NationStates Jolt Archive

As I understand it, the purpose of a public university is to be a place where young people can come and learn about nearly anything they want from people with diverse perspectives on life and issues. This means universities should have racial and ethnic diversity. Unfortunately most diversity proponents stop at that superficial level and do not go any deeper. It has created a university systems that is racially diverse, but idealogically homogenous.

As a junior in college I have a class nearly every quarter with a professor who uses his class as a platform to spout liberal propoganda on everything from politics to science to philosophy, yet in nearly three years of college, I have never heard a singe conservative voice. This is interesting considering 51% of voters voted for the Bush. Currently college students are being bombarded with one-sided information. If the purpose of college is to teach students how to think about things after gathering all of the information and come to their own conclusions then universities are failing. Until we get true diversity the brainwashing will continue under the guise of education.

in my view, one sided information is, of course, bad. But then so would having both political adgenas. Universities should be impartial and espouse neither stance. 'real world' politics does not belong in uni, apart from necessary debate between students. lecturers should be impartial and unbiased - to as much a degree (forgive the pun) as possible as some subjects will require this.

What course are you doing? Sounds like an arts degree.

Do an economics or business class if you so desperately want your classes to carry a right-wing bias.

Even so, despite being an arts student and having a lot of teachers with leftist or centrist leanings, I had a right-wing poli-sci teacher and a similar minded history tutor last year. All of them, without exception, encouraged us to form and express our own opinions. It *really* doesn't matter at the end of the day.

A university originally was a place for research to push back the boundries of human knowledge. Or in the case of the humanities whatever it is they do ;)
They then acknowledge the need for people to take the researchers places so they took on students. I believe that is where Universities came from and that research and development was their main objective.

As I understand it, the purpose of a public university is to be a place where young people can come and learn about nearly anything they want from people with diverse perspectives on life and issues. This means universities should have racial and ethnic diversity. Unfortunately most diversity proponents stop at that superficial level and do not go any deeper. It has created a university systems that is racially diverse, but idealogically homogenous.

As a junior in college I have a class nearly every quarter with a professor who uses his class as a platform to spout liberal propoganda on everything from politics to science to philosophy, yet in nearly three years of college, I have never heard a singe conservative voice. This is interesting considering 51% of voters voted for the Bush. Currently college students are being bombarded with one-sided information. If the purpose of college is to teach students how to think about things after gathering all of the information and come to their own conclusions then universities are failing. Until we get true diversity the brainwashing will continue under the guise of education.
I don't have any stats on this, but there were a number of anti-war dweebs who fled to teaching, particularly at the university level, rather than face going to Vietnam. Now these ... people are tenured professors, which means that you can't get rid of them unless they're convicted of war crimes or child molestation or something equally henious. These are most likely the people who are propagandizing an entire generation of unsuspecting children.

Hear hear! Lets purge accademia, no new liberal professors shall be hired in 10 no 50 years!

All joking aside, is there any evidence that conservatives are being discriminated against in the hiring process? For example members of the army vote like 90 percent republican, but it doesn't mean the army doesn't hire liberals. The army is just a employer popular with conservatives, just like accademia is a popular calling for liberals.

Well if you take a look at your normal student most of them seem to be screaming lefties :headbang:

Hear hear! Lets purge accademia, no new liberal professors shall be hired in 10 no 50 years!

All joking aside, is there any evidence that conservatives are being discriminated against in the hiring process? For example members of the army vote like 90 percent republican, but it doesn't mean the army doesn't hire liberals. The army is just a employer popular with conservatives, just like accademia is a popular calling for liberals.

Like i've said, it depends on the degree. Conservatives don't typically flock to teach humanities, but they outnumber leftists in engineering and economics courses. That applies for students as well as teachers, and most people already have their own political views before going to university anyway.

Well if you take a look at your normal student most of them seem to be screaming lefties :headbang:
Fortunately, those are the ones who don't think for themselves. :D

Fortunately, those are the ones who don't think for themselves. :D

*screams* I TAKE OFFENCE!!!

:p

I was a lefty *before* I went to university, believe me.

*screams* I TAKE OFFENCE!!!

:p

I was a lefty *before* I went to university, believe me.
Hehehe! I meant no offense. Why, some of my best friends are "lefties!" :D

Hehehe! I meant no offense. Why, some of my best friends are "lefties!" :D

Same for me with right-wingers :p

I actually managed to convert a right-wing friend...at least from an economic point of view. However, he kept most of his socially conservative (pro-death penalty, for example) views. I created an abomination :( So I learned to live and let live :D

Do they have dictionaries at your university, Guamasia? ;)

Same for me with right-wingers :p

I actually managed to convert a right-wing friend...at least from an economic point of view. However, he kept most of his socially conservative (pro-death penalty, for example) views. I created an abomination :( So I learned to live and let live :D

Wow that sounds like the opposite of a good 50 percent of the people I met at college. Mostly people that read Ayn Rand, decide that the slightest form of progressive taxation is "communist" but have no problem with legalizing every delicious mind altering drug you can think of.

Same for me with right-wingers :p

I actually managed to convert a right-wing friend...at least from an economic point of view. However, he kept most of his socially conservative (pro-death penalty, for example) views. I created an abomination :( So I learned to live and let live :D
"An abomination!" ROFLMAO!!!! :D

Well, I seem to have been labelled a "right-winger" on this forum, but in reality, my positions on most issues tend to be very centrist, albiet a tad libertarian, although just a tad. :)

I'm chuckling slightly as I sit on a University campus which is so outrageously conservative that every professor that has ever tried to teach evolution has left because the students tell them that they are teaching bs and are "bad" people. The music department is Calvinist to the core and my Statistics professor was completely positive there weren't any evil liberals in his class.

Anyone wanna trade schools?

I'm chuckling slightly as I sit on a University campus which is so outrageously conservative that every professor that has ever tried to teach evolution has left because the students tell them that they are teaching bs and are "bad" people. The music department is Calvinist to the core and my Statistics professor was completely positive there weren't any evil liberals in his class.

Anyone wanna trade schools?

Bob Jones University or Jerry Falwell's new school?

Wow that sounds like the opposite of a good 50 percent of the people I met at college. Mostly people that read Ayn Rand, decide that the slightest form of progressive taxation is "communist" but have no problem with legalizing every delicious mind altering drug you can think of.

I've never met any anarcho-Liberals (classical Liberal, that is) personally. I know they're out there but I think they hide in the shadows at my uni.

"An abomination!" ROFLMAO!!!! :D

Oh, it's scary. I feel like a mad scientist who stands over his creation and shouts "What have I done!?!?".

He believes in the death penalty, he's pro-gun ownership, pro-drug legalisation (but only marijuana), anti-immigration (but he likes immigrants that are already here because they work harder than Aussies), anti-politically correct (IE. bringing christmas back to the public school system), believes in free education, working hard for a living and he won't bitch about his taxes.

I have unleashed upon the world a Frankenstein monster of politics. :D

Well, I seem to have been labelled a "right-winger" on this forum, but in reality, my positions on most issues tend to be very centrist, albiet a tad libertarian, although just a tad. :)

Yeah, actually, i've noticed that. Well if you were a "true" right winger, I don't have any problems with you anyway :)

Churches need idealogical diversity. I mean, when's the last time you met an atheist minister? Sitting through some theist's preachings week after week is simply grating on my mind. I don't know how to deal with it.

Churches need idealogical diversity. I mean, when's the last time you met an atheist minister? Sitting through some theist's preachings week after week is simply grating on my mind. I don't know how to deal with it.
Though to be fair universities "preach" openmindedness and such churches dont

As a junior in college I have a class nearly every quarter with a professor who uses his class as a platform to spout liberal propoganda on everything from politics to science to philosophy, yet in nearly three years of college, I have never heard a singe conservative voice.

Maybe he's clever enough to see what conservatism really is - bullshit

Maybe he's clever enough to see what conservatism really is - bullshit
You're not helping your cause.

You're not helping your cause.

Oh well, it doesn't really matter, most people will never change anyway.

Oh well, it doesn't really matter, most people will never change anyway.

If you know that, you should be intelligent enough not to just spout stuff about conservatism being bullshit.

Just because a lot of people can't tolerate the opposing political view, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't either.

If you know that, you should be intelligent enough not to just spout stuff about conservatism being bullshit.

Just because a lot of people can't tolerate the opposing political view, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't either.

I agree.

They're leftist? Of course they are. Its what happens when people get an education; they tend to move to the left.
You'll be surprised what a good, well-rounded (and unbiased) education will do to someone with a conservative ideology.

Education is the single greatest tool that mankind possesses.

They're leftist? Of course they are. Its what happens when people get an education; they tend to move to the left.
You'll be surprised what a good, well-rounded (and unbiased) education will do to someone with a conservative ideology.

Education is the single greatest tool that mankind possesses.

*Points to previous post at top of page*

All of them are PhDs (with the exception of the Statistics professor) and I would never call my choir director (I love that man) or handbell director a bad person. They might tend to move to the left but in all honesty it may well be due to the bias of the schools they attend.

They're leftist? Of course they are. Its what happens when people get an education; they tend to move to the left.
You'll be surprised what a good, well-rounded (and unbiased) education will do to someone with a conservative ideology.

Education is the single greatest tool that mankind possesses.

Does a good well rounded education involve politics? Of course it does.

Now, the big question is whether that well rounded education will go into detail about conservative political views as well as liberal ones.

I don't see that it really matters what polictical orientation your lecturer is. You are at University to learn. If you feel your lecturer is incorrect, then learn about the opposing view, don't wait to be told to learn about it!

I agree... we need more politcal diversity, having everyone agree with me (or anyone else) is just boring!
I actualy seem to be drifiting alittle to the right,mainly because one has to cite the logic of the market to get any real discussion (and i'm a bloody socialist!) besides, i can't deal with my poli-sci teacher telling me that the khmer rouge didn't kill milions(among other similar things)! and I go to on of the most leftist colleges out there (we were ranked most likely to vote for Kerry by the Princton Review)

I agree... we need more politcal diversity, having everyone agree with me (or anyone else) is just boring!
I actualy seem to be drifiting alittle to the right,mainly because one has to cite the logic of the market to get any real discussion (and i'm a bloody socialist!) besides, i can't deal with my poli-sci teacher telling me that the khmer rouge didn't kill milions(among other similar things)! and I go to on of the most leftist colleges out there (we were ranked most likely to vote for Kerry by the Princton Review)

Then play Devil's Advocate to stimulate discussion in class when everyone is agreeing and you're sitting there bored shitless. It doesn't hurt, and I do it.

They're leftist? Of course they are. Its what happens when people get an education; they tend to move to the left.
You'll be surprised what a good, well-rounded (and unbiased) education will do to someone with a conservative ideology.

Education is the single greatest tool that mankind possesses.
Correlation is not causation.

As a junior in college I have a class nearly every quarter with a professor who uses his class as a platform to spout liberal propoganda on everything from politics to science to philosophy, yet in nearly three years of college, I have never heard a singe conservative voice. This is interesting considering 51% of voters voted for the Bush.
it's especially interesting considering the demographic information about the people who voted for Bush and the people who voted against him; surprise surprise, the more educated you are the less likely you are to have supported Bush!

if you want there to be more conservative voices in college then be those voices. i was, and still am, a voice of fiscal conservativism in my university, and i've never felt oppressed. if you don't feel like debating your views then you probably shouldn't voice them in a college setting, but debate isn't a bad thing if you are really on sound ideological ground. the simple reality is that people who understand economics and political science tend not to support today's "conservatives" as much as they support today's liberals; i don't think that has anything to do with the supposed liberal bias of the institutions, but rather that it is simply the case of there being a correct answer to certain questions and that answer is often not the one proposed by the conservatives of America. most biology students conclude that evolution is probably a more viable scientific theory than 6-day Creation, but that's not simply because all their professors think so...it's because the facts and the realities all point that way, and any intelligent person who looks objectively at the situation will reach that conclusion.

Then play Devil's Advocate to stimulate discussion in class when everyone is agreeing and you're sitting there bored shitless. It doesn't hurt, and I do it.

I do

Correlation is not causation.
very true. so let's look at what we know:

increasing education level is correlated with what are known in America as "liberal" values. one possible explanation is that people who are better educated and informed reach similar conclusions, and those conclusions align with the "liberal" viewpoint. another theory is that people who become more liberal in life will be more likely to pursue higher education, or that people who hold more liberal views are more likely to succeed in their education.

anybody want to add some other possible explanations for this phenomenon?

I do

Sorry, I didn't read your post properly :p

OK, transfer to an economics degree then.

Or so I hear, Law has a roughly 50/50 mix of left and right.

Up to you. Alternatively, you could just not go to your classes, study at home, and pass the exams anyway. lol. I don't recommend it though.

As I understand it, the purpose of a public university is to be a place where young people can come and learn about nearly anything they want from people with diverse perspectives on life and issues. This means universities should have racial and ethnic diversity. Unfortunately most diversity proponents stop at that superficial level and do not go any deeper. It has created a university systems that is racially diverse, but idealogically homogenous.

As a junior in college I have a class nearly every quarter with a professor who uses his class as a platform to spout liberal propoganda on everything from politics to science to philosophy, yet in nearly three years of college, I have never heard a singe conservative voice. This is interesting considering 51% of voters voted for the Bush. Currently college students are being bombarded with one-sided information. If the purpose of college is to teach students how to think about things after gathering all of the information and come to their own conclusions then universities are failing. Until we get true diversity the brainwashing will continue under the guise of education.

Strang system.
In my university, and all the other universitys in the country, teachers can not spread their views in class but all teachers are bound by law to teach us ,whatever the class is, how to opperate in a republic.

anybody want to add some other possible explanations for this phenomenon?

Perhaps the majority of higher education graduates studied the humanities, which typically attract the left-leaning types, as opposed to more practical courses which attract right-leaning types?

That would make sense as, the left would outnumber the right and the entire grouping would come across and be stereotyped as left-wing. (a lot more arts graduates than engineering graduates, for example)

Just a theory. :)

very true. so let's look at what we know:

increasing education level is correlated with what are known in America as "liberal" values. one possible explanation is that people who are better educated and informed reach similar conclusions, and those conclusions align with the "liberal" viewpoint. another theory is that people who become more liberal in life will be more likely to pursue higher education, or that people who hold more liberal views are more likely to succeed in their education.

anybody want to add some other possible explanations for this phenomenon?
That's a fairly exhaustive list. Either the conservatives are unable or unwilling to obtain a higher education. Either that or they're converted to liberalism by the time they get there.

Next, there's the matter of motivation. I can imagine a conservative who didn't want to continue his education because he was sick of the liberal propaganda. I can also imagine that conservatives are more often making too much money in the business world to bother with a higher education.

It's also possible that career paths that are dominated by liberals are more likely to require more education.

OK, transfer to an economics degree then.


I shudder to think where i'd end up in economics... some where involving math i have no intention of understanding, no doupt.

Up to you. Alternatively, you could just not go to your classes, study at home, and pass the exams anyway. lol. I don't recommend it though.

nah... my schools wicked small, when your in a class of 15-20, they tend to look down on your not being there.

Or so I hear, Law has a roughly 50/50 mix of left and right.



Not my school, we refuse to let military recruiters on campus for JAG and thats the ways we likes it. (Our school loses like $100,000 a year in federal funding for doing so.)

Not my school, we refuse to let military recruiters on campus for JAG and thats the ways we likes it. (Our school loses like $100,000 a year in federal funding for doing so.)
Public or private?

Public or private?

Private, very expensive, sooo far in debt!

Same for me with right-wingers :p

I actually managed to convert a right-wing friend...at least from an economic point of view. However, he kept most of his socially conservative (pro-death penalty, for example) views. I created an abomination :( So I learned to live and let live :D
Wow, you created an authoritarian. Very bad mistake Kan.

Private, very expensive, sooo far in debt!
ok was going to say ... I go to public ... we CANT exclude anyone(unless they cause harm or threaten someone) (we can refuse to rent them space but they can be on campus)

But thats ok with me (even though I did get hit with a bible once ... for walking with a girl who had knee length skirt on ... think the giddion guy was going for her)

But freedom of speech is important to me ... I would rather have the recruter then not but maybe that is me personaly

Wow, everyone else's campus sounds interesting.

My current one is SO boring! Until DM merges with S@Y (at York University), it will continue to remain boring. over 80% of the population, maybe a lot more, is male. No one gives a damn about politics. All my friends didn't vote. I have no one to talk politics to there. Oh wait, I have one person, but she's republican.... ugh.....

As a junior in college I have a class nearly every quarter with a professor who uses his class as a platform to spout liberal propoganda on everything from politics to science to philosophy
What subject does this professor teach, may I ask?

Now these ... people are tenured professors, which means that you can't get rid of them unless they're convicted of war crimes or child molestation or something equally henious. These are most likely the people who are propagandizing an entire generation of unsuspecting children.
I think you're being overly dramatic with that last statement. I'm sure that the majority of professors do not deliberately give their students biased information. Even for those that do, isn't it underestiating the intelligence of university students that you assume them to be so susceptible to propaganda?

I actually managed to convert a right-wing friend...at least from an economic point of view. However, he kept most of his socially conservative (pro-death penalty, for example) views. I created an abomination :( So I learned to live and let live :D
So you've created a new Stalin? Thank you very much. See you in the gulag.

"An abomination!" ROFLMAO!!!! :D

Well, I seem to have been labelled a "right-winger" on this forum, but in reality, my positions on most issues tend to be very centrist, albiet a tad libertarian, although just a tad. :)
Libertarians are right-wing.

People think you are right-wing probably because you lay pretty hard into liberals and their causes. (Bashing anyone who has ever been against any American war is your specialty, it appears.)

They're leftist? Of course they are. Its what happens when people get an education; they tend to move to the left.
You'll be surprised what a good, well-rounded (and unbiased) education will do to someone with a conservative ideology.

Education is the single greatest tool that mankind possesses.
I do't think this is a rule as you make it sound. There are plenty of highly educated people with right-wing views.

All my friends didn't vote. I have no one to talk politics to there. Oh wait, I have one person, but she's republican.... ugh.....
They have Republicans in Toronto, Canada now?

I don't have any stats on this, but there were a number of anti-war dweebs who fled to teaching, particularly at the university level, rather than face going to Vietnam. Now these ... people are tenured professors, which means that you can't get rid of them unless they're convicted of war crimes or child molestation or something equally henious. These are most likely the people who are propagandizing an entire generation of unsuspecting children.
He was talking about his specific experience (in JR collage) I dont think tenure is an issue there :p (JR same as Tech or community collage ... or like adam corola(sp?) says "Highschool with ashtray's")

They have Republicans in Toronto, Canada now?
Well....she's from Sudbary, so she's not really from Toronto, nor is she a Torontonian by any means. ^_^ Sudbary is Tory country.

Libertarians are right-wing.
That's an interesting theory. Unfortunately for you, it's one that has no basis in fact.

For the satisfaction of your curiosities, I present myself, a left-leaning Libertarian, for further study.

ok was going to say ... I go to public ... we CANT exclude anyone(unless they cause harm or threaten someone) (we can refuse to rent them space but they can be on campus)

But thats ok with me (even though I did get hit with a bible once ... for walking with a girl who had knee length skirt on ... think the giddion guy was going for her)

But freedom of speech is important to me ... I would rather have the recruter then not but maybe that is me personaly

Thats a shame. Excluding people you disagree with is fun.

My school's official reason for excluding the military is the whole gay rights, they don't allow openly gay people to serve thing, but I suspect the dean just doesn't like the military which is fine with me. They also gave us off the entire week of Bush's convention supposedly because they were worried the whole city would erupt in a riot so we all just kind of hung out and watched the crazyness.

By the way Pythagosauras Libertarianism is deffinitely a right wing ideology.
Some people call themselves libertarian socialists or libertarian communists but they wouldn't consider themselves "libertarians", the last word is the one that counts. Libertarianism in the most general sense means the government should do as little as possible-- Schools should be privatized, the fire department, police etc should all be run for profit by businesses. This is a right wing position.

By the way Pythagosauras Libertarianism is deffinitely a right wing ideology.
Some people call themselves libertarian socialists or libertarian communists but they wouldn't consider themselves "libertarians", the last word is the one that counts. Libertarianism in the most general sense means the government should do as little as possible-- Schools should be privatized, the fire department, police etc should all be run for profit by businesses. This is a right wing position.
Don't debate Libertarianism with a Libertarian. You have managed to capture the economic policy of the Libertarian party. Now, let's see the social policy.

The Libertarian philosophy supports drug legalization, gay marriage (or, ideally, getting the government out of marriage altogether), and is against the war, immigration controls, and censorship. This is a left wing position.

Do you get it now? You can't just find somebody who disagrees with you and label him as being right wing. Things are more complicated than that. Libertarians are north wing.

That's an interesting theory. Unfortunately for you, it's one that has no basis in fact.

For the satisfaction of your curiosities, I present myself, a left-leaning Libertarian, for further study.
I am aware that libertarian simply means in favour of personal freedoms, but usually when Americans say it they mean that they are also for free markets, low taxes and other right-wing economic values.

For the satisfaction of your curiosities, it sounds like your political opinions are just like mine!

Well....she's from Sudbary, so she's not really from Toronto, nor is she a Torontonian by any means. ^_^ Sudbary is Tory country.
So Canadian Tories/conservatives are called Republicans too? Wow that must really be an image problem for Harper's party!

The Libertarian philosophy supports drug legalization, gay marriage (or, ideally, getting the government out of marriage altogether), and is against the war, immigration controls, and censorship. This is a left wing position.

Do you get it now? You can't just find somebody who disagrees with you and label him as being right wing. Things are more complicated than that. Libertarians are north wing.
I consider right and left wing to be purely references to economic values. Left wing tends socialist and right wing tends free market.

For social issues, i prefer the terms authoritarian and libertarian.

You can be a left-wing authoritarian (not very many around), a right-wing libertarian, or the more common categories of left-wing libertarian and right-wing authoritarian.

Don't debate Libertarianism with a Libertarian. You have managed to capture the economic policy of the Libertarian party. Now, let's see the social policy.

The Libertarian philosophy supports drug legalization, gay marriage (or, ideally, getting the government out of marriage altogether), and is against the war, immigration controls, and censorship. This is a left wing position.

Do you get it now? You can't just find somebody who disagrees with you and label him as being right wing. Things are more complicated than that. Libertarians are north wing.

Technically he is right that libertarianism is a right wing policy. If I remember rightly, left/right wing refers to economic policy while liberal/conservative refers to social policy. So, libertarianism is right wing and liberal.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Technically he is right that libertarianism is a right wing policy. If I remember rightly, left/right wing refers to economic policy while liberal/conservative refers to social policy. So, libertarianism is right wing and liberal.

Correct me if I'm wrong.
I've never heard of such a thing. In any case, I don't think that's what he meant.

EDIT: Actually, it appears that is what he meant. I've never heard this distinction, but I'll accept it as his intentions. I don't like being considered right wing, but I do agree (somewhat) with many policies of economic freedom.

Well if you take a look at your normal student most of them seem to be screaming lefties :headbang:

It depends. The polls that I've seen have taken student opinions at teh end of high school and at the end of college. The ones at the end of high school are about the same as the population in general, but the ones at teh end of college note a decidedly left swing. Please note, this is only US colleges, so I have no idea what is happening in other countries.

I consider right and left wing to be purely references to economic values. Left wing tends socialist and right wing tends free market.

For social issues, i prefer the terms authoritarian and libertarian.

You can be a left-wing authoritarian (not very many around), a right-wing libertarian, or the more common categories of left-wing libertarian and right-wing authoritarian.
For your axes, then, I would be a right wing libertarian. However, I'm a lot closer to a left wing libertarian than I am to a right wing authoritarian.

Maybe there's a reason the best educated tend to be liberals? :p

I don't see that it really matters what polictical orientation your lecturer is. You are at University to learn. If you feel your lecturer is incorrect, then learn about the opposing view, don't wait to be told to learn about it!
Pretty much.

I hit on this yesterday complaining about something else (and I totally got away with it, no degeneration into 'stoopid left commie' nonsense or anything. The secret is longwindedness.)

In primary and high school education they now have a standard that favors standardized testing which encourages, actually demands, that the material be taught to the tests. This is fine when you are training parrots, but does not teach the students to deal critically with information. So what they learn about learning is to repeat whatever is told them often enough when prompted.

So since students are not accustomed to critically assessing the information that they recieve when they recieve information that troubles or problemitzes something they already learned thier reaction isn't to criticially assess what they have been told but instead to flip out, short circuit. Fall back on what they are told. "Hey kid, the problem is them damn liberal teachers. You don't have to think critically, they have to give you more information you agree with already." The cry wolf of 'too liberal' worked like gangbusters on the media perception, it's a natch now that there is a 'mandate'....

So why would we want students that respond to rote? Who deals with public information in a rote manner, going on as many channels as possible repeating the same thing over and over again? Who would benefit from a population that responds like a chorus instead of one that thinks critically about what is said? Hmmmmm......why it's the very same administration that advocated rote learing!!! Shock, dismay!

Note I said administration and not party or afiliation. You can be a conservative and a republican and see the flaw, and more importantly that it could be abused in the other direction. You could...

I've never heard of such a thing. In any case, I don't think that's what he meant.

EDIT: Actually, it appears that is what he meant. I've never heard this distinction, but I'll accept it as his intentions. I don't like being considered right wing, but I do agree (somewhat) with many policies of economic freedom.

Might be better just to refer to yourself as left wing. Most people consider 'liberal' to be synonymous with 'left wing'.

Note I said administration and not party or afiliation. You can be a conservative and a republican and see the flaw, and more importantly that it could be abused in the other direction. You could...
I'm British, if that helps...

Might be better just to refer to yourself as left wing. Most people consider 'liberal' to be synonymous with 'left wing'.
That's not what I am, though. My views most closely align with those of the Libertarian party. However, I can see a small need for regulating business (or at least not giving handouts).

I'm British, if that helps...
I was agreeing with you. The only part of my post directed at you was "Pretty much." The rest was general audience. Sorry, I should have been clearer.

Liberals and conservatives should not be teachers. Only moderate, unbiased, apolitical people should.

Liberals and conservatives should not be teachers. Only moderate, unbiased, apolitical people should.
How can you be moderate and not political?
Perhaps you can strive to not bring politics into your class (unless its a politics class), but its extremely difficult. It is the students position to learn not, as has been noted by Cannot Think of a Name, repeat by rote.

I was agreeing with you. The only part of my post directed at you was "Pretty much." The rest was general audience. Sorry, I should have been clearer.
I know. I just felt like answering, I've got a nasty habit of doing that even when an answer isn't needed!

As I understand it, the purpose of a public university is to be a place where young people can come and learn about nearly anything they want from people with diverse perspectives on life and issues. This means universities should have racial and ethnic diversity. Unfortunately most diversity proponents stop at that superficial level and do not go any deeper. It has created a university systems that is racially diverse, but idealogically homogenous.

As a junior in college I have a class nearly every quarter with a professor who uses his class as a platform to spout liberal propoganda on everything from politics to science to philosophy, yet in nearly three years of college, I have never heard a singe conservative voice. This is interesting considering 51% of voters voted for the Bush. Currently college students are being bombarded with one-sided information. If the purpose of college is to teach students how to think about things after gathering all of the information and come to their own conclusions then universities are failing. Until we get true diversity the brainwashing will continue under the guise of education.
you have the purpose of schools completely skewed

the purpose of grade schools and highschools (if you dont include them together) is to prepare students to take sats and random other stupid tests like it, college is for pompous windbags who get paid alot of money to stand around and listen to themselves talk, you might learn something, but that doesnt matter, its not what they are paid to do



and no one gives a fuck, go to a conservative board and whine your ass off about not getting to listen to your own idealogy all day and having to listen to evil liberal opinions

you have the purpose of schools completely skewed

the purpose of grade schools and highschools (if you dont include them together) is to prepare students to take sats and random other stupid tests like it, college is for pompous windbags who get paid alot of money to stand around and listen to themselves talk, you might learn something, but that doesnt matter, its not what they are paid to do



and no one gives a fuck, go to a conservative board and whine your ass off about not getting to listen to your own idealogy all day and having to listen to evil liberal opinions
Incorrect high school is to teach you how to learn … or that is what it did for me. I feel sorry for you if that is not what you took out of it.

For me high school has been how to learn and collage to learn how to think. (that and gain trade specific knowledge)

And just because those “Windbags” know how to compose an argument/sentence (which seems to escape you) is not necessarily a bad thing. Helps out the reasoning process so you can get real work done.

hmm and why is upward thrust ignored, oh yes, cheapshots at grammar because he has no intelligent retort

hmm and why is upward thrust ignored, oh yes, cheapshots at grammar because he has no intelligent retort
Not traditionally a grammar Nazi … but when it starts effecting understanding of ones position it is hard not to be a little critical.

you have the purpose of schools completely skewed

the purpose of grade schools and highschools (if you dont include them together) is to prepare students to take sats and random other stupid tests like it, college is for pompous windbags who get paid alot of money to stand around and listen to themselves talk, you might learn something, but that doesnt matter, its not what they are paid to do


Well, if you don't like the excessively exam based system, why don't you campaign to have more coursework in schools? Coursework tends to be a better gauge of your real world skills as you've actually got to complete a project utilising the knowledge from a course, rather than just answering questions on it.

As I understand it, the purpose of a public university is to be a place where young people can come and learn about nearly anything they want from people with diverse perspectives on life and issues. This means universities should have racial and ethnic diversity. Unfortunately most diversity proponents stop at that superficial level and do not go any deeper. It has created a university systems that is racially diverse, but idealogically homogenous.

As a junior in college I have a class nearly every quarter with a professor who uses his class as a platform to spout liberal propoganda on everything from politics to science to philosophy, yet in nearly three years of college, I have never heard a singe conservative voice. This is interesting considering 51% of voters voted for the Bush. Currently college students are being bombarded with one-sided information. If the purpose of college is to teach students how to think about things after gathering all of the information and come to their own conclusions then universities are failing. Until we get true diversity the brainwashing will continue under the guise of education.

Funny, every prof who ever talked politics in my undergrad classes were conservative. One even used to joke that she would fail any Democrats. Go figure.

so what do you suggest? We get a college professor of every opinion? I dont think we have that many professors. But thats because of TEH EVIL LIBERAL CONSPIRACY!

Yes, obviously what is needed in American universities is affirmative action for Republicans. :lol:

I believe that the Republican response to this situation is supposed to be "if you believe there's a demand for a right wing college, then you should supply one."

I believe that the Republican response to this situation is supposed to be "if you believe there's a demand for a right wing college, then you should supply one."
Yes, let the market do it.

It's not socialists' fault that intellectuals have an unexplained tendency to become socialist. I just think it's evidence in favor of socialism.

Liberals and conservatives should not be teachers. Only moderate, unbiased, apolitical people should.

No such thing. Everybody is biased somewhere. It's just that some people admit it.

Incorrect high school is to teach you how to learn … or that is what it did for me. I feel sorry for you if that is not what you took out of it.

For me high school has been how to learn and collage to learn how to think. (that and gain trade specific knowledge)

And just because those “Windbags” know how to compose an argument/sentence (which seems to escape you) is not necessarily a bad thing. Helps out the reasoning process so you can get real work done.

I learned how to learn in grade school, how to think by reading books, and I learned about cliques, popularity, and putting up with pointless BS in high school. College is for individual subject learning.

No such thing. Everybody is biased somewhere. It's just that some people admit it.

Everybody is biased but nobody has to use that bias in their teaching. The vast majority of my professors were very opinionated people (one way or another) but didn't use that bias in class. In fact, one of my favorite professors (in theology, of all subjects) absolutely refused to give us his personal viewpoint (unless it was outside of class and outside the subjects we were covering). His reason was that he wanted us to form our own opinions, and to be able to adequately back them up - not just parrot what he believed.

I learned how to learn in grade school, how to think by reading books, and I learned about cliques, popularity, and putting up with pointless BS in high school. College is for individual subject learning.

Nobody actually learns how to learn in grade school, at least not how to learn independently. In grade school, you generally learn how to *memorize*, which is the absolute basest form of learning.

The purpose of college is to teach you the skills you will need for your profession and to teach you to be a lifelong, independent learner. The goal is that you will continue to learn even after you leave school, as pretty much any job which requires higher learning requires lifelong learning.

Maybe there's a reason the best educated tend to be liberals? :p

I thought that the best educated went out an got jobs instead of just teaching to the next group of people and making their disciplines self-sustaning. As the old saying goes, "Talent goes where the money is."

Nobody actually learns how to learn in grade school, at least not how to learn independently. In grade school, you generally learn how to *memorize*, which is the absolute basest form of learning.

The purpose of college is to teach you the skills you will need for your profession and to teach you to be a lifelong, independent learner. The goal is that you will continue to learn even after you leave school, as pretty much any job which requires higher learning requires lifelong learning.

I was homeschooled for most of grade school, which mostly meant, "Here's the book. Call me if you get stuck." So I actually did learn to learn independently back then.

Oh, it's scary. I feel like a mad scientist who stands over his creation and shouts "What have I done!?!?".

I have unleashed upon the world a Frankenstein monster of politics. :D

Yeah, actually, i've noticed that. Well if you were a "true" right winger, I don't have any problems with you anyway :)

LOL! Well, that pleases me for some obscure reason. :D

Wow, you created an authoritarian. Very bad mistake Kan.


So you've created a new Stalin? Thank you very much. See you in the gulag.

I'd be inclined to agree with both of you but he's very anti-military and anti-war. He's also pro-gay marriage. Definitely not Stalinist. So frankenpolitika it is. :p


Not my school, we refuse to let military recruiters on campus for JAG and thats the ways we likes it. (Our school loses like $100,000 a year in federal funding for doing so.)

That's never a problem over here. We never get that in any school.

I shudder to think where i'd end up in economics... some where involving math i have no intention of understanding, no doupt.

Yeah. I was going to transfer to economics, but they wanted me to go do an adult-learning maths course to be eligible. And screw that...

nah... my schools wicked small, when your in a class of 15-20, they tend to look down on your not being there.

Well...my university is pretty big, but we still have classes that are mostly less than 20 people.