What happened to Richard Dawkins?

Why am I finding out about this only now?

While arguing recently on Pharyngula with a troll who has drunk the IDW kool-aid, I was prompted to do some research on Richard Dawkins in order to provide evidence that Dawkins has been widely known as a noxious reactionary troll for at least a decade. 

And I discover this really funny and informative article from 10 years ago by Edward Sharp-Paul, called The Five Ages of Richard Dawkins. 

Favorite bit:

2009’s The Greatest Show On Earth sold very respectably, but was overshadowed by Dawkins’ activism, including such initiatives as an atheist bus campaign and a self-titled charitable foundation. This activism was overshadowed, in turn, by his increasingly militant public presence, as evinced during his April 2010 appearance on Q&A with Cardinal George Pell.

It’s always fun to watch two crotchety old men have it out, barely listening to one another while failing to conceal their mutual disdain. More importantly though, Dawkins’ adoption of the ‘LALALA I CAN’T HEAR YOU’ rhetorical approach in this infamous episode marked the moment when his dogmatism became scarcely distinguishable from that of the religious figures he so derided. Behold.

[video clip] 

If you find all the circular logic and crankiness a tad depressing, try picturing Pell and Dawkins in singlets, leaning against a fence. Substitute “that kid of yours” for “religion”, and “your bloody dog” for “Atheism” and you can not only cheer yourself up a bit, but get a rough analogue for the quality of the debate.

And then there's the freaky resemblance between Dawkins and then-college student Emma Watson. 

Sharp-Paul is quite the snappy stylish writer and I'm glad to see he's having a great career.