<p>The following is a quote from my AP Gov textbook(American Government 8th Edition) which is cowritten by James Wilson(UCLA prof) and John Dilulio(Princeton Prof) </p>
<p>" studies going back over half a century seem to show that attending college has a big impact on political attitudes, usually making them more liberal. College students are more liberal that the population generally, and students at the most prestigious or selective colleges are the most liberal of all... the level of political information one has is the best single predictor of being liberal. The political disposition of professors is in part the result of the kinds of people who become college teachers, but it is also the result of the nature of intellectual work. Intellectuals require freedom to explore new or unpopular ideas and thus tend to be strong supporters of civil liberties.... college students who go on to get a postgraduate degree tend to become more liberal than those who stop with a BA degree"</p>
<p>Finally, there you have it all you reactionaries out there. Go check out the facts yourself (chapter 5)</p>
<p>I posted this thread to see the sort of reaction that some people would have when presented with the facts.</p>
<p>I don't want to argue you with you because...well, because I'm tired and I'm starting school tomorrow for the first time in two months.</p>
<p>I just wanted to point out that a SHOCKING number of textbooks have entirely false information in them, oftentimes to support a specific philosophy, opinion, or political persuasion. If yours is correct on this one, super, but its oftentimes better to look beyond your textbook if you want strong facts and studies to support an argument.</p>
<p>Thanks for the information. Next time I want "the facts", I'll be sure to consult my AP textbook, Government in America (Eleventh Edition), as it appears that textbooks are fountains of truth. </p>
<p>For every purported fact you post, there is one countering it. You're incredibly naive if you think one pathetic excerpt from one chapter in one book is going to be all it takes to support your stand and make it the capital T Truth. </p>
<p>Instead of putting controversy to rest, you've only managed to rekindle it with your stupid quote that's not even a real fact. It's the opinion of two professors. And nice writing at the end. "Finally, there you have it all you reactionaries out there. Go check out the facts yourself (chapter 5). I posted this thread to see the sort of reaction that some people would have when presented with the facts." </p>
<p>So basically, you've got me pegged. As I disagree with your post, I must clearly be a Bibling-thumping, narrowminded conservative. Read your book again and honestly ask yourself if it is truly nonpartisan.</p>
<p>That's not a stupid quote, for it is correct.</p>
<p>You can't argue against such an argument....it's common knowledge that more the great majority of highly educated people have always had, have, and and will always have, considerably greater liberal tendencies than the general public.</p>
<p>but haosquared you fail to disprove a single quotation from the textbook. I think it was particularly applicable because a former Princeton prof(now at upenn coauthored it) He is also very conservative. Just look at the books he wrote "Medicaid and Devolution, Deregulating the Public service" etc. So, even when an intelligent conservative(there are some out there) admits the aforementioned fact, die hard right-wingers brush it off.</p>
<p>Yes, let's just fall back on the common knowledge argument. I can't argue against it because 1)it was in 8th edition of American Gov't and 2)it's a stereotype. </p>
<p>As a liberal, I think one of the cornerstones of the ideology is to keep an open mind and to be willing to listen to all opinions. As an educated person, I think it's ridiculous we're supposed to accept two people's opinion as being correct. Which, if you read my previous post, was my main objection. Not the quote itself, merely the fact that the OP was trying to pass it off as being an absolute.</p>
<p>I was going to argue with that last post, and decided it wasn't worth the effort. </p>
<p>As to the topic itself, I am inclined to believe in it, but only because it makes sense and there is a lot of empirical evidence to support it. I don't think one can argue that most elite institutions of higher education are more liberal than the population as a whole, but the argument on what causes what sounds a little like chicken-or-egg - which came first, the liberal or the university he/she attends?</p>
<p>I don't quite get the point of this post to begin with. Are you trying to prove that we'll all turn liberal if we go to college? Are you saying that conservatives have no chance of getting into Princeton? (since, you know, this forum is about Princeton. Not politics.)</p>
<p>That's the general tendency in college. What controversy is there though? Colleges have always been hot spots for liberals, I don't think there's really any arguement about that. It doesn't mean liberals are right or convservatives are right, that's just how it generally is.</p>
<p>The nature of police enforcment tends to make a police officer authoritarian.</p>
<p>Were they authoritarian before or after they became polie officers?</p>
<p>Is it enlightenment that makes an avg prof a liberal, or garbage in garbage out?</p>
<p>The average corporate exec is a conservative. He creates and destroys.</p>
<p>The avg prof is a liberal. He does the same as the coperate exec--with students.</p>
<p>Young people are generally more liberal than their elders---therefore, when it comes to (alot) of students the prof will be happy to feed the monkey.</p>
<p>Yes, exit polls from November showed that the higher the level of education, the greater the percentage that voted for Kerry. I think that phd's were like 76% for the Democratic Party. Now THATS scientific evidence. The quote from the textbook does have merit. However, it is not irrefutable, and can be argued against. </p>
<p>sempitern555, its not what you are asserting that is being contested by all these people, it is the fact that you put so much faith in that one textbook. It certainly supports your argument, which I, as a moderate liberal, agree with, but it is not in itself conclusive.</p>
<p>and haosquared, i wouldnt exactly call you a liberal- u told me yourself the other month that you would be a hard-core republican if it wasnt for the environment. And yes, although the definititon of liberalism is being receptive to new ideas, there are plently of ultra-liberal people who are extremely closeminded (im sure u know exactly who im talking about ;) ).</p>
<p>Are those the same exit polls that showed a clear Kerry win? :)</p>
<p>It's true that people in the academia are generally more liberal...and as that's quite obvious, I have no idea why the OP is trying to create an argument out of it.</p>
<p>lol silmon...I meant liberal as in being receptive to new ideas, not when it comes to my money and socialist healthcare. :) besides, can you honestly blame me for switching over from moderate liberal when I had the ranting liberal you mentioned for two years go off on her soapbox every day? though to be honest, I went to this Republican shindig with a friend during break and there were WAY too many closeminded creationists for my comfort. Result: same suffocating feeling I got in 2000 when I went to an Asian Gore info session. Either way, it's like banging your head against a titanium reinforced wall. We need to form a moderate club at CdS. Our school has the Youth in Gov't Club (Liberal Club) and the Conservative Club. Now we need a Fed Up With All You Zealots Club. I'll even let you be the President/Puppet. I want to be like Cheney and have all the real power. :)</p>