<p>Warning:</p>
<p>FLAME ON</p>
<p>If you substitute “life of mind hardcore acolytes” and “careerists” with whatever ethnic, racial, religious group members, would you EVER say:</p>
<p>***** we really want to admit mostly Jews (Christians, Muslims, Baptists, Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, whatever, choose your bigotry). Admitting individuals with different religious beliefs coming from different ethnic groups will dilute our core mission and value and turn us into just a Ivy look alike or wannabe*****</p>
<p>FLAME OFF</p>
<p>I just can’t believe that we are using the word “careerist” as if it were some kind of a four letter dirty word. This thread is starting to sound like an idealogical war between the moral absolutists with purest values and bottom sucking cultural relativists like myself with no spine. Most of us on this thread probably reside in a somewhat left of the center region politically (based on the sentiments expressed), and we all value “diversity” in thinking, race, religion, and general attitudes. Yet, here, when we are discussing the need for a student body with diverse values, goals, and aspirations, we are starting to sound like an academic version of Taliban. </p>
<p>I strongly believe that great universities thrive by accommodating the needs of the future hardcore academicians, aspiring captains of the industry, and yes, even soul crushing future politicians a la Darth Vadar. That diversity, in my mind, is what makes the community intellectually challenging and dynamic, and encourages each and every student to reexamine their cherished beliefs and value systems and learn from each other.</p>
<p>Besides, do universities live on ether and cosmic energy created through some kind of mythic mental processes of the great minds alone? Or, do they also need a group of really successful donors who can fund need based scholarships for a lot of brilliant young minds who will go on and pursue the life of mind without having to worry about paying for the tuition with the money they don’t have? Come to think of it, didn’t Rockerfeller give something like $750M (current value) to create U Chicago? Is he not an ultimate careerist and capitalist?</p>
<p>I also very much like the “life of mind” focus and intellectual rigor aspect of U Chicago. That’s why I happily let my son turn down a full ride scholarship worth well over $50K. Instead, he is going to Chicago - full pay. My son wants to join the investment banking firm right after graduation. Yes, he is THE DREADED CAREERIST. In fact, that’s why I think Chicago education is even more important to him than a kid who wants to become a professor. Precisely because he is such a careerist, I want this “life of a mind” Chicago education to give him a proper balance between utilities and values - so that instead of turning into something like Madoff, he can be more like Buffet who is willing to leave most of his wealth to society, rather than his children. Wouldn’t you rather have your future President of USA educated in Chicago so that she can have a proper sense of her mission in the grand scheme of cultural evolution and human development? So that she understands the historical perspective enough that any Western power lording over the local population in the Middle East would ignite a fierce resistance? So that she understands that the loaded term like “crusade” will conjure up the demonic image of the West in the minds of the Muslims and jeopardize her mission? What makes you think that the only proper role of a mind is to pursue knowledge for the sake of knowledge?</p>
<p>On a more practical side with immediate relevancy, I do NOT see why some people here equate the attempt to broaden the appeal of Chicago to a wider body of students to the “cheapening and coarsening of basic Chicago moral fibers”. I strongly believe a lot more students who would have been a perfect fit for Chicago are currently not applying to Chicago due to a weaker presence it occupies in the minds of top notch students. The idea that you can limit your market exposure and thus create a willing group of customers who are interested in trying your product is plainly absurd. In my son’s amazing HS where 30-40 % of the kids wind up in Top 20 universities, only three even bothered to apply to Chicago, and I know these kids, they are my son’s friends. Many of the would have been a perfect fit for Chicago. Chicago needs to reach out to these kids by whatever means. In the end, it will create a much strong student body who will embrace the its values and graduate as promising members of the leaders who will go on and make a difference with the values they learned in Chicago.</p>