Today’s student protesters start with valuable observations, writes John H. McWhorter, but then they drift into a mistaken idea of what a university—and even a society—should be.
“,something is off about today’s student protests. The protesters may start with valuable observations, but then they drift into a mistaken idea of what a university—and even a society—should be.”
“But where the protesters’ proposition is “If I am offended, I am correct,” the proper response is, quite simply, “No.” This and only this constitutes true respect for these students’ dignity. It isn’t an easy answer. The naysayer will be called a racist (or self-hating) on social media and on campus for months. However, adults who know that their resistance to mob ideology is based on logic and compassion will survive emotionally. Of course, such people fear for their jobs. But a true university culture will resist sacrificing professors or administrators who are advocates of reason on the altar of convenient pieties.”
Hmm the article comes from the wall street journal. That is the bastion of independent thinking. The author writes for or has written for the cato institute, new republic , the new york daily news and the new york sun. I wouldnt exactly call the writer an independent thinker
McWhorter has long been excoriated among the Black public intellectual, artistic and activist camps for his decidedly oppositional philosophy and stance to the views other Blacks have expressed regarding their interaction, engagement and reception by the mainstream.
Some of his essays (this is years and years ago) were enlightening and just different in perspective enough to make him both interesting and palatable. Some not so much.
So the black professor from Columbia is no longer “an independent thinker” just because the WSJ publishes his opinions. Really? Who has a closed mind here?
@tiger, all “journalism” is biased. Period, end of story. Are you going to tell me the NY Times or Huffington post is not biased? It is up to the READER to critically think and determine if what one is reading is composed of factual statements or simply opinions. I do not know ONE person, much less one writer, who are not biased in their views. Human nature. Which is why it is a good idea to read and listen to ideas outside of your comfort zone.
@kollegeguy: While McWhorter is a columnist, and so by definition will write and publish opinion pieces, the standards within journalism are such that they seek to be governed by a higher call to objectivity. Surely all men fail at this sometimes, and some men fail at this all the time, but just as other groups have their credos and oaths to a mission outside of and beyond their individual members’ personal philosophy, so, too, card-carrying journalists.
McWhorter and others give good read on the whole when you want a “conversation” but only their mugs are staring at you across the page. So, yes, critical reading and assessment are always the order of the day for the reader, but surely a publishing company or think-tank can be indicted at times for any particular, dogmatic lean.
Huh? I’m confused. Since when does an opinion have to be objective? Since when is any professor ‘objective’. Isn’t pointing out a pov the idea of good debate? To make folks (or students, in the case of a professor) think?
Now, you might read the piece and argue with the statements/facts contained therein, but its just an opinion.
btw: reading both the NYT and WSJ is good for enhancing one’s critical thinking and reasoning skills. (Of course, that is just my un-objective opinion. )
@kollegeguy: I know that is the siren of all the liberal-professors-on-campus angst-filled arguments, and I won’t argue the point, as they are, yes, human. So in that way, we’ll let McWhorter have his say. I’m sure there are plenty of students who have a lively debate with him each semester, from across the philosphical aisle.
GMTplus7–yeah nobody refutes anything that is said --just the WSJ is bad or something. that attitude sums up the issue the writer is talking about. the irony. obviously the only people telling the truth or have a valid opinion work at the huffington post or something.
I am sure that communications and journalism Professor Crick at Mizzou is an independent thinker…she just doesn’t want the media to cover the protests.
@tiger1307 if you are really interested in understanding McWhorter’s views I have linked a video teleconference where he discusses them with Glenn Loury, another African American professor. I linked this last week in the Yale thread. They cover a lot of ground but at 15:35 they discuss many of the issues we have talked about on this forum relative to campus racial tension. Certainly they can bring a lot to the conversation given their ethnic backgrounds and their personal experiences on college campuses.
Loury was educated at MIT and Northwestern. He currently teaches at Brown. McWhorter did his undergrad at Rutgers and has a PhD out of Stanford.
I saw an interview with him he would have to be fired.(he would not resign) he did not look like the type to coddle the special snowflakes or give into their bizzaro stuff.
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