“… ‘Tis the season to write disparaging commentaries on college students. They are coddled, some say, others say they don’t understand the value of free speech, while still others predict the demise of American higher education as a whole because of a lack of openness to new ideas.” …
it is a very sad situation at many colleges.
I guess for those in heavy duty majors like science,engineering, etc… you can avoid the spoiled self entitled close minded cry bullies much of the time. but when they start to harass and intimidate people studying in the library (actual students in college to learn) or block parts of campus it becomes a problem for everyone. when the school administration coddles and panders to the cry bullies it empowers them and that just further encourages the frenzied special snowflakes.
It’s an exciting time to be on many college campuses.
Old notions about some of our most celebrated historical figures are being challenged.
Economic and social diversity are bringing a welcome level of engagement with issues outside the ivory tower.
I guess those snowflakes who prefer heavy duty apathy to the noise and close combat of issues being joined can find it, but, there’s a trade-off: they may have to look beyond the nation’s best colleges to find it.
Sorry that the cry babies are put off by the “cry bullies”.
I think that the students have the right to shape the experience that they will have. They are consumers of a product being obtained at an outrageous cost that most will be paying well into their future. Why shouldn’t they be able to say what they expect in return?
How scornful and derisive were the leading comments of the day back in the 1960s when the counter culture revolution started and college campuses were hotbeds of anti-war protests and overflowing with free-love sandal wearing hippies? The anti-establishment ethos of that generation spawned many of today’s leading social, economic and scientific thinkers… Adolescents today are no different and indeed many espouse an idealistic demeanor that strongly identifies with equal rights. Frankly, I am not bothered by the infectious ‘political correctness’ point of view, although it seems to be rankling a much larger portion of society than ever before… just go to a Donald Trump rally !!
Short answer: no.
I agree with @movemetoo -
The kids will hash it out. They’ve already begun - protest/sit-in/demands, followed by administrative response, followed by modification of demands (often to "requests and points of negotiation), followed by some other group of students speaking out, etc etc.
And frankly, it’s nothing new.
I agree with @movemetoo and @OHMomof2 Also, there are plenty of kids interested in the hard sciences who are interested in these issues as well.
If anybody reads Prickly City, the comic strip, there was one a few days ago that made fun of this situation. But I think it’s gone too far.
What’s new is that the cry bullies today don’t want people who disagree with them to have the right to voice their dissenting opinion.
It was the same in the 1960’s.
That generation is now called the old conservatives who have caused all the problems that today’s youth will solve…yeah right.
Yup, my Physics major kid has an opinion, and it generally does not match those of the cry babies. She thinks in many cases the protesters have a valid point.
Happy Inclusive December Festivities!
Ohio State guidelines for “inclusive” decorations & celebrations:
https://odi.osu.edu/about/ohio-state-diversity-officers/inclusive-holiday-practices.html
Are white snowflake decorations non-diverse?
And what about the religions that have no winter festivies?
^ How can you celebrate your culture if you can’t do anything that represents your culture for fear of being insensitive to other cultures??
Absolutely ridiculous…
“Run amok” is a racist expression…
^Malay or Vulcan?
I got my education abroad. I never experienced the revolt of the 60s. I was at the normal university. We respected our Profs. and they respected us. Merit-based admission (of course, we had some special VIP students, but few, not a “critical mass”). We studied. I got a very decent education and secured Ph.D. spot in Stanford. Out of nowhere.
Yes, I don’t like the current student protests. Pampered, narrow-minded brats! They party off their parent’s paychecks and they talk about social justice? Diversity students with low GPAs, so they feel disfranchised by it? (In fact, I feel sorry for diversity students. Many are behind in math, but tricked into believing that it doesn’t matter. Of course, such students are getting lower grades in STEMs. Looking around, they see other minority kids with bad grades and cry “institutional racism”. )
I feel sad for these kids. Most of these kids are used as pawns in adult games. Faculty is fighting for money/power/funding/positions.
<“Run amok” is a racist expression… > Talking about PC …
<and what="" about="" the="" religions="" that="" have="" no="" winter="" festivies?="">
They can celebrate New Year, for example. 