Re: however, this is a tragic situation

Wow, four posts from the same guy in response to my one.

Excellent.

I liked the first one best, where my own words were sent back to me in spectacular and unmediated reflection.

The rest were a bit silly. But just one word...

Daniel,

You wrote to Jim:

"What passes for a conservative in most universities is usually some watered down liberalism but with the nature of modern universities it just means weaker rhetoric."

But, as I've shown you, in at least one university, mine, that happens not to be true. And I have no rational reason to suspect my university is in any significant way different than most large public state-sponsored universities. It's certainly not that much different than any of the institutions of which I have been a part.

But this is a stupid argument. What's the point? There are lots of liberals here on campus, too. So what? Does anyone really believe that liberal university professors are somehow dramatically changing the character of America or Americans? Does anyone really think people are being denied jobs on campus simply because they are Republicans or that a generation of young people is really being brainwashed according to some liberal orthodoxy. That's certainly not what the national numbers reflect. And as for me, my own brand of critical thinking and my own favorite interests are not read nor are they the concern of any but a very small number of strange people. For almost all others, on and off campus, liberal and conservative, they might as well not even exist. And that's fine with me, by the way.

And as to all those little articles you sent, Daniel -- am I surprised that conservatives think there is a liberal bias at universities? Of course not. What else would they think? Unfortunately, actual experiences are often more heterogeneous and distinct than that and are liable to be somewhat more complicated too.

But that sort of appreciation doesn't make for good internet chat and listserv posts. Here we need to make stupid generalizations as if they were meaningful and complain about stuff because, well, because that's just what we do.

It's actually kind of sad in a way. So I'm off to teach. And to read. And to write. And to think. And to advise students. And then to drink, perchance to dream.

--John
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Received on Mon Sep 29 15:29:41 2003