Why Watson!

When James D. Watson, co-discoverer of DNA’s structure and one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Important People of the Century, stopped into a MCB 52, “Molecular Biology,” lecture last week, students knew it would be no ordinary class. But the father of their field turned out to be even more interesting—and contentious—than they had expected.

Watson, who is now 78, began his short talk by reminiscing about the illustrator of the class’s textbook, “Molecular Biology of the Gene,” which he authored. According to Watson, the illustrator was “an old-fashioned socialist,” whereas Watson described himself as a Democrat, “but sort of in the Lou Dobbs camp. I just think there should be a wall, that our country shouldn’t speak Spanish.”

Next, discussing evolutionary bases of cultural diversity, Watson spoke about why Swedes and Greeks tended to be taciturn and talkative, respectively. Watson explained that “in Sweden, they had farms. They didn’t live together. They were individuals,” while “the Greeks are on these islands, all together.” Watson also explained the efficiency of the Chinese, whose “houses are grouped together and they all face south.”

“It’s worrisome that he really thinks that way,” says Nancy A. Chow ’08. ”We all clapped at the end, but I felt like we shouldn’t.” However, Youyang Yang ’09 said she was not offended: “I thought he was a very interesting person....His personality dictates that he needs to cause drama wherever he goes.”

In a post-lecture phone interview with FM, Watson addressed his ideas about cultural diversity. Although Watson says that it is impossible to assess the extent to which personality differences across nations are genetic, he points out that “2000 years is plenty of time for lots of evolution.”

Still, Watson said that his bluntness came partly from his belief in the free exchange of ideas. “I exaggerate a little just so people will listen.”

“No one at Harvard is allowed to say what I said. We assume everyone’s the same....We shouldn’t be dogmatic about what the answer should be.”