I acknowledge that there are some in my profession that do take advantage of having a forum. If you take a close look at every profession in this country, you will see that there are always groups of dissenter - those who fail to embrace the true morality of their profession. This is not a flaw that only academics sometimes fall prey to.Not everyone investment banker is Bernie Madoff.
This is true. My only point was that it does happen and that teachers have a higher responsibility based on their profession and that I think it can be very hard to even realize when you are crossing that line.
I understand your point and I agree with you. However, I disagree with the broad generalization of the profession. Not all college professors are left-wing radicals; not all Muslims are terrorists; not all southerners are Budweiser drinking Nascar fans; not all guys with tans and Italian last names are guidos....actually, on this last one I am wrong, they are all giudos.
Probably not going to get this book...ok, definitely not going to get this book.
Not a big fan of the personal attack on the author, but ti certainly rasies a good question about the people that are teaching at universities. I have a good friend that is a professor at a University and it amazes me every day that she can't see that she is spouting off her opinions and teaching them as fact to her students.
It takes a special kind of person to teach certain subjects without injecting your own personal beliefs. I hope this author is one of those special people.
God forbid anyone teaching at a university has an opinion on anything!
I suppose you'd prefer state-controlled drones teaching the nations youth?
Huh? Are you just making stuff up now to argue with me? It's been awhile since we've done this dance, but it seems familiar.
Where did I say professors could have opinions of their own?
I acknowledge that there are some in my profession that do take advantage of having a forum. If you take a close look at every profession in this country, you will see that there are always groups of dissenter - those who fail to embrace the true morality of their profession. This is not a flaw that only academics sometimes fall prey to.Not everyone investment banker is Bernie Madoff.
This is true. My only point was that it does happen and that teachers have a higher responsibility based on their profession and that I think it can be very hard to even realize when you are crossing that line.
I understand your point and I agree with you. However, I disagree with the broad generalization of the profession. Not all college professors are left-wing radicals; not all Muslims are terrorists; not all southerners are Budweiser drinking Nascar fans; not all guys with tans and Italian last names are guidos....actually, on this last one I am wrong, they are all giudos.
You get my point.
Yes, I get your point. I don't think I was implying any specific bias (left wing radical, right wing radical, etc). Maybe I did. I know my one specific example was a left wing radical and I have my own opinions and biases that may have crept out into my discussion. See, I don't know if I could be a good teacher.
if there is a left leaning slant that is creeping into american education, as so many on the right claim, maybe that should be telling us something.
that intellectuals, that people who actually spend the time to educate themselves to the point where they can educate others, if they are all coming to some sort of consensus, maybe, since it is their job to know these things, they know what they are talking about, that maybe these issues do have an answer, and it lies with the left.
I teach English and Writing at a university. I know the stereotype: lefty, idealist academics who preach their statist/socialist views form their soapbox, quoting Chomsky and Foucault, while collecting a paycheck from the state. We all live in a vacuum, or we all look down on the world as we are comfortably perched in our ivory towers. We have no connection to the "real world," only an idealized fantasy that we project onto young, impressionable minds.
This is bull shit. I have never, nor have any of my colleagues to my knowledge, pushed an ideology onto a group of students. As other posters have stated, it is our duty to engage students in an intelligent, engaging discourse. We preach critical thinking in a world where, as someone else has said, critical thinking has "gone way of the Dodo." In the age of celebrity worship, zombie-like trances in front of the boob tube, talking heads spouting unintelligible nonsense (and passing it off as news), and the socially regressive nature of social networking sites, critical thinking is needed now more than ever. The art of communication is on its deathbed: no civility, only polemics. It is heartbreaking to see students who cannot put together a 3 page essay; it is heartbreaking to see students who cannot analyze the written word. Someone along the way has failed them: teachers, parents, society - pick one.
I acknowledge that there are some in my profession that do take advantage of having a forum. If you take a close look at every profession in this country, you will see that there are always groups of dissenter - those who fail to embrace the true morality of their profession. This is not a flaw that only academics sometimes fall prey to.Not everyone investment banker is Bernie Madoff.
As far as the accusation of academics being out of touch, I will say this: the men and women that I am around, those that I converse with on a regular basis, devote their time to the study and research of society, culture, psychology, philosophy, human rights, politics/political theory, sociology, anthropology, among other disciplines. In other words, they are fully engaged in the real world. We do not just sit around dissecting Act III, Scene II from Hamlet. We are invested in the well-being of the individual and of the collective, and we spend our lives doing the best we can with one goal in mind: the enrichment of the mind.
And, for those that accuse us of living in a fantasy world, first, read the previous paragraph again, and then answer me a few questions: if we do not live in the real world, then who does? Is it the people who are more concerned with celebrities dancing on TV or TV karaoke "talent" shows. Is it those who spend their lives on the couch? Is it those whose main concern is rushing, while trampling their fellow man, into the mall for a Black Friday sale. is it those who have no concept of what it means to be part of a society? Is it those whose extent of reading is People or US Weekly?
Who is more involved?
A final word: congratulations to the OP MK106165. I will surely be picking up your book, as it looks like an interesting read. I am fearful that American society is heading in the direction of the cyborg; though, we may be there already.
Also, to Unsung, concerning your statement: "On topic: I used to have concern about liberal professors spouting their beliefs on impressionable young minds. Then I realized that once these youngsters grew into adults and had to get jobs and pay bills/taxes most see the light of day and reality kicks in." This is incredibly inaccurate, and it exhibits the rhetoric of hate and misinformation directed at the Left. I have many friends and family member that consider themselves Liberal, or who say they lean Left, that are incredibly hard-working and successful. This is in the fields of finance, banking, real estate, computer science, and engineering to name a few. My most liberal friends work on Wall St. and make $500 K a year. They donate their time and money to charities, and they realize that they are a part of a society, and they do what they can to give back. Once again, an empty generalization falls flat.
very well stated.
The right wing doesn't believe in critical thought. It makes their brain hurt and challenges all their backwards beliefs they have always held as true.
if there is a left leaning slant that is creeping into american education, as so many on the right claim, maybe that should be telling us something.
that intellectuals, that people who actually spend the time to educate themselves to the point where they can educate others, if they are all coming to some sort of consensus, maybe, since it is their job to know these things, they know what they are talking about, that maybe these issues do have an answer, and it lies with the left.
I teach English and Writing at a university. I know the stereotype: lefty, idealist academics who preach their statist/socialist views from their soapbox, quoting Chomsky and Foucault, while collecting a paycheck from the state. We all live in a vacuum, or we all look down on the world as we are comfortably perched in our ivory towers. We have no connection to the "real world," only an idealized fantasy that we project onto young, impressionable minds.
This is bull shit. I have never, nor have any of my colleagues to my knowledge, pushed an ideology onto a group of students. As other posters have stated, it is our duty to engage students in an intelligent, engaging discourse. We preach critical thinking in a world where, as someone else has said, critical thinking has "gone the way of the Dodo." In the age of celebrity worship, zombie-like trances in front of the boob tube, talking heads spouting unintelligible nonsense (and passing it off as news), and the socially regressive nature of social networking sites, critical thinking is needed now more than ever. The art of communication is on its deathbed: no civility, only polemics. It is heartbreaking to see students who cannot put together a 3 page essay; it is heartbreaking to see students who cannot analyze the written word. Someone along the way has failed them: teachers, parents, society - pick one.
I acknowledge that there are some in my profession that do take advantage of having a forum. If you take a close look at every profession in this country, you will see that there are always groups of dissenter - those who fail to embrace the true morality of their profession. This is not a flaw that only academics sometimes fall prey to. Not every investment banker is Bernie Madoff.
As far as the accusation of academics being out of touch, I will say this: the men and women that I am around, those that I converse with on a regular basis, devote their time to the study and research of society, culture, psychology, philosophy, human rights, politics/political theory, sociology, anthropology, among other disciplines. In other words, they are fully engaged in the real world. We do not just sit around dissecting Act III, Scene II from Hamlet. We are invested in the well-being of the individual and of the collective, and we spend our lives doing the best we can with one goal in mind: the enrichment of the mind.
And, for those that accuse us of living in a fantasy world, first, read the previous paragraph again, and then answer me a few questions: if we do not live in the real world, then who does? Is it the people who are more concerned with celebrities dancing on TV or TV karaoke "talent" shows. Is it those who spend their lives on the couch? Is it those whose main concern is rushing, while trampling their fellow man, into the mall for a Black Friday sale. is it those who have no concept of what it means to be part of a society? Is it those whose extent of reading is People or US Weekly?
Who is more involved?
A final word: congratulations to the OP MK106165. I will surely be picking up your book, as it looks like an interesting read. I am fearful that American society is heading in the direction of the cyborg; though, we may be there already.
Also, to Unsung, concerning your statement: "On topic: I used to have concern about liberal professors spouting their beliefs on impressionable young minds. Then I realized that once these youngsters grew into adults and had to get jobs and pay bills/taxes most see the light of day and reality kicks in." This is incredibly inaccurate, and it exhibits the rhetoric of hate and misinformation directed at the Left. I have many friends and family member that consider themselves Liberal, or who say they lean Left, that are incredibly hard-working and successful. This is in the fields of finance, banking, real estate, computer science, and engineering to name a few. My most liberal friends work on Wall St. and make $500 K a year. They donate their time and money to charities, and they realize that they are a part of a society, and they do what they can to give back. Once again, an empty generalization falls flat.
This is an excellent post. I wish I had time to reply with more substance, but I am sitting in a public library in Webster, NY (because Mom has no computer...and yes, me...no lap top)...but thanks for your comment and I look forward to any feedback you have on the book after you read it. Thanks and again. Back to the cyber spotty world of relatives with no computers!
if there is a left leaning slant that is creeping into american education, as so many on the right claim, maybe that should be telling us something.
that intellectuals, that people who actually spend the time to educate themselves to the point where they can educate others, if they are all coming to some sort of consensus, maybe, since it is their job to know these things, they know what they are talking about, that maybe these issues do have an answer, and it lies with the left.
This is pretty well said also. Though, I have a suspicion replies of a differing point of view will not respond to the core of your point. I think we all have something to offer, including the right...just not THE POLITICAL right. I have no idea where these "patriots" are when party seems to matter more than justice, facts our ENTIRE country. This whole nonsense about blocking the 9/11 responders bill is the height of hypocrisy since the POLITICAL right seems to love to wrap themselves in those people's heroism and suffering. There really is NO Republican Party at all anymore. It's mainly just a corporate CYA greed factory...searching only for money and power. I could go on and on...but I need to roll out of this library!
Comments
I understand your point and I agree with you. However, I disagree with the broad generalization of the profession. Not all college professors are left-wing radicals; not all Muslims are terrorists; not all southerners are Budweiser drinking Nascar fans; not all guys with tans and Italian last names are guidos....actually, on this last one I am wrong, they are all giudos.
You get my point.
O.k, maybe my comment was a stretch.
Yes, I get your point. I don't think I was implying any specific bias (left wing radical, right wing radical, etc). Maybe I did. I know my one specific example was a left wing radical and I have my own opinions and biases that may have crept out into my discussion.
that intellectuals, that people who actually spend the time to educate themselves to the point where they can educate others, if they are all coming to some sort of consensus, maybe, since it is their job to know these things, they know what they are talking about, that maybe these issues do have an answer, and it lies with the left.
The right wing doesn't believe in critical thought. It makes their brain hurt and challenges all their backwards beliefs they have always held as true.
This is an excellent post. I wish I had time to reply with more substance, but I am sitting in a public library in Webster, NY (because Mom has no computer...and yes, me...no lap top)...but thanks for your comment and I look forward to any feedback you have on the book after you read it. Thanks and again. Back to the cyber spotty world of relatives with no computers!
This is pretty well said also. Though, I have a suspicion replies of a differing point of view will not respond to the core of your point. I think we all have something to offer, including the right...just not THE POLITICAL right. I have no idea where these "patriots" are when party seems to matter more than justice, facts our ENTIRE country. This whole nonsense about blocking the 9/11 responders bill is the height of hypocrisy since the POLITICAL right seems to love to wrap themselves in those people's heroism and suffering. There really is NO Republican Party at all anymore. It's mainly just a corporate CYA greed factory...searching only for money and power. I could go on and on...but I need to roll out of this library!