From Will Jones at the Daily Sceptic, we learn that Oxford experimental psychologist Dorothy Bishop has resigned from the Royal Society in protest at Elon Musk’s continued membership.

The story surfaced at the Daily Telegraph (paywalled); Sceptic quotes

The RS code of conduct says fellows should have “a spirit of openness, courtesy and cooperation”, “uphold the reputation of the Society” and “not engage in…discrimination, harassment or bullying.”

Bishop, however, is only prepared to extend courtesy so far: “What I said to [RS president, Sir Adrian Smith, and executive director, Dame Julie Maxton] was, ‘I’m not going to be polite and nice to Elon Musk, I’m afraid, so I can’t keep to the code of conduct.’”

The Oxford academic lists Musk’s crimes as “using social media for political propaganda… battling what he sees as the ‘woke mind virus’ and attacks on free speech.’”

Among other offences, Bishop listed Musk’s tweets on climate change:

“In 2023 Musk played down the seriousness of climate change, and, in 2024, participated in a bizarre interview with Donald Trump, which dismayed climate experts,” Bishop wrote.

She added: “Any pleasure I may take in the distinction of the honour of an FRS is diminished by the fact it is shared with someone who appears to be modelling himself on a Bond villain, a man who has immeasurable wealth and power which he will use to threaten scientists who disagree with him.”

“The Oxford Scientist Trying to Cancel Elon Musk,” November 30, 2024

Seventy-four members have questioned his continued membership, the Telegraph noted.

Of course, many tech writers also hate Musk and in the runup to the recent US election, there was a move afoot to strip him of US citizenship. There has also been a call for his arrest.

Musk is essentially a disrupter. Such people are hated by establishments but not so much by common folk. It will be interesting to see how many of his current projects come to fruition.