My twin daughters are freshman experiencing these exact issues…the one here on the east coast more so than the one out west. The one in my time zone called last night and ranted for an hour about the stupid people being “triggered” by facts like if you are inebriated in public, you might be a target for malfeasance. “I really like this college, but some of these girls say they hate America and then I ask them, oh yea? Where else have you lived to be so sure this place sucks?” The other daughter said last night that her room mate is doing “rush,” but called her mom to tell her she won’t join her mom’s old sorority because they are all “woke” and she is not interested in dealing with that stuff. Luckily, I sent them both the debate on the sexual revolution just in time as they both had to sit through orientation “consent” workshops. Finally, the very first thing the east coast twin was told by her RA was that if she wanted to have a different name or pronouns, they would keep it from her parents. My husband made his way to a Dean at one of the nice receptions to ask if these students were being told to follow the honor code and to lie to their parents… We’ve had an interesting two weeks. I hope my daughters will grow and change and make four friends and learn skills, but not join the “sheeple.” It will be a challenge for them.
This is my fear for my children. We are three years away but my husband is still enthralled with the old standards of prestige and good college is highly ranked college. I don't believe it is worth my marriage to take the stand - my money is not going woke - but it may be. Best of luck to your girls.
Shop carefully. The evidence remains that in STEM fields, higher education will be worth it. The application process was grueling, add Covid restrictions to our ability to tour and it was really difficult. They both may transfer in the end, but hopefully, they each found a school that will bring them unique opportunities despite this weird tide.
If people actually wanted corporations to pay their “fair share” they would favor completely eliminating federal involvement in college financing which would necessitate Google and Moderna paying to train their employees.
(okay Google already pays off loans but you know what I mean)
This would also have the nice side benefit of eliminating the 90% of college departments that shouldn’t exist in the first place.
Many corporations will pay for advanced degrees in their industry.
But, they do expect a minimum level of skills to get the job and many times this requires an undergraduate degree. This should be accomplished, though, without federal intervention, as you note.
I'm sure you are right about your daughter but if this post is supposed to indicate that the PhD program @ Berkeley for Physical Chemistry is immune from "wokeness" you are wrong.
I’m just saying that she spends all of her time doing science. I see the woke stuff there as well. And she has to play some of that game to get what she wants.
Good luck to your daughter! I obtained a PhD in physical chemistry back in the mid-90s and IMO it's a fantastic way to learn how to persevere and apply oneself. I just hope that they haven't safe-spaced things by eliminating advancement to candidacy exams and thesis defenses. Those experiences honed my mind and self-confidence but there was nothing whatsoever "safe" about them.
Not to mention that in STEM fields you should have to deal with far less of this cultural nonsense in the first place. If I were founding a college today I would seriously consider not even having cultural studies departments. And if I did I would keep them under tight rein to ensure they were practicing objective scholarship and not serving as political incubators.
I've taught at one of those highly ranked colleges...and my daughter went to one of those, too. I would suggest reading the campus newspapers to get an idea of the culture of the school. Hang out at the college cafe, cafeteria, pub-- you get a real sense of the student body. There are good universities out there that are not completely Woke.
I agree it’s not worth your marriage and with three years to go a lot can change. My gut feeling is there is go to be change and when it comes it’s going to be momentous feel like these girls will be on the right side (you can sense it from the Mum) Maya I’m not so sure
I agree on the importance of education reform and would love to see free speech be tied to metrics, and I wish *any* party would tackle it, but unfortunately the current Republican Party isn’t much better than the left on speech issues. They just aren’t in control of institutions.
Conservatives demand free speech and never get it. Google, Facebook and Twitter are liberal and woke, and they censor conservatives. Enlighten me on which conservative organization(s) has(ve) censored anyone at all.
I’m thinking about things like the Stop Woke Act or Parental Rights in Education Act - while I align with the values behind those laws and don’t want race and sexual identities to be the primary focus in education for kids, the way those laws are written to broadly limit speech is not what I’d say is traditionally conservative.
That is the problem we have been captured by the corporations. The Corporations control the narrative the rest doesn’t matter. The Corps are the cancer!
Rob, surely you know about the growing effort by conservatives to ban books they find offensive in public and school libraries. The American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom has never been busier confronting efforts to ban or limit access to books. Librarians have resigned in frustration and a public library was forced to close temporarily when religious conservatives demanded more books opposed to LBGTQ freedom.
In Texas, the body that sets educational standards is dominated two to one by Republicans with little or no background in education. The recommended changes, reflecting personal biases of the board majority, were rejected even by the conservative Thomas Fordham institute that found that the new standards offered an “uncritical celebration of ‘the free enterprise system and its benefits,’” completely overlooked Native Americans, downplayed slavery, barely mentioned the Black Codes or Jim Crow, and dismissed the separation of church and state as a constitutional principle."
It seems to me that we have a serious problem with thought control, censorship, and intellectual freedom on two fronts -- "Woke" liberals imposing thought and speech control on college campuses, and conservative groups imposing censorship and limiting access to ideas they don't like in libraries and schools. Both problems deserve attention and redress.
The question of "censorship" on social media is more complicated. These aren't public utilities that are obliged to be "fair and balanced" to all comers. They're private entities and are entitled to establish and enforce standards. Think of a neighborhood store that installs a bulletin board for customers to post for-sale, lost dog, or other such notices. Someone covers the bulletin board with pornography and the store manager immediately removes the offensive material. That's not censorship; it's his board and the material posted offended community standards. The same principles apply for social media. And while conservatives complain about being the most frequent "victims" of social media tagging and censorship, no one's "free speech" has been constrained by a government entity by such actions.
The mainstream media self-censor all the time to comply with the views deemed acceptable to their sponsors and the government. CBS recently declined to broadcast an apparently well documented report indicating that only 30% of our military hardware donated to Ukraine makes it to the troops at the front. Much of the rest is lost with that country's notorious web of corruption. The American war-making infrastructure doesn't want such news to get out. Twitter recently banned Consortium News, a highly reputable source that broke the news about Iran Contra back in the 80s. But CR was reporting stories about America's role in provoking the war in Ukraine through a variety of actions. Again, that's not news that powerful forces in the U.S. want disseminated.
Conservatives have free speech as defined by the constitution. That doesn't entitle them to post anything they want on social media sites. It appears, however, that one friendly site for conservatives may fall into bankruptcy: Truth Social. Certainly not the first failed enterprise for its owner who has a frequent visitor pass to bankruptcy court.
Below is a link to the metrics. Recipients of aid should be required to meet certain Free Speech standards.
I worked in hospitals and Medicare developed a similar program that tied medicare reimbursement to certain clinical guidelines. They gave the hospitals a five year warning, so that they could get their act together, but believe me, changes were made.
Interesting observation regarding 'pronouns'. I went to a play yesterday for the first time since COVID. While reading Playbill, I noticed that Actor's biographies now include their preferred pronouns at the top of bio...right after their names. We are living in a country of lunacy, and that lunacy has infected practically everything we are exposed to. Go Maya!
Pronouns are 3rd person - so ‘preferred pronouns’ are how you are referred to by others to others, not to oneself.
How would someone know what pronouns are used for oneself when said oneself is not there and is not part of the conversation? Unless one is eavesdropping?
I think my point is that Preferred Pronouns is an affectation. As is most of wokeness. Self-referential theater. As if some can no longer differentiate themselves from their avatars
You’re odds of your child sharing your values is very slim if you send them to
An indoctrination center. Unless your child has a real chance in a STEM career, seriously encourage them to go to an occupational school and begin mapping out a career plan early. Take a look at mykatapult.com.
Then guide them to a real education available for free
Online. PragerU can provide an education in reasonable traditional values. Your children and your relationship with them are simply too precious to lose.
Excellent post. You and your girls are faced with a difficult choice: do I go along with these woke morons and lie through my teeth day in and day out in order to enjoy group solidarity or do I tell it like it really is and deal with universal social ostracism? Tough choice for a young person!
Laurel, I'm going to ask an obvious question here... why are you paying for this?
I know this may sound like trolling, but I'm legitimately curious. There are lots of non-woke schools that provide a great education. If this is what your daughter is experiencing in the first few weeks, I can't see why you pay to keep her in such an obviously hostile environment?
We did research together. They are autonomous humans. I helped them create a list and there were some schools we avoided, but they were homeschooled and the world is out there. They have to make their own way. One of them went to a a small western state university. One them went to a tiny all female school. They can always transfer, but they made the choices based on scholarships, cultural environment, and available subject matter.
My experience has been there are many non-Woke people on campus who are just not vocal. One of the professors at my friend's daughter's school told her to keep her head down and don't mention she was a Republican (this was at Brown).
Some schools you can write off immediately, like my friend who took her son to a visit at the U of Iowa (IOWA!!!!) where, four years ago, in front of 800 potential students, the two uni reps on the stage, one wearing a skirt and blazer and one wearing a suit and tie actually announced their pronouns. Would those two people ever know if any of those 800 people seated in front of them used their expected pronouns? We live in cuckoo land.
Since when do RAs have an obligation, or even an opportunity, to speak to someone's parents?RAs do room inspections and resolve the occasional personal spat. How does that involve parents?
When I was a college instructor, as a rule I didn't discuss grades with anyone's parents unless they gave me the OK to do so. College students are, after all, grown adults. Their parents may be paying for their education, or they might not, but that wasn't any of my business. College isn't high school.
The RA has no reason to say anything to anyone's parents, one way or another. A non-binary college student may have plenty of personal reason to lie to their parents (depending on the parent), but it's none of the RAs, or the university's, business.
They need to control everything be it your gender, your political affiliation or your dress sense. From a RA to a TA or a lecturer to a date they need to watch your speech your behavior how you hold your glass of wine. They lie and wait, and watch, just waiting to pounce when you least expect it .... they are dangerous be alert at all times especially at university
Sorry but this sounds more than a bit overwrought. I know things have changed since I was in college in the early '90s, but RAs and TAs are students too, mostly just trying to earn extra credits. They aren't administrators getting paid to institute some DEI program. I'm sure if asked they'd tell someone they have no intention of ratting them out to their parents - why would they? The only time an RA would even see parents is maybe on move-in day, and they have no responsibilities to communicate with them anyway. And a TA? When I was a TA I never came close to meeting anyone's parents.
We need more Mayas. Lots more. Knowing what I do about Barnard, you are a very very strong brave woman. I am curious if your studies included Thoreau or Emerson or others that my generation cut its teeth on and who were great influencers( little did we know they were or that there would be such a word 50 years later: LOL). SELF RELIANCE, MARCHING TO THE BEAT OF ONE'S OWN DRUM ETC. I hope these notions are kept alive and hopefully rekindled by young thinkers such as yourself. Best of luck in whatever you do and wherever you go.
Teaching Thoreau's essay, On Resistence to Civil Government, would be interesting in this political climate. Who gets thrown in jail and who does not. . .
I always said one of the greatest failures of my academic life was that it took until my MBA studies to have a real micro-economic discussion about the value of diversity. I believe it’d be very powerful for high schools to teach why diversity of thought, experience, perspective and competencies are so valuable to society. That is, not faux diversity like skin color or sexual orientation, which, by themselves, have no individual nor net societal benefit, but diversity of thought, which is the single largest driver (outside resource availability) of progress. It takes heat to shape metal - humans also require friction to progress. We should welcome as much friction as we can stand …
That value is probably exactly why it isn’t taught - because that would show students the value of challenging norms - which would make being a college professor who spends all their time researching nonsense and writing about said nonsense a lot harder because you might actually have to teach
Mr. Data: If, as you say, it takes friction to open minds and make progress, why is it "faux diversity" to encounter and exchange views with people whose life experiences may be vastly different than your own? It's immensely enriching to study overseas within a different culture. And our classrooms in America are enriched when the students are drawn from diverse communities, regions, ethnicities, genders, races, sexual orientations. I share your appreciation for the free expression of ideas. But the variety of ideas and perspectives is enriched when students from differing backgrounds, cultures, religions, and social classes interact, express and debate their distinctive viewpoints, and try, through civil discussion, to find answers together.
I could not agree more. One of the things I’ve most enjoyed about an education and culture that’s taken me to more than 30 countries. The beauty of learning from a vast diversity of experiences can’t be overstated…
I literally defined it directly in my comment - skin pigmentation and who you are primarily attracted too. The "diversity" the left is obsessed with what tells you, on its own, absolutely nothing about a person's life experiences, perspectives, values, or beliefs. What's going on here?
But can you have diversity of life experiences, perspectives, values, and beliefs without the diverse perspectives of different racial, ethnic, class, and sexual orientation groups? I think you're splitting hairs. While I would agree that some on the left push identity politics too far, I'm equally suspicious of whites who claim to align themselves with the Rev Dr. King's aspiration for a world where people are judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin" while opposing affirmative action programs designed to overcome centuries of systemic discrimination.
It's worth pointing out that this highlights the proper use of pride. Often pride is simply egotism, self-importance, arrogance. Here it's what makes the author say "It would demean me to do this cowardly thing."
Your transphobic attempt to mansplain a proper understanding of pride this close to Pride Month should result in immediate termination by your employer. Your speech is violence, sir.
Yeah you pretty much nailed it. These days Colleges are full of the most obnoxious twerps we’ve seen thus far in American History. I told some college kids recently ( I have an M.S., i’m pro college education) that if they get a degree in something bogus paying it off themselves is part of being a grown up. You knew the cost you made the choice.....
Oh boy! The meltdown that ensued... I actually got hit with a pro-discrimination argument where a person started saying that equal treatment favors the already advantaged.
I have posted this before but I think it is apropos to post it again.:
Some call the left, liberals. I can't bring myself to do that. A true liberal embraces free speech. John Stuart Mill one of the founders of liberalism was a staunch defender of free speech. He said in his essay on liberalism, I'm paraphrasing here, "You should listen to your adversaries because they might be right."
The left today are not liberals. If you don't agree with the left, you are pilloried by the left. I read the definition of a racist, "Is anyone who wins an argument with a liberal."
Whatever happened to, "I may not agree with you but I will defend to the death your right to say it."? In July of 1977 the American NAZI Party was going to march through Skokie, Illinois. Seven Thousand Holocaust survivors lived in Skokie. Words cannot describe how disgusted and appalled I was by this proposed vile act. Of all people who defended this atrocity was the ACLU. I was shocked until I heard why they were defended the NAZIs right to march.
They weren't defending the NAZIs. They were defending the First Amendment, freedom of expression. I am a gentile and much as I despised the NAZIs I love the First Amendment more. I only wish the left loved the First Amendment as much as I do but they don't.
So please stop calling them liberals because they aren't. They are tyrants
PS
The ACLU no longer supports free speech. They are now Woke.
Compelling post. In 2021 I forced myself to realize that most "liberals" were actually the exact opposite: Fascists. And the reasoning is simple: Whoever opposes free speech by labeling it extremist, misinformation, or whatever - isn't really an American. They are an unholy combo of fascist and communist.
Let's just call it authoritarian. Fascism, Nazi-ism, Marxist-Leninism are some specific flavors of authoritarianism (among many), and suppressing free speech doesn't imply any specific flavor. Think of suppressing free speech like a fever - it's a symptom of many different diseases and we need more data to be more specific.
For the record, some traditional "left" as in Socialist folks are very critical of modern neo-progressivism, which is at core not about the working class; it's base is among the educational, cultural and economic elites and it usually disdains the views of the working class. Check out the World Socialist Alliance website.
And the core of this new illiberal philosophy is not traditional liberals, its a mutation of progressivism (which I cannot call progressivism because of its key divergences, so I call it neo-progressivism to both acknowledge the roots and the more recent mutation). You can call it "woke" or The Successor Ideology (explicitly aiming to supplant liberalism). A lot of traditional liberals are confused and unsure about "how did this happen, it's not what we have in mind". Some have walked away.
The group over which the neo-progressive have the most power is traditional liberals, who have the most to lose. An outright conservative is not going to lose most of their friends and perhaps their job, if they get accused of an ism or phobia by neo-progressives.
American liberalism got hijacked by the Left in the 1960s. For a long time, the Left made a pretense of supporting liberal principles, because that's what they had to do in order to gain power and influence. Now that they think they've won, the mask has come off, and they are showing who they really are. Yes, in many ways, leftism is illiberal. What frustrates me is the number of liberals who don't realize how little influence they have within their own party. I'm a libertarian; I may not agree with a liberal on a lot of issues. But we both want the same things for our fellow Americans: we want them to be happy, healthy and free. We may disagree on how to get there, but that's negotiable. Leftism, on the other hand, is an absolutist philosophy that begins by rejecting negotiation and compromise. And so here we are.
I too am baffled that many liberals in the Democratic Party do not realize that the Left has taken control of their party. I see Trump as the great enabler of this - liberals and the Left are united against a common enemy, which gives the Left an opportunity to thrive, when in fact, liberals should be fighting the Left too.
However decent Democrats see it, Trump was the Third Party. He was his own worst enemy but how often his vision was correct. Many tremendous leaders are poorly understood by those around them who want to control him.
Trump is the common enemy in a landscape where the Left already gained control of people’s minds and desires through very ordinary means.
May I propose a thought experiment? And please bear in mind this is only a hypothetical, I make no accusations. Here goes:
A group of fascists set their sights on taking over the US. They understand that they must do so surreptitiously, as no one will vote for the American Nazi Party. Their only option is to hijack an existing mainstream party. So which one do they choose as the target of their efforts?
1. The party that firmly believes in the use of government power to control many aspects of life in the US, with only the best of intentions to bring about good?
OR
2. The party that believes in limited government and tries to restrict government intervention in people's lives?
If you were looking to hijack government power, which party would you choose? When your plans rely on benevolent use of government, you can expect to be hijacked by bad actors every time.
Sincere question: are you using the word “Nazis” instead of “Communists” because Nazis are more broadly understood as a heinously evil enemy, whereas using the word “Communist,” in spite of their current power, control issues, leftist ideology, and unsurpassable historic bloodshed, may win you blank stares or raised eyebrows and responses of “conspiracy theorist”?
Much truth in that. As a traditional liberal who is moving towards the independent thinking middle, one of the most frequent responses I get from liberals to my questioning where things are going is: "why are you picking on our side, we all have to unite to fight Trump and the right wing". Trump kept together the factions of the left-of-center and gave cover for more extremism.
Likewise, the extreme left helps empower the extreme right. People of quite different philosophies right of center were able to unite over the increasingly unhinged far left.
That is, both extremes justify themselves from internal criticism by pointing at the extremes of the other side and the need to keep them from coming to power.
I've come to understand that there are some very good thinkers who are conservative, and worth discussing things with, whether or not I agree. I'm no longer blinkered by blind partisanship or tribalism. (Of course, there are many other pitfalls and biases to continue to work on).
Brian - It’s not the Democratic party - it’s the Democrat party. Words matter. If they were democratic they wouldn’t use the might of the federal govt to SWAT and jail and audit their political rivals.
Leftists are deranged with power. That’s why this whole Covid nonsense took off in the first place. They want complete control of America, the only problem is so do the corporations and I think the corporations stronger than the government today and definitely stronger than the leftists. Where does that leave normal people? Please could somebody tell
I label myself as conservative but I bet our ideologies are very similar. I always considered myself a fiscal conservative and a social libertarian. I have not changed my views but Musk was right, the center moved left.
I’m center right on fiscal policy and our sovereignty (national defense and foreign affairs) but center left on social issue. I have typically vote R because I see fiscal and sovereignty as providing the space for social policies. But in todays culture, I am a right wing extremist.
We need a new party today where centrists from both parties can join together in a majority to take back control of our government from the forces of evil.
The Republicans of today were yesterday’s Democrats. The Democrats of today are yesterday’s…Communists. Whether they know it or not. And most of them don’t know a da** thing about it. Yeah, I said it. The great migration began when the conservative (pro-life) Democrats were blackballed from the party in 1992. (Though a lot of today’s old-timers have no clue, still faithfully vote D like it’s their religion.)
Agreed. Our problems in the USA today are due to leftists NOT liberals. I am a liberal, I value the free and unfettered exchange of ideas, whether I agree with them or not. Many (most) Democrats today are not liberals.
Yes, a distinction must be made between liberals and progressives / the Left. As I read the posts on social media of people I thought were liberals, the more they read like progressives, with very little appetite for nuance in discussions, just raw emotion and hate. It’s quit frightening.
Adherence to leftist orthodoxy has replaced the role religion would have had for these people in past centuries (when, for instance, they were hunting and burning witches or heretics).
Lonesome - Agree! I’ve noticed people who want to take back the Liberal tag from what the Dems have become but are still scornful of anyone Not Democrat. I call BS on supporting what one claims to ‘not support.’ It smacks of No True Scotsman-ism
' I'm paraphrasing here, "You should listen to your adversaries because they might be right."'
And right you are, Lonesome. I could not agree more with you.
So let's extend your argument to the current conservative party in our firmament, the GOP, as they expunge Liz Cheney out of their caucus and leadership positions because of her penchant for publicly saying what she thinks! My goodness, what has she done wrong!!?
Sounds like extreme cancellation to me...
It ain't just the progressive left. It's everywhere where idealogical hubris (and perhaps the cult worship of one man..) takes the place of common sense, compromise and the defence of the freedom of speech.
If you have read my posts, you will see that I think Trump is a loudmouth, megalomaniac, bully. But then I have a low opinion of all parties and politicians. I vote Rep because I can't vote for a party as far left as the Dems. I believe the Dems are heading towards communism.
I wish the Libertarians had a chance of winning an election. I would vote for them.
Okay, but you and so many others here expose the progressive left and rightly so for their patent insufferable excesses in groupthink, but never look to the extreme on the right side of things to see the same.
How come so few Republican politicians can muster up the courage to say what you said in your first sentence to me? Because they all think it. You know they do.
But they conform to their own group think in following the MAGA crowds and have self cancelled themselves.
You want a Libertarian Party, that might attract me too - but to get there politicians to form it have to break away from both parties, not just Dems..
“If Spinoza were to reappear on campus today, he’d see a lot of people with different colored hair and tattoos and piercings who insist they are living their truth but are, in fact, unwitting prisoners of someone else’s.”
We just dropped our daughter off for 2nd year at her university. So far she hasn’t had to make a similar choice there.
4 years ago, while a sophomore in high school, students planned a walk out in response to the shooting in Parkland FLA. She asked me if she could skip school that day. I told her “You cannot skip but you can choose whether to participate in the walk out or stay in your seat.”
She was annoyed by the entire thing. It was very trendy to take up social justice causes of all kinds and make a show of it, especially on social media. Also, she started to notice peers getting rewarded for being well trained foot soldiers, in the form of likes, follows, and even college acceptance letters.
For her it wasn’t about being pro gun control or pro 2A. It was more about being 16 and not performing fake outrage over a serious and highly debated issue.
Several districts in the area made the news for doing walk outs. Even elementary schools were doing them.
The day arrived and she chose to stay in her seat, and a few others did as well. Those who walked out, stood outside with posters for about 10 mins, returned to the building and that was it. When she came home that day I asked her how she felt about her choice, she said “I feel I made the right choice for myself. What are we having for dinner tonight?”
Outstanding. Sad that this is what counts for bravery on college campuses today. The meme from a few years ago compared 18 years olds signing up for WWII in 1942 vs. "snowflakes" asking for their "safe spaces" and "trigger warnings" today. Go Maya Go!
I found myself after the 2008 economic meltdown in an industry that was turning to slag, and by 2011, after a divorce, a move, and a remarriage returning to school. I attended a mid-sized state university, and this is what I found.
The wokeness we see on a continual was not quite so actualized, but there was an accepted train of thought, particularly in the social sciences. The professors were in on a re-evaluation of American exceptionalism, and in class after class (with some exceptions), we were walked through just how appalling our predecessors were and how badly they treated the poor “victims” of their oppression, neatly eliding over advancing civilization that raised all boats AND some rather appalling behavior by indigenous tribes who gave rather as well as they got for a considerable length of time (actions which admittedly resulted in equally appalling behavior by the Side That Won). Women were always victims and must always be believed. 1 in 4 college women would be raped on campus. Racism was being redefined to include pretty much anything inconvenient to left indoctrination. And students with right leaning beliefs, coming in, learned quickly to stfu.
And then there was me. I was credentialing. I didn’t care about the social situation and I obviously did not live on campus. I am basically a libertarian, and I had a few thoughts in classes when this or that subject rolled out, and I had precisely no fucks to give. So I would chime in. Not seize the floor, but rather, usually, ask inconvenient questions. Some professors liked it. Some got a kick out of it. A few loathed it. And almost none of the other students caught the point. But some did. Some. And I’d watch them sit there, eyes bright, thinking. And when I was asked, by professor or student, to expand on an argument or explain my question, I would, but concisely. I wanted them to THINK about it, not deny it or accept what I said blindly.
I made a few friends, students and professors. I had some interesting discussions. And I like to think that the way I went about it was something pretty much anyone could use as a template in college these days and in these times.
Unfortunately, it’s becoming less and less possible to do as you did. Things have changed exponentially, even since 2008. This fall is the first time in 12 years I have no child in college. I’ve had kids in everywhere from local community college to Harvard. “Making people think” is a recipe for absolute disaster now.
Professors quite happily destroy students’ GPAs, other student “leaders” happily destroy students’ ability to connect with other students (socially, academically and professionally) while university administrations (“diversity and inclusion“ offices, Title IX admins, etc) are more than willing to actively destroy a student’s future.
One of my kids (4.0 Econ major, Ivy League school (this example not Harvard) had the actual police called on him (of course he’s a guy) because he and his roommate were discussing the abject failure of gun control in Chicago (both in complete agreement with each other) in the dorm lounge. This was three DAYS after they arrived for freshmen orientation.
They got an immediate demand to appear at a disciplinary “safety” meeting with the assistant Dean, and a knock on the door from two heavily armed police officers.
The policemen were very nice - one had been a NYC beat cop - they saw the situation as the farce it was. But they did warn the boys (both 16 at the time) that it wasn’t going to be safe for them to talk that way in public on that campus.
Admittedly, I had advantages most undergrads lacked. Being older, male, more broadly read than most people I encountered, over six foot and 200 lbs, and having literally nothing to lose in the situation helped. I also didn’t have to deal with hypersensitive undergrads looking to raise themselves up by stomping someone down. And let’s not even get into the professors who have taken this mess as license to remake the academy. But I believe that a great deal of my point obtains, nevertheless, in any circumstance. You state what you believe forthrightly, when called for. You listen to others and ask questions. Ask the right questions, and the person is either forced to actually confront the thought or go ad hominem. If they go the latter, you won. Walk away. Do that enough times and people who are trying to make a score avoid you, and people who want to think and learn and actually gain an education will learn from you.
I assume that your son learned how to move through the system, given the GPA and the Econ focus, and kudos to him. I hope he took the whole cops showing up as the low comedy it was and kept his head high.
These students sound more like the Chinese Communist youth during Mao’s cultural revolution. Are there “struggle sessions” in the quad? Are you given a dunce cap and publicly ridiculed as an “old roader”? No need to send you to a re-education camp, sounds like you are already in one.
I've now heard or read so many of these stories that the tread has worn smooth; so much about the importance of fighting college culture and so little about learning. And a course that's $700 per class? The next post Maya should write is to tell her audience not to bother with college at all and avoid the debt, or at least save Dad the account drain. These stories aren't uplifting anymore. They're just depressing.
I agree. You don't really need college to make a good wage. When I was young and stupid, I got a degree in history and political science. What I derived from this education is I am a wealth of useless information. I am great at trivia.
Back in the dark ages when I graduated, colleges were just introducing a computer science department. If a company needed a programmer, they had to apprentice one. I was lucky enough to get such a job. I was good at it and took to it like a duck to water and that is what I did and made a good living doing so.
I didn't need a college degree to be a programmer. The same can be said for electricians, plumbers, welders and the trades and Bill Gates. My wife's niece worked in high school as a salesclerk in Walmart. At age 23 she was the manager at her local Walmart making 6 figures. They promoted her, before she was 30 to manage a super Walmart and later moved her to a city where she managed two at once. Now she was making higher six figures.
She has been going to night school to get a degree so she can move into the higher echelons of Walmart.
All she needed to succeed was a strong work ethic and of course being smart didn't hurt.
While I totally agree with the idea that not everyone needs college to succeed i am as someone who graduated as a history major in 1959, sad that it is now considered a "wealth of useless information." I learned how to think, argue and write coherently from my history professor - all of which has stayed with me for all these years and opened up an intellectual life I would never have had if not for him.
I am dismayed that to " suceed" in life has been reducd to making 6 figures at 23. That is certainly one definition of success and good that this young woman's hard work is paying off. But success is not only a large paycheck - it is also as Joseph Campbell said years ago "to be caught up in a subject that imparts information of a deep, rich, life-vivifying sort that you don't want to give it up"
I see your point but these two things are not mutually exclusive. I actually ended up on the path I did because I spent a year of high school in the hospital, flunked that year, and lacked the GPA to get into med school which is what I had always dreamed of. At that age I wasn’t aware that all my dreams weren’t lost so I committed to a Plan B. I couldn’t afford to go to school not on scholarship and coming from a poor upbringing I refused to accumulate debt in pursuit of a degree. My definition of success was breaking a horrible cycle of poverty, drug addiction, and abuse — it’s easy to see a kid making 6 figures and assume that’s a superficial definition of success without knowing just how much that money represents to someone who never had it. That “success” (I.e a safety net) allowed me to pursue college on my own terms without being hamstrung by debt or “should haves” - I got a useless degree (Philosophy, Political Science & Economics) because I wanted to and already had professional experience to fall back on followed by an MBA. I can say that the joy of college was made richer knowing the cost of it. I’ll also add that my first two years were completed as an AA at a local community college and that was the best experience of them all - the professors were all moonlighting from more prestigious universities and they were deeply engaged in the instructional quality. The traditional college experience is a privilege some don’t get the luxury of, my point is that there are a lot of viable ways to get to experience it outside of what we consider the norm and some of those paths may be a better fit for young people. We should be championing different paths to a fulfilling life rather than assuming it’s only achieved through four years of university following high school.
They sure are depressing . My daughter is only 12 years old so college is quite a few years away. I have read so many articles similar to this one that I’m left feeling so worried about the entire topic of university education for her . My husband and I have worked so hard to fund her college account. I am so hung up on my belief that providing her with a fully funded college education is a big part of my responsibility to her. I’m now left wondering what will happen to her when she’s sent into one of these indoctrination camps. Is there any possibility that it will be a positive experience? Will she just come out the other side brainwashed and convinced that she’s either a victim or some kind of oppressor? Things have changed so much. When I was growing up I was taught by my parents that obtaining a bachelors and masters degree was just what was done. No other options were ever discussed. The concept that sending their daughter to college was intellectually or emotionally dangerous would never have crossed their mind. The situation we are now in is absolutely absurd.
Hi, Ann, I posted above about all the newer colleges opening up worth supporting. Truly liberal arts schools sprouting up everywhere. I have a slew of younger friends who have gotten amazing liberal arts educations there, and went on to professional schools for nursing etc. I also have many young brilliant friends who chose trade schools or associates degrees because what we and our parents took for granted no longer makes sense unless you have a specific STEM career in mind. These smart kids wanted no debt, immediate great job, career they’d enjoy, and FAMILY LIFE. They got it and I couldn’t be prouder of them. (And I got a nice Ivy League diploma myself but I wouldn’t send my kids to any of them anymore.) Your daughter sounds like she’s getting a great family foundation to start with! And who knows what kinds of kids will need to meet someone of strong mettle like her! God bless!
Don’t despair Anne there is still time for your daughter I’m sure things will change for the better. She will have a great experience when she gets there. Also I get a sense of where she comes from, a solid good family and that’s a great foundation for any kid!!
Universities should be a hotbed of diverse ideas and diversity should be encouraged. Instead, they have become a totalitarian institute of group think, "If you don't think like us, you will be castigated."
If you are a state supported school, the state should fire the administrations of these universities and hire administrations that support and encourage the free exchange of ideas.
If students disrupt class by demonstrating in the classroom, they should be expelled. If you want to demonstrate, demonstrate in the middle of the football field where you can't disrupt classes. If I am paying for a class, I expect to get my monies worth not listen to some loudmouth, privileged, snotnosed, brat rant about his or her pet grievance.
College culture is in direct opposition to learning currently. If you care about learning you have to eviscerate the current culture which requires first shining a light on said culture to gain popular support for isolating and eliminating it.
(Anticipating a response about how we need ideological pluralism, the current culture is latent Nazism so we are fully justified in seeking its removal from society.)
Here is a lesson; I was one of seven children. As one of a gaggle you can really learn about people. You learn to recognize a "pecking order". You learn manipulation and preening and back-stabbing. You learn about property rights and WHY they are important. You learn that Solzhenitsyn was right and that there IS a line between right and wrong running down the middle of each human heart and that depending on the passion of the moment, you could come down on either side of it. I learned shame and honor and loyalty and betrayal all in the confines of one household; and you know what? The whole world looks familiar after that. Solomon said "there is nothing new under the sun" and he was right. I can spot manipulation from a mile away because I have done it. I can identity with betrayal because I have been on both sides. I can also spot genuine kindness and open-heartedness because, although rare, it is precious. When someone pressures me to do something like leave a classroom in obedience to them I KNOW the risks and rewards and consequences because if you are from a large family, power dynamics is instinctual. I never realized before the GIFT of such a microcosm, but I pity those who have to wait until college to learn these lessons. Good luck Maya, et al.
Couldn't agree more and will add, I am third of 9, oldest girl with 6 brothers. Our family was/is in the manufacturing business, which was started by my great grandfather in 1930. I worked second shift in the factory for two summers during college but was an educator in my career. We had a brother (#7 of 9) die by suicide 3 weeks before his HS graduation.
Our varied experiences with these families structures is an education like none other.....and I wouldn't change it for the world.
Will - your post is quite profound. Politics, and human nature, is most definitely local and nothing is more local than our family. Neighborhoods, towns, counties, state, nations are just extrapolations of family.
Aug 28, 2022·edited Aug 30, 2022Liked by Maya Sulkin
Go, Maya!
You speak truth and rare Common Sense.
My junior year at Barnard, in spring semester 1968, I crossed “the line” to go to class in Milbank. A young man (was he truly a Columbia student or an outsider?) screamed “scab” in my face and cursed me out with phrases I’d never even heard before. I’ve often wondered if he thought that was a way to convince someone of something. Of anything.
I’m not happy about Barnard or Columbia these days, but if I were there today, I’d most definitely seek you out as a friend. Thanks for giving me hope. I learn from you.
How did those idiots blobs expect to pass the class with Lee Bollinger if they didn’t show up? Would he have passed them because they had study guides? My guess is yes they expected that and most likely he did.
College has always been like this to some extent. Parroting is very important. I remember a freshman English class where the grad student “teacher” gave me a C on a paper about King Lear because it didn’t parrot what she believed. When I asked her why, and then argued a bit, she burst into tears. She’s now probably a retired tenured English professor who wears a mask and marches for the right to abortion up until the head is crowning, and maybe beyond.
Someone observed that students walking out of class may be the dumbest consumer decision known to humankind - paying $60 k for year - and not getting what they paid for. Geniuses they are not.
And now it turns out those lame brains may get rewarded by having their loans paid for by others! I say May, because Joey is getting some pushback and I would hope someone runs to a judge who puts it on permanent hold.
I can’t believe this bailout is legal. Biden just imposed a $300b tax by executive fiat. Taxation without representation in that none of our elected representatives voted on it
Someone should call it a tax cut - because in essence that is exactly what it is. If the Dems were to do that, independents and even Republicans might agree. Republicans love tax cuts!
And no one, trust me, will pay for this. All this, like our accumulated 23 TRILLION dollar debt owned by both parties equally, will just be shoved down the road.
We were taught as children about the courage of Audie Murphy, John Basilone and the Tuskegee Airmen. But this, my friends, is also what courage looks like. To stand for what you believe, when everyone else cowers. To stand up to the mob of conformist bullies. To stand up for virtue and truth when the mob screams lies and demands fealty. America needs more Maya Sulkins. And Douglas Murrays. And Bari Weiss's. America needs to find its voice. To stand for truth and the goodness of our nation. To stand against the lunacy that is the currency of the woke crowd. And to call it out for the destructive insanity it is. If you won't do that, you may be safe - for the moment. But you will live in eternal shame.
It did not take long for you to respond. It's interesting that whenever I mention this person's name to any on the righter side of things here the anathema is acute. Loyalty appears to be more important than the breaking away and expressing an opposing view. But why? Isn't an an opposing view an American thing? And she expressing it an act of courage akin to the examples you cite? Can't have it only one way, Bruce. Sorry.
She is saying what she believes to be true. What exactly is wrong with that..?
You do not conform to her opinions, alright. I don't either for the most part. But what we Americans consider to be free speech - to be tolerated, accepted, and celebrated even, especially when disagreed with - the contrary is exhibited by the GOP and it's many adherents when it comes to the pariahs in their midst. And they go after the WOKE with the hammer even though they manifest the same disease themselves..
When you cast your lot with people such as Adam Schiff you deserve obloquy - and more.
As for Cheney, a profile in courage she is not. Even if rejected by the voters she will cash in - just as the reptilian Nicole Wallace did.
Again, why do liberals only love Republicans who turn coat? Speaks volumes.
As far as a quick response - thank Bari; her site has a notification and I'm just sitting around on the computer working and checking e-mail.
And, as I've said in the past, I don't care if you dislike Trump. He isn't exactly the nicest guy in the world. On the other hand, the partisan joke of the Jan 6th Committee is an affront to anyone who cares about the truth and fair play.
And who is the 'you' in your first sentence, Bruce? I often vote Republican. I'm almost as old as you..But I do not throw obloquy your way..
Relax..
You don't like Cheney because the principle she is expressing does not conform to yours. And you appear to accept (and even applaud?) her apparent cancellation from the party she was a part of. I've never liked her for her policies, nor her father, but the principle she's willing to stake her neck on I respect. She's had threats on her life, if you want to believe Fox News, but I digress..
I haven't had threats on my life lately, have you had any on yours??
My only point is that what everyone here hates about the New Left and their hold on free speech, is replicated by the extreme on the New Right.
Anyone who is not in a gated ideological community can see that.
Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Anyway, I don't like Cheney because she and the weeping Kinzinger threw in their lot with Schiff, Pelosi, Nadler and other creeps. You can oppose Trump. Even vote to impeach (as idiotic as that was). But going over to the other side - especially one as odious as the current crop of Dems - is beyond the pale. That's why I detest Cheney, Wallace, the Lincoln Project and all the other rent seeking slime balls.
Threats on their lives? So what? People talk smack all the time. Especially behind computer screens.
My twin daughters are freshman experiencing these exact issues…the one here on the east coast more so than the one out west. The one in my time zone called last night and ranted for an hour about the stupid people being “triggered” by facts like if you are inebriated in public, you might be a target for malfeasance. “I really like this college, but some of these girls say they hate America and then I ask them, oh yea? Where else have you lived to be so sure this place sucks?” The other daughter said last night that her room mate is doing “rush,” but called her mom to tell her she won’t join her mom’s old sorority because they are all “woke” and she is not interested in dealing with that stuff. Luckily, I sent them both the debate on the sexual revolution just in time as they both had to sit through orientation “consent” workshops. Finally, the very first thing the east coast twin was told by her RA was that if she wanted to have a different name or pronouns, they would keep it from her parents. My husband made his way to a Dean at one of the nice receptions to ask if these students were being told to follow the honor code and to lie to their parents… We’ve had an interesting two weeks. I hope my daughters will grow and change and make four friends and learn skills, but not join the “sheeple.” It will be a challenge for them.
This is my fear for my children. We are three years away but my husband is still enthralled with the old standards of prestige and good college is highly ranked college. I don't believe it is worth my marriage to take the stand - my money is not going woke - but it may be. Best of luck to your girls.
Shop carefully. The evidence remains that in STEM fields, higher education will be worth it. The application process was grueling, add Covid restrictions to our ability to tour and it was really difficult. They both may transfer in the end, but hopefully, they each found a school that will bring them unique opportunities despite this weird tide.
If people actually wanted corporations to pay their “fair share” they would favor completely eliminating federal involvement in college financing which would necessitate Google and Moderna paying to train their employees.
(okay Google already pays off loans but you know what I mean)
This would also have the nice side benefit of eliminating the 90% of college departments that shouldn’t exist in the first place.
Correct.
Many corporations will pay for advanced degrees in their industry.
But, they do expect a minimum level of skills to get the job and many times this requires an undergraduate degree. This should be accomplished, though, without federal intervention, as you note.
STEM, I agree.
My daughter is in the PhD program @ Berkeley for Physical Chemistry.
She does science all day.
I'm sure you are right about your daughter but if this post is supposed to indicate that the PhD program @ Berkeley for Physical Chemistry is immune from "wokeness" you are wrong.
I’m just saying that she spends all of her time doing science. I see the woke stuff there as well. And she has to play some of that game to get what she wants.
Good luck to your daughter! I obtained a PhD in physical chemistry back in the mid-90s and IMO it's a fantastic way to learn how to persevere and apply oneself. I just hope that they haven't safe-spaced things by eliminating advancement to candidacy exams and thesis defenses. Those experiences honed my mind and self-confidence but there was nothing whatsoever "safe" about them.
Ha! Science uses math. I thought math is now supposed to be racist. That's transitive racism.
🤣🤣,
Yes, math is a big part of her science.
Not to mention that in STEM fields you should have to deal with far less of this cultural nonsense in the first place. If I were founding a college today I would seriously consider not even having cultural studies departments. And if I did I would keep them under tight rein to ensure they were practicing objective scholarship and not serving as political incubators.
University of Austin. Look it up. Bari Weiss is a founder.
Yeah I'm aware of her university, though I haven't heard much about how it's going.
I've taught at one of those highly ranked colleges...and my daughter went to one of those, too. I would suggest reading the campus newspapers to get an idea of the culture of the school. Hang out at the college cafe, cafeteria, pub-- you get a real sense of the student body. There are good universities out there that are not completely Woke.
that's a good idea, during the tour to ask a copy of the newspaper
I agree it’s not worth your marriage and with three years to go a lot can change. My gut feeling is there is go to be change and when it comes it’s going to be momentous feel like these girls will be on the right side (you can sense it from the Mum) Maya I’m not so sure
Confused- why aren’t you sure about Maya?
I believe that Education Reform should be a major plank in the Republican platform.
Get the feds out of the student loan program
Tie any Federal (and hopefully some states will push this) aid to freedom of speech metrics
And address other issues like post graduate employment and earnings, college inflation rates, Professor (teacher) to overhead ratios, etc
Yes, but these are critical and urgent matters as it is like cancer metastasizing into the system.
I agree on the importance of education reform and would love to see free speech be tied to metrics, and I wish *any* party would tackle it, but unfortunately the current Republican Party isn’t much better than the left on speech issues. They just aren’t in control of institutions.
Conservatives demand free speech and never get it. Google, Facebook and Twitter are liberal and woke, and they censor conservatives. Enlighten me on which conservative organization(s) has(ve) censored anyone at all.
I’m thinking about things like the Stop Woke Act or Parental Rights in Education Act - while I align with the values behind those laws and don’t want race and sexual identities to be the primary focus in education for kids, the way those laws are written to broadly limit speech is not what I’d say is traditionally conservative.
Unfortunately, conservatives have to start fighting back with laws like these. Our old ways just aren’t working anymore
That is the problem we have been captured by the corporations. The Corporations control the narrative the rest doesn’t matter. The Corps are the cancer!
Rob, surely you know about the growing effort by conservatives to ban books they find offensive in public and school libraries. The American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom has never been busier confronting efforts to ban or limit access to books. Librarians have resigned in frustration and a public library was forced to close temporarily when religious conservatives demanded more books opposed to LBGTQ freedom.
In Texas, the body that sets educational standards is dominated two to one by Republicans with little or no background in education. The recommended changes, reflecting personal biases of the board majority, were rejected even by the conservative Thomas Fordham institute that found that the new standards offered an “uncritical celebration of ‘the free enterprise system and its benefits,’” completely overlooked Native Americans, downplayed slavery, barely mentioned the Black Codes or Jim Crow, and dismissed the separation of church and state as a constitutional principle."
It seems to me that we have a serious problem with thought control, censorship, and intellectual freedom on two fronts -- "Woke" liberals imposing thought and speech control on college campuses, and conservative groups imposing censorship and limiting access to ideas they don't like in libraries and schools. Both problems deserve attention and redress.
The question of "censorship" on social media is more complicated. These aren't public utilities that are obliged to be "fair and balanced" to all comers. They're private entities and are entitled to establish and enforce standards. Think of a neighborhood store that installs a bulletin board for customers to post for-sale, lost dog, or other such notices. Someone covers the bulletin board with pornography and the store manager immediately removes the offensive material. That's not censorship; it's his board and the material posted offended community standards. The same principles apply for social media. And while conservatives complain about being the most frequent "victims" of social media tagging and censorship, no one's "free speech" has been constrained by a government entity by such actions.
The mainstream media self-censor all the time to comply with the views deemed acceptable to their sponsors and the government. CBS recently declined to broadcast an apparently well documented report indicating that only 30% of our military hardware donated to Ukraine makes it to the troops at the front. Much of the rest is lost with that country's notorious web of corruption. The American war-making infrastructure doesn't want such news to get out. Twitter recently banned Consortium News, a highly reputable source that broke the news about Iran Contra back in the 80s. But CR was reporting stories about America's role in provoking the war in Ukraine through a variety of actions. Again, that's not news that powerful forces in the U.S. want disseminated.
Conservatives have free speech as defined by the constitution. That doesn't entitle them to post anything they want on social media sites. It appears, however, that one friendly site for conservatives may fall into bankruptcy: Truth Social. Certainly not the first failed enterprise for its owner who has a frequent visitor pass to bankruptcy court.
Below is a link to the metrics. Recipients of aid should be required to meet certain Free Speech standards.
I worked in hospitals and Medicare developed a similar program that tied medicare reimbursement to certain clinical guidelines. They gave the hospitals a five year warning, so that they could get their act together, but believe me, changes were made.
https://www.thefire.org/resources/fires-annual-10-worst-colleges-for-free-speech-lists/
If only the Republicans had a platform in the first place.
Interesting observation regarding 'pronouns'. I went to a play yesterday for the first time since COVID. While reading Playbill, I noticed that Actor's biographies now include their preferred pronouns at the top of bio...right after their names. We are living in a country of lunacy, and that lunacy has infected practically everything we are exposed to. Go Maya!
Maybe instead of PROnouns we need ANTInouns. You can write the next joke.
To heck with pronouns. I have a list of preferred adjectives.
Pronouns are 3rd person - so ‘preferred pronouns’ are how you are referred to by others to others, not to oneself.
How would someone know what pronouns are used for oneself when said oneself is not there and is not part of the conversation? Unless one is eavesdropping?
I think my point is that Preferred Pronouns is an affectation. As is most of wokeness. Self-referential theater. As if some can no longer differentiate themselves from their avatars
Exactly. When I’m not around, I really don’t give a s**t what people call me. Which is probably a good thing .....
If I am ever asked, I will say that I have no need for pronouns because I don't want anyone talking about me when I am not present.
I have decided to go amateur with my nouns. The pronouns have to spend too much time practicing.
West coast universities have indoctrination classes too.
You’re odds of your child sharing your values is very slim if you send them to
An indoctrination center. Unless your child has a real chance in a STEM career, seriously encourage them to go to an occupational school and begin mapping out a career plan early. Take a look at mykatapult.com.
Then guide them to a real education available for free
Online. PragerU can provide an education in reasonable traditional values. Your children and your relationship with them are simply too precious to lose.
Excellent post. You and your girls are faced with a difficult choice: do I go along with these woke morons and lie through my teeth day in and day out in order to enjoy group solidarity or do I tell it like it really is and deal with universal social ostracism? Tough choice for a young person!
Laurel, I'm going to ask an obvious question here... why are you paying for this?
I know this may sound like trolling, but I'm legitimately curious. There are lots of non-woke schools that provide a great education. If this is what your daughter is experiencing in the first few weeks, I can't see why you pay to keep her in such an obviously hostile environment?
We did research together. They are autonomous humans. I helped them create a list and there were some schools we avoided, but they were homeschooled and the world is out there. They have to make their own way. One of them went to a a small western state university. One them went to a tiny all female school. They can always transfer, but they made the choices based on scholarships, cultural environment, and available subject matter.
My experience has been there are many non-Woke people on campus who are just not vocal. One of the professors at my friend's daughter's school told her to keep her head down and don't mention she was a Republican (this was at Brown).
Why would a parent send their children to one of these ideological indoctrination factories given what we know today? There are other choices.
Some schools you can write off immediately, like my friend who took her son to a visit at the U of Iowa (IOWA!!!!) where, four years ago, in front of 800 potential students, the two uni reps on the stage, one wearing a skirt and blazer and one wearing a suit and tie actually announced their pronouns. Would those two people ever know if any of those 800 people seated in front of them used their expected pronouns? We live in cuckoo land.
Pronouns are BS. Our gender is not a choice, just our clothes and hair and mannerisms. None of those things changes our gender.
Agreed.
Wish them luck! They sound like great girls who are solid enough to know who they are and know where they are going!
tell them to be plumbers.. make a ton of money and go to night school..
Welders too
Since when do RAs have an obligation, or even an opportunity, to speak to someone's parents?RAs do room inspections and resolve the occasional personal spat. How does that involve parents?
When I was a college instructor, as a rule I didn't discuss grades with anyone's parents unless they gave me the OK to do so. College students are, after all, grown adults. Their parents may be paying for their education, or they might not, but that wasn't any of my business. College isn't high school.
The RA has no reason to say anything to anyone's parents, one way or another. A non-binary college student may have plenty of personal reason to lie to their parents (depending on the parent), but it's none of the RAs, or the university's, business.
They need to control everything be it your gender, your political affiliation or your dress sense. From a RA to a TA or a lecturer to a date they need to watch your speech your behavior how you hold your glass of wine. They lie and wait, and watch, just waiting to pounce when you least expect it .... they are dangerous be alert at all times especially at university
Sorry but this sounds more than a bit overwrought. I know things have changed since I was in college in the early '90s, but RAs and TAs are students too, mostly just trying to earn extra credits. They aren't administrators getting paid to institute some DEI program. I'm sure if asked they'd tell someone they have no intention of ratting them out to their parents - why would they? The only time an RA would even see parents is maybe on move-in day, and they have no responsibilities to communicate with them anyway. And a TA? When I was a TA I never came close to meeting anyone's parents.
My guess is they were virtue signaling to the students they told this to.
Consent workshops 🤮.
We need more Mayas. Lots more. Knowing what I do about Barnard, you are a very very strong brave woman. I am curious if your studies included Thoreau or Emerson or others that my generation cut its teeth on and who were great influencers( little did we know they were or that there would be such a word 50 years later: LOL). SELF RELIANCE, MARCHING TO THE BEAT OF ONE'S OWN DRUM ETC. I hope these notions are kept alive and hopefully rekindled by young thinkers such as yourself. Best of luck in whatever you do and wherever you go.
Teaching Thoreau's essay, On Resistence to Civil Government, would be interesting in this political climate. Who gets thrown in jail and who does not. . .
And what we can resist and what we can’t, as they all get in line for boosters…..
I always said one of the greatest failures of my academic life was that it took until my MBA studies to have a real micro-economic discussion about the value of diversity. I believe it’d be very powerful for high schools to teach why diversity of thought, experience, perspective and competencies are so valuable to society. That is, not faux diversity like skin color or sexual orientation, which, by themselves, have no individual nor net societal benefit, but diversity of thought, which is the single largest driver (outside resource availability) of progress. It takes heat to shape metal - humans also require friction to progress. We should welcome as much friction as we can stand …
That value is probably exactly why it isn’t taught - because that would show students the value of challenging norms - which would make being a college professor who spends all their time researching nonsense and writing about said nonsense a lot harder because you might actually have to teach
Mr. Data: If, as you say, it takes friction to open minds and make progress, why is it "faux diversity" to encounter and exchange views with people whose life experiences may be vastly different than your own? It's immensely enriching to study overseas within a different culture. And our classrooms in America are enriched when the students are drawn from diverse communities, regions, ethnicities, genders, races, sexual orientations. I share your appreciation for the free expression of ideas. But the variety of ideas and perspectives is enriched when students from differing backgrounds, cultures, religions, and social classes interact, express and debate their distinctive viewpoints, and try, through civil discussion, to find answers together.
I could not agree more. One of the things I’ve most enjoyed about an education and culture that’s taken me to more than 30 countries. The beauty of learning from a vast diversity of experiences can’t be overstated…
Then please define what you call "faux diversity."
I literally defined it directly in my comment - skin pigmentation and who you are primarily attracted too. The "diversity" the left is obsessed with what tells you, on its own, absolutely nothing about a person's life experiences, perspectives, values, or beliefs. What's going on here?
But can you have diversity of life experiences, perspectives, values, and beliefs without the diverse perspectives of different racial, ethnic, class, and sexual orientation groups? I think you're splitting hairs. While I would agree that some on the left push identity politics too far, I'm equally suspicious of whites who claim to align themselves with the Rev Dr. King's aspiration for a world where people are judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin" while opposing affirmative action programs designed to overcome centuries of systemic discrimination.
Well said.
It's worth pointing out that this highlights the proper use of pride. Often pride is simply egotism, self-importance, arrogance. Here it's what makes the author say "It would demean me to do this cowardly thing."
This comment is transphobic I bet.
?
Your transphobic attempt to mansplain a proper understanding of pride this close to Pride Month should result in immediate termination by your employer. Your speech is violence, sir.
Ah. It hadn't even occurred to me, the dual-use of "pride". Also, like Steve Martin says in "Roxanne", "We don't get irony here."
Anyway, fortunately for me I'm self-employed, but I'll put your suggestion in the box.
Roxanne is one of my all-time fave films. Thanks for the reference ☺️
Perhaps earned self respect would be a better description.
The way I'm thinking of it, the pride is what 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 her to behave this way, even before she's earned anything.
Yeah you pretty much nailed it. These days Colleges are full of the most obnoxious twerps we’ve seen thus far in American History. I told some college kids recently ( I have an M.S., i’m pro college education) that if they get a degree in something bogus paying it off themselves is part of being a grown up. You knew the cost you made the choice.....
Oh boy! The meltdown that ensued... I actually got hit with a pro-discrimination argument where a person started saying that equal treatment favors the already advantaged.
Not a lot of thinking in College these days.
I have posted this before but I think it is apropos to post it again.:
Some call the left, liberals. I can't bring myself to do that. A true liberal embraces free speech. John Stuart Mill one of the founders of liberalism was a staunch defender of free speech. He said in his essay on liberalism, I'm paraphrasing here, "You should listen to your adversaries because they might be right."
The left today are not liberals. If you don't agree with the left, you are pilloried by the left. I read the definition of a racist, "Is anyone who wins an argument with a liberal."
Whatever happened to, "I may not agree with you but I will defend to the death your right to say it."? In July of 1977 the American NAZI Party was going to march through Skokie, Illinois. Seven Thousand Holocaust survivors lived in Skokie. Words cannot describe how disgusted and appalled I was by this proposed vile act. Of all people who defended this atrocity was the ACLU. I was shocked until I heard why they were defended the NAZIs right to march.
They weren't defending the NAZIs. They were defending the First Amendment, freedom of expression. I am a gentile and much as I despised the NAZIs I love the First Amendment more. I only wish the left loved the First Amendment as much as I do but they don't.
So please stop calling them liberals because they aren't. They are tyrants
PS
The ACLU no longer supports free speech. They are now Woke.
Ira Glasser, Director of the ACLU at the time, was right about Skokie.
Ira was interviewed by Joe Rogan, a very interesting discussion and worth the time.
Yes, Glasser has had several recent interviews. He is appalled at the current ACLU activities.
Yes, I’ve seen a few.
https://nypost.com/2022/01/31/ex-aclu-head-ira-glasser-slams-organizations-new-agenda/
Saw that when it was live.
Crazy stuff.
Compelling post. In 2021 I forced myself to realize that most "liberals" were actually the exact opposite: Fascists. And the reasoning is simple: Whoever opposes free speech by labeling it extremist, misinformation, or whatever - isn't really an American. They are an unholy combo of fascist and communist.
Let's just call it authoritarian. Fascism, Nazi-ism, Marxist-Leninism are some specific flavors of authoritarianism (among many), and suppressing free speech doesn't imply any specific flavor. Think of suppressing free speech like a fever - it's a symptom of many different diseases and we need more data to be more specific.
For the record, some traditional "left" as in Socialist folks are very critical of modern neo-progressivism, which is at core not about the working class; it's base is among the educational, cultural and economic elites and it usually disdains the views of the working class. Check out the World Socialist Alliance website.
And the core of this new illiberal philosophy is not traditional liberals, its a mutation of progressivism (which I cannot call progressivism because of its key divergences, so I call it neo-progressivism to both acknowledge the roots and the more recent mutation). You can call it "woke" or The Successor Ideology (explicitly aiming to supplant liberalism). A lot of traditional liberals are confused and unsure about "how did this happen, it's not what we have in mind". Some have walked away.
The group over which the neo-progressive have the most power is traditional liberals, who have the most to lose. An outright conservative is not going to lose most of their friends and perhaps their job, if they get accused of an ism or phobia by neo-progressives.
American liberalism got hijacked by the Left in the 1960s. For a long time, the Left made a pretense of supporting liberal principles, because that's what they had to do in order to gain power and influence. Now that they think they've won, the mask has come off, and they are showing who they really are. Yes, in many ways, leftism is illiberal. What frustrates me is the number of liberals who don't realize how little influence they have within their own party. I'm a libertarian; I may not agree with a liberal on a lot of issues. But we both want the same things for our fellow Americans: we want them to be happy, healthy and free. We may disagree on how to get there, but that's negotiable. Leftism, on the other hand, is an absolutist philosophy that begins by rejecting negotiation and compromise. And so here we are.
I too am baffled that many liberals in the Democratic Party do not realize that the Left has taken control of their party. I see Trump as the great enabler of this - liberals and the Left are united against a common enemy, which gives the Left an opportunity to thrive, when in fact, liberals should be fighting the Left too.
However decent Democrats see it, Trump was the Third Party. He was his own worst enemy but how often his vision was correct. Many tremendous leaders are poorly understood by those around them who want to control him.
Trump is the common enemy in a landscape where the Left already gained control of people’s minds and desires through very ordinary means.
Good observation, this is why the establishment in both parties attacked Trump.
And set the stage through psychological means, for Trump to destroy himself.
AMEN.
May I propose a thought experiment? And please bear in mind this is only a hypothetical, I make no accusations. Here goes:
A group of fascists set their sights on taking over the US. They understand that they must do so surreptitiously, as no one will vote for the American Nazi Party. Their only option is to hijack an existing mainstream party. So which one do they choose as the target of their efforts?
1. The party that firmly believes in the use of government power to control many aspects of life in the US, with only the best of intentions to bring about good?
OR
2. The party that believes in limited government and tries to restrict government intervention in people's lives?
If you were looking to hijack government power, which party would you choose? When your plans rely on benevolent use of government, you can expect to be hijacked by bad actors every time.
Take a sad song and make it better.
#1.
Why do liberals not see this ?
Today, because they are united with the Left against Trump.
Tomorrow, that same foreign threat will find another way to hide in broad daylight.
Sincere question: are you using the word “Nazis” instead of “Communists” because Nazis are more broadly understood as a heinously evil enemy, whereas using the word “Communist,” in spite of their current power, control issues, leftist ideology, and unsurpassable historic bloodshed, may win you blank stares or raised eyebrows and responses of “conspiracy theorist”?
I deliberately chose Nazi, not Communist. I think what we see today more closely resembles 1933 Germany than 1917 Russia.
Good question Nazi’s are on the right and Commies are on the left.
But both seek totalitarian control.
That’s why I just picked #1.
Much truth in that. As a traditional liberal who is moving towards the independent thinking middle, one of the most frequent responses I get from liberals to my questioning where things are going is: "why are you picking on our side, we all have to unite to fight Trump and the right wing". Trump kept together the factions of the left-of-center and gave cover for more extremism.
Likewise, the extreme left helps empower the extreme right. People of quite different philosophies right of center were able to unite over the increasingly unhinged far left.
That is, both extremes justify themselves from internal criticism by pointing at the extremes of the other side and the need to keep them from coming to power.
I've come to understand that there are some very good thinkers who are conservative, and worth discussing things with, whether or not I agree. I'm no longer blinkered by blind partisanship or tribalism. (Of course, there are many other pitfalls and biases to continue to work on).
Brian - It’s not the Democratic party - it’s the Democrat party. Words matter. If they were democratic they wouldn’t use the might of the federal govt to SWAT and jail and audit their political rivals.
Leftists are deranged with power. That’s why this whole Covid nonsense took off in the first place. They want complete control of America, the only problem is so do the corporations and I think the corporations stronger than the government today and definitely stronger than the leftists. Where does that leave normal people? Please could somebody tell
Everything evolves, including political thought. Those of us who view ourselves as conservatives today are yesteryears' classical liberals.
I still consider myself a classical liberal. It is others who view me as a conservative and far-right. Attaching tags has become meaningless.
I label myself as conservative but I bet our ideologies are very similar. I always considered myself a fiscal conservative and a social libertarian. I have not changed my views but Musk was right, the center moved left.
Credit Colin Wright for the cartoon that Musk Tweeted.
See his "Reality's Last Stand" substack; he's an interesting source of reason on gender issues.
Credit given. Thanks for the info. Wright really struck a cord with that one.
I’m center right on fiscal policy and our sovereignty (national defense and foreign affairs) but center left on social issue. I have typically vote R because I see fiscal and sovereignty as providing the space for social policies. But in todays culture, I am a right wing extremist.
We need a new party today where centrists from both parties can join together in a majority to take back control of our government from the forces of evil.
Traditional liberal here and with you!
The Republicans of today were yesterday’s Democrats. The Democrats of today are yesterday’s…Communists. Whether they know it or not. And most of them don’t know a da** thing about it. Yeah, I said it. The great migration began when the conservative (pro-life) Democrats were blackballed from the party in 1992. (Though a lot of today’s old-timers have no clue, still faithfully vote D like it’s their religion.)
Agreed. Our problems in the USA today are due to leftists NOT liberals. I am a liberal, I value the free and unfettered exchange of ideas, whether I agree with them or not. Many (most) Democrats today are not liberals.
Unless real liberals are boldly speaking up against these communists, they are accomplices.
Yes, a distinction must be made between liberals and progressives / the Left. As I read the posts on social media of people I thought were liberals, the more they read like progressives, with very little appetite for nuance in discussions, just raw emotion and hate. It’s quit frightening.
Adherence to leftist orthodoxy has replaced the role religion would have had for these people in past centuries (when, for instance, they were hunting and burning witches or heretics).
I agree.
We need more real liberals on this board. Welcome.
It was excellent when you previously posted and it’s excellent today!
Thank you.
Lonesome - Agree! I’ve noticed people who want to take back the Liberal tag from what the Dems have become but are still scornful of anyone Not Democrat. I call BS on supporting what one claims to ‘not support.’ It smacks of No True Scotsman-ism
' I'm paraphrasing here, "You should listen to your adversaries because they might be right."'
And right you are, Lonesome. I could not agree more with you.
So let's extend your argument to the current conservative party in our firmament, the GOP, as they expunge Liz Cheney out of their caucus and leadership positions because of her penchant for publicly saying what she thinks! My goodness, what has she done wrong!!?
Sounds like extreme cancellation to me...
It ain't just the progressive left. It's everywhere where idealogical hubris (and perhaps the cult worship of one man..) takes the place of common sense, compromise and the defence of the freedom of speech.
If you have read my posts, you will see that I think Trump is a loudmouth, megalomaniac, bully. But then I have a low opinion of all parties and politicians. I vote Rep because I can't vote for a party as far left as the Dems. I believe the Dems are heading towards communism.
I wish the Libertarians had a chance of winning an election. I would vote for them.
Okay, but you and so many others here expose the progressive left and rightly so for their patent insufferable excesses in groupthink, but never look to the extreme on the right side of things to see the same.
How come so few Republican politicians can muster up the courage to say what you said in your first sentence to me? Because they all think it. You know they do.
But they conform to their own group think in following the MAGA crowds and have self cancelled themselves.
You want a Libertarian Party, that might attract me too - but to get there politicians to form it have to break away from both parties, not just Dems..
Zero thinking
“If Spinoza were to reappear on campus today, he’d see a lot of people with different colored hair and tattoos and piercings who insist they are living their truth but are, in fact, unwitting prisoners of someone else’s.”
Amen sister!!!
Well done Maya.
We just dropped our daughter off for 2nd year at her university. So far she hasn’t had to make a similar choice there.
4 years ago, while a sophomore in high school, students planned a walk out in response to the shooting in Parkland FLA. She asked me if she could skip school that day. I told her “You cannot skip but you can choose whether to participate in the walk out or stay in your seat.”
She was annoyed by the entire thing. It was very trendy to take up social justice causes of all kinds and make a show of it, especially on social media. Also, she started to notice peers getting rewarded for being well trained foot soldiers, in the form of likes, follows, and even college acceptance letters.
For her it wasn’t about being pro gun control or pro 2A. It was more about being 16 and not performing fake outrage over a serious and highly debated issue.
Several districts in the area made the news for doing walk outs. Even elementary schools were doing them.
The day arrived and she chose to stay in her seat, and a few others did as well. Those who walked out, stood outside with posters for about 10 mins, returned to the building and that was it. When she came home that day I asked her how she felt about her choice, she said “I feel I made the right choice for myself. What are we having for dinner tonight?”
A parent’s role performed well! A child learning from the experience. We need more of this.
Outstanding. Sad that this is what counts for bravery on college campuses today. The meme from a few years ago compared 18 years olds signing up for WWII in 1942 vs. "snowflakes" asking for their "safe spaces" and "trigger warnings" today. Go Maya Go!
I found myself after the 2008 economic meltdown in an industry that was turning to slag, and by 2011, after a divorce, a move, and a remarriage returning to school. I attended a mid-sized state university, and this is what I found.
The wokeness we see on a continual was not quite so actualized, but there was an accepted train of thought, particularly in the social sciences. The professors were in on a re-evaluation of American exceptionalism, and in class after class (with some exceptions), we were walked through just how appalling our predecessors were and how badly they treated the poor “victims” of their oppression, neatly eliding over advancing civilization that raised all boats AND some rather appalling behavior by indigenous tribes who gave rather as well as they got for a considerable length of time (actions which admittedly resulted in equally appalling behavior by the Side That Won). Women were always victims and must always be believed. 1 in 4 college women would be raped on campus. Racism was being redefined to include pretty much anything inconvenient to left indoctrination. And students with right leaning beliefs, coming in, learned quickly to stfu.
And then there was me. I was credentialing. I didn’t care about the social situation and I obviously did not live on campus. I am basically a libertarian, and I had a few thoughts in classes when this or that subject rolled out, and I had precisely no fucks to give. So I would chime in. Not seize the floor, but rather, usually, ask inconvenient questions. Some professors liked it. Some got a kick out of it. A few loathed it. And almost none of the other students caught the point. But some did. Some. And I’d watch them sit there, eyes bright, thinking. And when I was asked, by professor or student, to expand on an argument or explain my question, I would, but concisely. I wanted them to THINK about it, not deny it or accept what I said blindly.
I made a few friends, students and professors. I had some interesting discussions. And I like to think that the way I went about it was something pretty much anyone could use as a template in college these days and in these times.
Best of luck in your next incarnation, Maya!
Unfortunately, it’s becoming less and less possible to do as you did. Things have changed exponentially, even since 2008. This fall is the first time in 12 years I have no child in college. I’ve had kids in everywhere from local community college to Harvard. “Making people think” is a recipe for absolute disaster now.
Professors quite happily destroy students’ GPAs, other student “leaders” happily destroy students’ ability to connect with other students (socially, academically and professionally) while university administrations (“diversity and inclusion“ offices, Title IX admins, etc) are more than willing to actively destroy a student’s future.
One of my kids (4.0 Econ major, Ivy League school (this example not Harvard) had the actual police called on him (of course he’s a guy) because he and his roommate were discussing the abject failure of gun control in Chicago (both in complete agreement with each other) in the dorm lounge. This was three DAYS after they arrived for freshmen orientation.
They got an immediate demand to appear at a disciplinary “safety” meeting with the assistant Dean, and a knock on the door from two heavily armed police officers.
The policemen were very nice - one had been a NYC beat cop - they saw the situation as the farce it was. But they did warn the boys (both 16 at the time) that it wasn’t going to be safe for them to talk that way in public on that campus.
Admittedly, I had advantages most undergrads lacked. Being older, male, more broadly read than most people I encountered, over six foot and 200 lbs, and having literally nothing to lose in the situation helped. I also didn’t have to deal with hypersensitive undergrads looking to raise themselves up by stomping someone down. And let’s not even get into the professors who have taken this mess as license to remake the academy. But I believe that a great deal of my point obtains, nevertheless, in any circumstance. You state what you believe forthrightly, when called for. You listen to others and ask questions. Ask the right questions, and the person is either forced to actually confront the thought or go ad hominem. If they go the latter, you won. Walk away. Do that enough times and people who are trying to make a score avoid you, and people who want to think and learn and actually gain an education will learn from you.
I assume that your son learned how to move through the system, given the GPA and the Econ focus, and kudos to him. I hope he took the whole cops showing up as the low comedy it was and kept his head high.
Hang tough Maya.
These students sound more like the Chinese Communist youth during Mao’s cultural revolution. Are there “struggle sessions” in the quad? Are you given a dunce cap and publicly ridiculed as an “old roader”? No need to send you to a re-education camp, sounds like you are already in one.
Bravo.
It's awfully surreal to hear that the ordinary act of going to class was an act of rebellion.
Hopefully more will follow your example.
I've now heard or read so many of these stories that the tread has worn smooth; so much about the importance of fighting college culture and so little about learning. And a course that's $700 per class? The next post Maya should write is to tell her audience not to bother with college at all and avoid the debt, or at least save Dad the account drain. These stories aren't uplifting anymore. They're just depressing.
I agree. You don't really need college to make a good wage. When I was young and stupid, I got a degree in history and political science. What I derived from this education is I am a wealth of useless information. I am great at trivia.
Back in the dark ages when I graduated, colleges were just introducing a computer science department. If a company needed a programmer, they had to apprentice one. I was lucky enough to get such a job. I was good at it and took to it like a duck to water and that is what I did and made a good living doing so.
I didn't need a college degree to be a programmer. The same can be said for electricians, plumbers, welders and the trades and Bill Gates. My wife's niece worked in high school as a salesclerk in Walmart. At age 23 she was the manager at her local Walmart making 6 figures. They promoted her, before she was 30 to manage a super Walmart and later moved her to a city where she managed two at once. Now she was making higher six figures.
She has been going to night school to get a degree so she can move into the higher echelons of Walmart.
All she needed to succeed was a strong work ethic and of course being smart didn't hurt.
The irony is that a lot of people with degree majors ending in “studies’ will look down their nose at anyone working at Walmart.
Anyone who looks down their nose at another has learned nothing, whether they went to college or not
agree
Yea, snobs for sure.
For sure!!!!
Yes, work ethic and determination. Colleges and universities cannot teach this.
Maya has a backbone. The important thing she learned is college was how to use it.
I agree.
They do seem able, however, to destroy it.
I laughed when I read your comment, then realized how sad it is. So true.
While I totally agree with the idea that not everyone needs college to succeed i am as someone who graduated as a history major in 1959, sad that it is now considered a "wealth of useless information." I learned how to think, argue and write coherently from my history professor - all of which has stayed with me for all these years and opened up an intellectual life I would never have had if not for him.
I am dismayed that to " suceed" in life has been reducd to making 6 figures at 23. That is certainly one definition of success and good that this young woman's hard work is paying off. But success is not only a large paycheck - it is also as Joseph Campbell said years ago "to be caught up in a subject that imparts information of a deep, rich, life-vivifying sort that you don't want to give it up"
I see your point but these two things are not mutually exclusive. I actually ended up on the path I did because I spent a year of high school in the hospital, flunked that year, and lacked the GPA to get into med school which is what I had always dreamed of. At that age I wasn’t aware that all my dreams weren’t lost so I committed to a Plan B. I couldn’t afford to go to school not on scholarship and coming from a poor upbringing I refused to accumulate debt in pursuit of a degree. My definition of success was breaking a horrible cycle of poverty, drug addiction, and abuse — it’s easy to see a kid making 6 figures and assume that’s a superficial definition of success without knowing just how much that money represents to someone who never had it. That “success” (I.e a safety net) allowed me to pursue college on my own terms without being hamstrung by debt or “should haves” - I got a useless degree (Philosophy, Political Science & Economics) because I wanted to and already had professional experience to fall back on followed by an MBA. I can say that the joy of college was made richer knowing the cost of it. I’ll also add that my first two years were completed as an AA at a local community college and that was the best experience of them all - the professors were all moonlighting from more prestigious universities and they were deeply engaged in the instructional quality. The traditional college experience is a privilege some don’t get the luxury of, my point is that there are a lot of viable ways to get to experience it outside of what we consider the norm and some of those paths may be a better fit for young people. We should be championing different paths to a fulfilling life rather than assuming it’s only achieved through four years of university following high school.
As long as I do not have to pay off your loans for you to get caught up in their subject.
I love history and read a lot of biographies and histories like Will Durant.
It is the idea that counts not the number of typos. We all make typos and when proof reading read over errors.
I just about guarantee Walmart is paying for her tuition too.
Yeah, I think you're right.
They sure are depressing . My daughter is only 12 years old so college is quite a few years away. I have read so many articles similar to this one that I’m left feeling so worried about the entire topic of university education for her . My husband and I have worked so hard to fund her college account. I am so hung up on my belief that providing her with a fully funded college education is a big part of my responsibility to her. I’m now left wondering what will happen to her when she’s sent into one of these indoctrination camps. Is there any possibility that it will be a positive experience? Will she just come out the other side brainwashed and convinced that she’s either a victim or some kind of oppressor? Things have changed so much. When I was growing up I was taught by my parents that obtaining a bachelors and masters degree was just what was done. No other options were ever discussed. The concept that sending their daughter to college was intellectually or emotionally dangerous would never have crossed their mind. The situation we are now in is absolutely absurd.
Hi, Ann, I posted above about all the newer colleges opening up worth supporting. Truly liberal arts schools sprouting up everywhere. I have a slew of younger friends who have gotten amazing liberal arts educations there, and went on to professional schools for nursing etc. I also have many young brilliant friends who chose trade schools or associates degrees because what we and our parents took for granted no longer makes sense unless you have a specific STEM career in mind. These smart kids wanted no debt, immediate great job, career they’d enjoy, and FAMILY LIFE. They got it and I couldn’t be prouder of them. (And I got a nice Ivy League diploma myself but I wouldn’t send my kids to any of them anymore.) Your daughter sounds like she’s getting a great family foundation to start with! And who knows what kinds of kids will need to meet someone of strong mettle like her! God bless!
Don’t despair Anne there is still time for your daughter I’m sure things will change for the better. She will have a great experience when she gets there. Also I get a sense of where she comes from, a solid good family and that’s a great foundation for any kid!!
Universities should be a hotbed of diverse ideas and diversity should be encouraged. Instead, they have become a totalitarian institute of group think, "If you don't think like us, you will be castigated."
If you are a state supported school, the state should fire the administrations of these universities and hire administrations that support and encourage the free exchange of ideas.
If students disrupt class by demonstrating in the classroom, they should be expelled. If you want to demonstrate, demonstrate in the middle of the football field where you can't disrupt classes. If I am paying for a class, I expect to get my monies worth not listen to some loudmouth, privileged, snotnosed, brat rant about his or her pet grievance.
College culture is in direct opposition to learning currently. If you care about learning you have to eviscerate the current culture which requires first shining a light on said culture to gain popular support for isolating and eliminating it.
(Anticipating a response about how we need ideological pluralism, the current culture is latent Nazism so we are fully justified in seeking its removal from society.)
I agree
Maya, you made my year. I work at a major university. Thank you. That is all.
Here is a lesson; I was one of seven children. As one of a gaggle you can really learn about people. You learn to recognize a "pecking order". You learn manipulation and preening and back-stabbing. You learn about property rights and WHY they are important. You learn that Solzhenitsyn was right and that there IS a line between right and wrong running down the middle of each human heart and that depending on the passion of the moment, you could come down on either side of it. I learned shame and honor and loyalty and betrayal all in the confines of one household; and you know what? The whole world looks familiar after that. Solomon said "there is nothing new under the sun" and he was right. I can spot manipulation from a mile away because I have done it. I can identity with betrayal because I have been on both sides. I can also spot genuine kindness and open-heartedness because, although rare, it is precious. When someone pressures me to do something like leave a classroom in obedience to them I KNOW the risks and rewards and consequences because if you are from a large family, power dynamics is instinctual. I never realized before the GIFT of such a microcosm, but I pity those who have to wait until college to learn these lessons. Good luck Maya, et al.
Couldn't agree more and will add, I am third of 9, oldest girl with 6 brothers. Our family was/is in the manufacturing business, which was started by my great grandfather in 1930. I worked second shift in the factory for two summers during college but was an educator in my career. We had a brother (#7 of 9) die by suicide 3 weeks before his HS graduation.
Our varied experiences with these families structures is an education like none other.....and I wouldn't change it for the world.
Will - your post is quite profound. Politics, and human nature, is most definitely local and nothing is more local than our family. Neighborhoods, towns, counties, state, nations are just extrapolations of family.
Thank you for this. I had the best father in the world. He was the youngest of seven so your comment explains a lot for me.
Very wise observations. Also one of seven. Unless parents intervene strongly, it's all Lord of the Flies.
Go, Maya!
You speak truth and rare Common Sense.
My junior year at Barnard, in spring semester 1968, I crossed “the line” to go to class in Milbank. A young man (was he truly a Columbia student or an outsider?) screamed “scab” in my face and cursed me out with phrases I’d never even heard before. I’ve often wondered if he thought that was a way to convince someone of something. Of anything.
I’m not happy about Barnard or Columbia these days, but if I were there today, I’d most definitely seek you out as a friend. Thanks for giving me hope. I learn from you.
How did those idiots blobs expect to pass the class with Lee Bollinger if they didn’t show up? Would he have passed them because they had study guides? My guess is yes they expected that and most likely he did.
College has always been like this to some extent. Parroting is very important. I remember a freshman English class where the grad student “teacher” gave me a C on a paper about King Lear because it didn’t parrot what she believed. When I asked her why, and then argued a bit, she burst into tears. She’s now probably a retired tenured English professor who wears a mask and marches for the right to abortion up until the head is crowning, and maybe beyond.
Someone observed that students walking out of class may be the dumbest consumer decision known to humankind - paying $60 k for year - and not getting what they paid for. Geniuses they are not.
And now it turns out those lame brains may get rewarded by having their loans paid for by others! I say May, because Joey is getting some pushback and I would hope someone runs to a judge who puts it on permanent hold.
I can’t believe this bailout is legal. Biden just imposed a $300b tax by executive fiat. Taxation without representation in that none of our elected representatives voted on it
Someone should call it a tax cut - because in essence that is exactly what it is. If the Dems were to do that, independents and even Republicans might agree. Republicans love tax cuts!
And no one, trust me, will pay for this. All this, like our accumulated 23 TRILLION dollar debt owned by both parties equally, will just be shoved down the road.
We were taught as children about the courage of Audie Murphy, John Basilone and the Tuskegee Airmen. But this, my friends, is also what courage looks like. To stand for what you believe, when everyone else cowers. To stand up to the mob of conformist bullies. To stand up for virtue and truth when the mob screams lies and demands fealty. America needs more Maya Sulkins. And Douglas Murrays. And Bari Weiss's. America needs to find its voice. To stand for truth and the goodness of our nation. To stand against the lunacy that is the currency of the woke crowd. And to call it out for the destructive insanity it is. If you won't do that, you may be safe - for the moment. But you will live in eternal shame.
And Liz Cheneys.
Just sayin'.
We weren't talking about back stabbing opportunists
How come liberals used to detest the Cheneys? Until they turned coat. Is that what it takes to be a darling of the left?
It did not take long for you to respond. It's interesting that whenever I mention this person's name to any on the righter side of things here the anathema is acute. Loyalty appears to be more important than the breaking away and expressing an opposing view. But why? Isn't an an opposing view an American thing? And she expressing it an act of courage akin to the examples you cite? Can't have it only one way, Bruce. Sorry.
She is saying what she believes to be true. What exactly is wrong with that..?
You do not conform to her opinions, alright. I don't either for the most part. But what we Americans consider to be free speech - to be tolerated, accepted, and celebrated even, especially when disagreed with - the contrary is exhibited by the GOP and it's many adherents when it comes to the pariahs in their midst. And they go after the WOKE with the hammer even though they manifest the same disease themselves..
When you cast your lot with people such as Adam Schiff you deserve obloquy - and more.
As for Cheney, a profile in courage she is not. Even if rejected by the voters she will cash in - just as the reptilian Nicole Wallace did.
Again, why do liberals only love Republicans who turn coat? Speaks volumes.
As far as a quick response - thank Bari; her site has a notification and I'm just sitting around on the computer working and checking e-mail.
And, as I've said in the past, I don't care if you dislike Trump. He isn't exactly the nicest guy in the world. On the other hand, the partisan joke of the Jan 6th Committee is an affront to anyone who cares about the truth and fair play.
And who is the 'you' in your first sentence, Bruce? I often vote Republican. I'm almost as old as you..But I do not throw obloquy your way..
Relax..
You don't like Cheney because the principle she is expressing does not conform to yours. And you appear to accept (and even applaud?) her apparent cancellation from the party she was a part of. I've never liked her for her policies, nor her father, but the principle she's willing to stake her neck on I respect. She's had threats on her life, if you want to believe Fox News, but I digress..
I haven't had threats on my life lately, have you had any on yours??
My only point is that what everyone here hates about the New Left and their hold on free speech, is replicated by the extreme on the New Right.
Anyone who is not in a gated ideological community can see that.
And Jan 6?
That's the least of Trump's legal issues..
Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Anyway, I don't like Cheney because she and the weeping Kinzinger threw in their lot with Schiff, Pelosi, Nadler and other creeps. You can oppose Trump. Even vote to impeach (as idiotic as that was). But going over to the other side - especially one as odious as the current crop of Dems - is beyond the pale. That's why I detest Cheney, Wallace, the Lincoln Project and all the other rent seeking slime balls.
Threats on their lives? So what? People talk smack all the time. Especially behind computer screens.