British Nobel prize winning scientist Tim Hunt resigned over his speech recently where he said, jokingly - “Let me tell you about my trouble with girls. Three things happen when they are in the lab. You fall in love with them, they fall in love with you, and when you criticise them, they cry.” Essentially, he was unceremoniously fired from all his posts. And his own attitude towards his words - “I stood up and went mad,” he admits. “I was very nervous and a bit confused but, yes, I made those remarks – which were inexcusable." His feminist wife's response - “It was an unbelievably stupid thing to say,” she says.

So, instead of standing up for free speech, instead of defending his beliefs, his immediate reaction is to place his head on the chopping block and all his colleagues, including his scientist wife, are only too happy to oblige. But, please, do not feel sorry for poor Tim - his willingness to place his neck for the execution is a clear indication of many years of conditioning - of denying free speech and free thought to others and no doubt being a willing participant in the executions of his previous colleagues that have transgressed the all tolerant, all inclusive Party line. And now, that the Party that is so well ingrained in the academia has purged and executed all "reactionaries," it needs new blood. So it takes one of its own - it's a small sacrifice to perpetuate the dialectic struggle, the very essence of the Party's existence. Just like in the early days of communism, ever successive echelons of Party faithful were executed without ever understanding their offense. Since then, like most religions, the Party has mellowed its methods, replacing firing squads with cultural and professional leprosy.

So, don't cry for Tim. It was his destiny.