Beyond this, why would a white heterosexual male want to study the humanities as an undergraduate in an American university? Why spend a hundred thousand dollars (plus) for the privilege of being shamed for four years? Especially the poor white kid from rural America? I can easily compare my experience from the late 70s with what I see on my local campus and what I hear from students. Conservatives are 100% correct in questioning an academic culture making a sort of religious conversion to gender and race identity dogma a condition for success. The left is rotting from within and that leaves the right as the "adults in the room." In other words, the authoritarians/Ayn Rand, objectivist nuts sound more credible as the left sounds increasingly unhinged. It might be fun to build a career on the notion that gender is 100% performative, but this kind of idiocy has real world costs. Or build a career shilling a grievance porn cult in an environment lacking any honest feedback, especially from bullied students. Why not kill the Western canon on the way to killing a phantom patriarchy? What fun! I have no idea if we're witnessing episodic idiocy or collapse.
"Just didn't want to..." (below). I wouldn't "want to" either given the culture of discouragement young men are experiencing and the lack of respect and intellectual honesty in the educational system: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/11/08/whats-behind-the-growing-gap-between-men-and-women-in-college-completion/
As a white man who regularly audits humanities classes at a large university the claim that rural white males are being “shamed” sounds like nonsense. It’s that sort of misinformation that explains why so many conservatives are following Trump in spite of his incompetence.
As a white man who regularly listens to young white men in my university town, the claim that young white men are not being shamed by ideologically driven zealots sounds like nonsense.
Not understanding how the white working class (young, old, male and female) feels about the left is central to the failure of the left and the success of "Trump in spite of his incompetence." (And this is not just a matter of color. Black male supporters of Trump have an interesting perspective--one the left might try to understand.)
I'm not saying shame is a bad thing. Fine, there's a lot to be ashamed of and we all ought to own it. The problem arises when shame is weaponized along tribal lines, dividing the working class against itself. Between that and limousine liberalism (or the fusion we saw in Hillary and her ridiculous deployment of the gender card), we can see how we got to Trump instead of Sanders in 2016. How we may get to Trump again in 2024.
So you’re making an unsourced, unverifiable claim from a group you’ve selected to confirm your belief that childish liberals are making the humanities ab impossible field of study for white men. Are they your only source?
As you may know, any academic is on a suicide course if they decided to embark on a study of male student alienation in the humanities. A study? Quantifying the number of professors (and high school teachers) working a feminist (and anti-male) agenda in, for example, English literature courses? How might this be measured? Who would do the study? Again, in an environment where this sort of inquiry would be a career killer. So, yes, it all takes an anecdotal turn, but we ought to get the information where we can. Get to know professors and students. Listen. I have. And, this may be tangential, but it should give you the flavor of what I'm describing with respect to young men's interests and masculinity as subjects in the current academic culture: https://www.mindingthecampus.org/2018/05/07/why-are-so-many-campus-feminists-anti-male/
I’ve listened to professors too, and other academics. They’d br surprised by your claims which, in spite of s link to a questionable blog, you admit can’t be proven because of an “anti-male” conspiracy for which you have no evidence. Please don’t tell me what I “may know” when stating something that’s just your opinion.
Wow ... as a heterosexual, cisgendered, white American male with bachelors in Anthropology and Sociology and a masters in Folklore, I've never heard of any of this crap Crowboy is claiming actually happening.
The closest we came to anything like this is when we were discussing emic vs etic perspective, and the responsibility of the researcher to recognize their own inherent biases.
Really. With the help of this thing called "Google," in 15 seconds I was able to find an article describing the influence of Ayn Rand: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/apr/10/new-age-ayn-rand-conquered-trump-white-house-silicon-valley
I see three question marks in your comment. Perhaps I should have asked for clarification. Still not sure what you're intending to communicate. Question mark #1: You seem you know who Ayn Rand is...so? Question mark #2: Yes, she used the Social Security system, but what does this have to do with my reference to Rand? Question mark #3: "Really?" Really what? I don't get it.
Like, maybe instead of allowing Crowboy to do this every single time, you could moderate? As a not gentleman every single one of his posts is an attack on me and people like me, and it's doubled when they're implicitly encouraged and allowed to stand. You're not the government, you don't have to allow "free speech." You can make a better environment for your readers. John Scalzi is an excellent example of how to do this.
I don't know who you are. Your note was written anonymously, so I don't know if you are the same anonymous as other anonymuses/anonymi. If you are a long-term reader here, you will know I do moderate comments. I vaporize many of them before they appear. I tolerate dissent as long as it is polite and informed. And I am aware of sealioning.
I would be grateful if people calling for censorship (here called "moderation") would perhaps offer a single counter-argument to my position that race and gender identity politics has been a failure for the vast majority of Americans (those in the bottom two-thirds), as quality of life deteriorates and wealth inequality accelerates. I happen to be a socialist, but I fully agree with those on the right who observe that the "woke" (those relying on tired and failed identity ideologies) are fragile to such an extent they cannot allow criticism. This is the hallmark of dogmatism.
Perhaps you could provide some concrete examples of how “identity politics” is failing Americans, preferably something more substantial than something you claim to have heard from someone.
Doing a simple lottery would make life for high schoolers a lot easier, and may very well up being much more egalitarian and therefore equitable than the insane system that exists currently.
This is a fascinating idea- one I have never considered. A lottery- based democracy. Hmm! I'm willing to experiment at the local level and work our way up :)
Maybe there ought to be solid funding for career/college counselors in the education system to help kids make better decisions around their futures. Sure, some schools with a wealthy tax base have some now but most students only get a smattering of career exploration and planning. The other thing that ought to happen is a course for parents on college costs, loans, FAFSA etc. The FAFSA rollout this year is ridiculous but also the number of completely uninformed parents is astounding.
So true.
ReplyDeleteBeyond this, why would a white heterosexual male want to study the humanities as an undergraduate in an American university? Why spend a hundred thousand dollars (plus) for the privilege of being shamed for four years? Especially the poor white kid from rural America? I can easily compare my experience from the late 70s with what I see on my local campus and what I hear from students. Conservatives are 100% correct in questioning an academic culture making a sort of religious conversion to gender and race identity dogma a condition for success. The left is rotting from within and that leaves the right as the "adults in the room." In other words, the authoritarians/Ayn Rand, objectivist nuts sound more credible as the left sounds increasingly unhinged. It might be fun to build a career on the notion that gender is 100% performative, but this kind of idiocy has real world costs. Or build a career shilling a grievance porn cult in an environment lacking any honest feedback, especially from bullied students. Why not kill the Western canon on the way to killing a phantom patriarchy? What fun! I have no idea if we're witnessing episodic idiocy or collapse.
"Just didn't want to..." (below). I wouldn't "want to" either given the culture of discouragement young men are experiencing and the lack of respect and intellectual honesty in the educational system: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/11/08/whats-behind-the-growing-gap-between-men-and-women-in-college-completion/
As a white man who regularly audits humanities classes at a large university the claim that rural white males are being “shamed” sounds like nonsense. It’s that sort of misinformation that explains why so many conservatives are following Trump in spite of his incompetence.
DeleteAs a white man who regularly listens to young white men in my university town, the claim that young white men are not being shamed by ideologically driven zealots sounds like nonsense.
DeleteNot understanding how the white working class (young, old, male and female) feels about the left is central to the failure of the left and the success of "Trump in spite of his incompetence." (And this is not just a matter of color. Black male supporters of Trump have an interesting perspective--one the left might try to understand.)
I'm not saying shame is a bad thing. Fine, there's a lot to be ashamed of and we all ought to own it. The problem arises when shame is weaponized along tribal lines, dividing the working class against itself. Between that and limousine liberalism (or the fusion we saw in Hillary and her ridiculous deployment of the gender card), we can see how we got to Trump instead of Sanders in 2016. How we may get to Trump again in 2024.
So you’re making an unsourced, unverifiable claim from a group you’ve selected to confirm your belief that childish liberals are making the humanities ab impossible field of study for white men.
DeleteAre they your only source?
As you may know, any academic is on a suicide course if they decided to embark on a study of male student alienation in the humanities. A study? Quantifying the number of professors (and high school teachers) working a feminist (and anti-male) agenda in, for example, English literature courses? How might this be measured? Who would do the study? Again, in an environment where this sort of inquiry would be a career killer. So, yes, it all takes an anecdotal turn, but we ought to get the information where we can. Get to know professors and students. Listen. I have. And, this may be tangential, but it should give you the flavor of what I'm describing with respect to young men's interests and masculinity as subjects in the current academic culture:
Deletehttps://www.mindingthecampus.org/2018/05/07/why-are-so-many-campus-feminists-anti-male/
I’ve listened to professors too, and other academics. They’d br surprised by your claims which, in spite of s link to a questionable blog, you admit can’t be proven because of an “anti-male” conspiracy for which you have no evidence.
DeletePlease don’t tell me what I “may know” when stating something that’s just your opinion.
Wow ... as a heterosexual, cisgendered, white American male with bachelors in Anthropology and Sociology and a masters in Folklore, I've never heard of any of this crap Crowboy is claiming actually happening.
DeleteThe closest we came to anything like this is when we were discussing emic vs etic perspective, and the responsibility of the researcher to recognize their own inherent biases.
Speaking of an essay that might've been written by ChatGPT.
ReplyDeleteIf true, I suddenly have faith in AI.
DeleteAyn Rand? The welfare queen? Really?
ReplyDeletexoxoxoBruce
Really. With the help of this thing called "Google," in 15 seconds I was able to find an article describing the influence of Ayn Rand: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/apr/10/new-age-ayn-rand-conquered-trump-white-house-silicon-valley
DeleteI don't need to Google Ayn Rand, my college roommate was a Rand disciple...
Deleteand a self centered narcissist.
xoxoxoBruce
I see three question marks in your comment. Perhaps I should have asked for clarification. Still not sure what you're intending to communicate. Question mark #1: You seem you know who Ayn Rand is...so? Question mark #2: Yes, she used the Social Security system, but what does this have to do with my reference to Rand? Question mark #3: "Really?" Really what? I don't get it.
DeleteThe jury is getting bored. Time for final arguments, gentlemen.
DeleteLike, maybe instead of allowing Crowboy to do this every single time, you could moderate? As a not gentleman every single one of his posts is an attack on me and people like me, and it's doubled when they're implicitly encouraged and allowed to stand. You're not the government, you don't have to allow "free speech." You can make a better environment for your readers. John Scalzi is an excellent example of how to do this.
DeleteI don't know who you are. Your note was written anonymously, so I don't know if you are the same anonymous as other anonymuses/anonymi. If you are a long-term reader here, you will know I do moderate comments. I vaporize many of them before they appear. I tolerate dissent as long as it is polite and informed. And I am aware of sealioning.
DeleteI would be grateful if people calling for censorship (here called "moderation") would perhaps offer a single counter-argument to my position that race and gender identity politics has been a failure for the vast majority of Americans (those in the bottom two-thirds), as quality of life deteriorates and wealth inequality accelerates. I happen to be a socialist, but I fully agree with those on the right who observe that the "woke" (those relying on tired and failed identity ideologies) are fragile to such an extent they cannot allow criticism. This is the hallmark of dogmatism.
DeletePerhaps you could provide some concrete examples of how “identity politics” is failing Americans, preferably something more substantial than something you claim to have heard from someone.
DeleteConservatives engage in identity politics too. They call it “the war on woke”. Why is that kind of identity politics acceptable to you?
DeleteDoing a simple lottery would make life for high schoolers a lot easier, and may very well up being much more egalitarian and therefore equitable than the insane system that exists currently.
ReplyDeleteNot a crazy idea. The Greeks "elected" their representatives by lottery and I think we might do better with such a system today.
DeleteThis is a fascinating idea- one I have never considered. A lottery- based democracy. Hmm! I'm willing to experiment at the local level and work our way up :)
DeleteMaybe there ought to be solid funding for career/college counselors in the education system to help kids make better decisions around their futures. Sure, some schools with a wealthy tax base have some now but most students only get a smattering of career exploration and planning. The other thing that ought to happen is a course for parents on college costs, loans, FAFSA etc. The FAFSA rollout this year is ridiculous but also the number of completely uninformed parents is astounding.
ReplyDelete