [result] of anti science vitriol, the lack of evidence for the significant number of BPS advocates claims of death threats, the apparent inability of a number of researchers to actually listen and respond to the substance of reasonable critiques of their work and so [on]

    It would be interesting to know the direction of causality in this association, is it this theoretical approach that attracts people with these personality issues or does it help create these problems.

    There is evidence of specific training through the Science Media Centre to equip these researchers in the use of ad hominem attacks on those that do criticise their works, to turn the media debate around personal attacks to avoid discussion of the issues.

    [corrected typos]
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2021
  4. adambeyoncelowe

    adambeyoncelowe Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    The more ignorant and lacking in self-awareness a person is, the more personally they take the slightest challenge, IMO.
     
    MEMarge, Arnie Pye, ahimsa and 21 others like this.
  5. Sasha

    Sasha Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Location:
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    Actually, I would also email Bokus.com. They may take a dim view of authors demanding that customers remove bad reviews.
     
    MEMarge, Arnie Pye, Arvo and 24 others like this.
  6. JES

    JES Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    209
    Sadly this has become practice among some other online stores as well. I heard some Amazon sellers contact people who make bad reviews. They even go as far as to bribe them to get the review removed. Would be interesting to hear how much Malmquist is ready to pay. :)

    Anyway, what this clearly shows is that those reviews matter and affect the sales, which is a good thing.
     
  7. rvallee

    rvallee Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    12,299
    Location:
    Canada
    Really sounds like more people should be writing a review of this book.
     
    MEMarge, Arnie Pye, TiredSam and 27 others like this.
  8. Kitty

    Kitty Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Does that mean you don't owe him the courtesy of refraining from tweeting his hilarious tantrum for the entertainment of Sweden's ME patients, then?
     
  9. Sasha

    Sasha Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    But I believe the sites themselves take a really dim view of that.
     
  10. JemPD

    JemPD Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    "BPS proponents dont respond well to criticism"

    And the prize for the biggest understatement in a thread title goes to....:trophy@:D

    I'm with @Kittyi'm sure people would find it hilarious. Can you imagine a respected author doing that? Lee Childs perhaps, or Alexander McCall Smith? LOL

    It sounds like it's kept him up nights if he's sent several emails. He should try being awake all night with symptoms of ME that might change his perspective a bit
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2021
  11. DokaGirl

    DokaGirl Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    3,664
    Good idea.

    As well, I recall there was a thread here about patterns of behaviour for this group.
    This sounds like a good example.
     
  12. EzzieD

    EzzieD Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    532
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    UK
    Oh my, that is truly hilarious. Such an over-sensitive author!
    LOL, could be interesting!
     
  13. Midnattsol

    Midnattsol Moderator Staff Member

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    3,574
    Henrik Vogt was recently interviewed on a podcast by a known sceptic in Norway, and it lasted for about two hours. The sceptic has now been called an ME activist by HV's supporters for asking critical questions.

    I haven't listened to the interview episode myself as I am not a fan of how Vogt behaves in such settings. Today the sceptic released a new podcasts with some thoughts on how the interview went, and apparently there was some appeal to authority (Vogt being a GP, the sceptic not so), Vogt admitting he believes everyone with ME have the same problem (stress/psychological), and no interest to discuss the (quality of) the science or validity of stories from Recovery. I'm not surprised ;) I think @benji have listened to the interview.
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2021
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  14. SNT Gatchaman

    SNT Gatchaman Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I'm not sure they would appreciate my review written in English. Can anyone please help me - what is the Swedish translation for "Streisand"?
     
  15. shak8

    shak8 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    2,203
    Location:
    California
    Can't escape the BPS brigade, they've nailed fibromyalgia.

    Read an interview with the trauma psychiatrist Bessell van de Kolk (after trauma we are left with a different nervous system and we are trying to control our inner turmoil. He writes: “These attempts to maintain control over unbearable physiological reactions can result in a whole range of physical symptoms, including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and other autoimmune diseases”(p.53).)

    Wow, back to minus square one to infinite.

    And then this on further browse: https://thamesvalleypartnership.org.../2021/05/WHAT-HAPPENED-TO-YOU-D-Ravindran.pdf

    I guess I don't have fibromyalgia because I didn't suffer childhood or domestic trauma (I got out of that relationship after the first incident).

    I am beginning to give up on most of the medical profession. It may save my sanity (from a disabled nurse).
     
  16. rvallee

    rvallee Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Location:
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    Based on the few things I have read from Malmquist, he goes to 11 on this front. He's like a weird mix of Sharpe and Fink, except even more annoying, somehow.
     
  17. alex3619

    alex3619 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    2,129
    Yet to write an honest review you have to have read it. I for one will not pay for a copy, and have English as my only fluent language. Maybe those who have bought it can share it with others in the Swedish ME community and ask them to write an honest review?
     
  18. Snow Leopard

    Snow Leopard Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I cannot see such a review at bokus.com, for Trött hela livet : Sjukdomen ME, it seems the review has been taken down?
     
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  19. Midnattsol

    Midnattsol Moderator Staff Member

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    Apparently HV checks if criticism of studies are valid by calling the authors of said study, not engaging with the material. I wonder if this is true for others as well.
     
  20. alex3619

    alex3619 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    There are social media places you can write reviews. Reddit for example, though I do not know how useful Reddit is for something like this.
     

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