http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college-professor-afraid
I thought this was a pretty interesting article as the author talks about how good education used to be about challenging students' beliefs and making them think. Now, along the similar lines outrage culture takes, teachers are frightened from challenging students for fear they'll lose their jobs over what ultimately amounts to hurt feelings. This, in turn, causes educators to censor what otherwise would be really good discussions and plain old learning.
Thoughts?
It wasnt that way when I was going to school. Yeesh. Now Im kind of glad I didnt finish. Id hate to try to teach in an atmosphere like that.
I wish the copy and paste on this phone wasnt so wonky. That article brought up a lot of things I find silly about identity politics. Ah well.
I like that the author capitalized Grievous Harm. I haven't finished reading, but I'm pretty sure the rest is going to depress me.
I don't know what it's like from a professor's perspective, but I do know that most of my fellow students are fucktards and that I hate being a TA with a burning passion.
The classes I had where the profs had TAs were all freshman and sophomore level. Mostly freshman. Big, auditorium classes used explicitly to separate the fucktards from the serious students.
I always felt bad for them.
The TAs, I mean, not the fucktards. What was it Eddings called it, the academic version of slavery? Something like that.
Not as depressing as I anticipated. "Nothing to do now but sit on our hands...and wait for the inevitable conservative backlash," was pretty on the nose.
Feelings have no place in the pursuit of knowledge (except in psychology where they may sometimes be appropriate as the subject of detached observation)
Quote from: Dubya on June 04, 2015, 05:56:03 AM
The classes I had where the profs had TAs were all freshman and sophomore level. Mostly freshman. Big, auditorium classes used explicitly to separate the fucktards from the serious students.
I always felt bad for them.
The TAs, I mean, not the fucktards. What was it Eddings called it, the academic version of slavery? Something like that.
Yes, it basically is. And in some cases the professor can basically hold your GPA hostage in order to make you continue to TA term after term.
It can also be a really good career move... it goes on your resume or grad school application.
Science classes are the fucking best, because you either study your ass off and do shit right or you don't. There is no discussion. There is no appeal to emotion. What are you going to say, "electron behavior hurts my feelings"? No.
I TA in a psychology class and I would say that half the students are actually studenting. Like, actually trying, doing things like attending class, taking notes, reading the textbook, and doing homework assignments. The other half seem to be victims of No Child Left Behind, and seem to think that they will pass the class just because. And the saddest thing is, a lot of them WILL, and they will go on to graduate, and to complain that they can't get a job at the wage they DESERVE, and that they don't get the raises they DESERVE, and that it was bullshit that they got fired and it was only because the boss had a personal problem with them, and that college was bullshit anyway because they didn't really learn anything and you can't even get a good job with a college degree anymore.
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on June 04, 2015, 06:10:57 AM
Feelings have no place in the pursuit of knowledge (except in psychology where they may sometimes be appropriate as the subject of detached observation)
That's not exactly true, if it's true at all; there is plenty of room for feelings in academia. The very best academics and researchers are passionate about their work, and many of them come to it from a personal experience that motivates them, like the MS researcher whose college best friend had MS, or the AIDS vaccine developer whose adopted daughter was born with HIV. What there isn't room for is self-indulgent bullshit.
Quote from: NoLeDeMiel on June 04, 2015, 05:57:09 AM
Not as depressing as I anticipated. "Nothing to do now but sit on our hands...and wait for the inevitable conservative backlash," was pretty on the nose.
I don't even know if it will be a conservative backlash, as he seems to be mistaking special snowflake syndrome for a phenomenon exclusive to liberal brats. Professors who teach at expensive private colleges have been complaining about it for a lot longer.
Needs more triggers IMO.
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:25:23 AM
Science classes are the fucking best, because you either study your ass off and do shit right or you don't. There is no discussion. There is no appeal to emotion. What are you going to say, "electron behavior hurts my feelings"? No.
You underestimate my whiny entitled tumblr millenial powers.
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:31:44 AM
Quote from: NoLeDeMiel on June 04, 2015, 05:57:09 AM
Not as depressing as I anticipated. "Nothing to do now but sit on our hands...and wait for the inevitable conservative backlash," was pretty on the nose.
I don't even know if it will be a conservative backlash, as he seems to be mistaking special snowflake syndrome for a phenomenon exclusive to liberal brats. Professors who teach at expensive private colleges have been complaining about it for a lot longer.
I think that's definitely a big part of it, and the move towards steadily more privatised education has led to the impression that schools are service providers not educators, and that the student as customer is always right.
However, I remember reading this guy's blog post from when he first put it up, and those by Freddie de Boer as well. And I think their criticisms are a bit more subtle than that. From what I can see, based on their writing, there are seperate problems which come together in particular in schools. There is the liberal-rhetorical problem: most public liberals have incredibly weak rhetoric and verbal skills, and tend to rely on shutting down debate via the "I Win" button of accusations of sexism, homophobia, racism, "problematic", prejudicial etc. And then there is the neoliberalisation of schools problem. The two meet at a point because it's incredibly attractive for students to use discourse that originated in the academy, validates their complaints and allows little in way of dissent precisely because they are spoilt brats. But they're spoilt brats operating within this particular discourse, at this particular time, because said discourse is very popular outside of the staid and traditional social conservative or libertarian conservative circles, and because they've learnt it works.
I remember one of my favorite literature profs bitching when the powers that be made him remove The Sun Also Rises from the syllabus and substitute The Awakening.
His remark: "To those of you looking to teach, pay attention and ask ypurself - can I put up with this?"
My question: "How do you put up with it?"
His answer: "I remind myself that I retire in five more years."
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:30:05 AM
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on June 04, 2015, 06:10:57 AM
Feelings have no place in the pursuit of knowledge (except in psychology where they may sometimes be appropriate as the subject of detached observation)
That's not exactly true, if it's true at all; there is plenty of room for feelings in academia. The very best academics and researchers are passionate about their work, and many of them come to it from a personal experience that motivates them, like the MS researcher whose college best friend had MS, or the AIDS vaccine developer whose adopted daughter was born with HIV. What there isn't room for is self-indulgent bullshit.
This, then, is what really creeps me out--that self-indulgent bullshit and feelings are taken as the same thing. When did tumblr take over our classrooms?
Granted, I haven't been to college in a long time, so I can't /really/ say.
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:25:23 AM
<snip>
Science classes are the fucking best, because you either study your ass off and do shit right or you don't. There is no discussion. There is no appeal to emotion. What are you going to say, "electron behavior hurts my feelings"? No.
</snip>
This part literally made me laugh out loud.
Quote from: Cain on June 04, 2015, 05:01:16 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:31:44 AM
Quote from: NoLeDeMiel on June 04, 2015, 05:57:09 AM
Not as depressing as I anticipated. "Nothing to do now but sit on our hands...and wait for the inevitable conservative backlash," was pretty on the nose.
I don't even know if it will be a conservative backlash, as he seems to be mistaking special snowflake syndrome for a phenomenon exclusive to liberal brats. Professors who teach at expensive private colleges have been complaining about it for a lot longer.
I think that's definitely a big part of it, and the move towards steadily more privatised education has led to the impression that schools are service providers not educators, and that the student as customer is always right.
However, I remember reading this guy's blog post from when he first put it up, and those by Freddie de Boer as well. And I think their criticisms are a bit more subtle than that. From what I can see, based on their writing, there are seperate problems which come together in particular in schools. There is the liberal-rhetorical problem: most public liberals have incredibly weak rhetoric and verbal skills, and tend to rely on shutting down debate via the "I Win" button of accusations of sexism, homophobia, racism, "problematic", prejudicial etc. And then there is the neoliberalisation of schools problem. The two meet at a point because it's incredibly attractive for students to use discourse that originated in the academy, validates their complaints and allows little in way of dissent precisely because they are spoilt brats. But they're spoilt brats operating within this particular discourse, at this particular time, because said discourse is very popular outside of the staid and traditional social conservative or libertarian conservative circles, and because they've learnt it works.
I was wondering what you perspective was having seen it first hand. That's really frightening because it seems like they're just learning to be mouthpieces rather than ... well..thinking for themselves.
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 04:38:26 AM
I don't know what it's like from a professor's perspective, but I do know that most of my fellow students are fucktards and that I hate being a TA with a burning passion.
oh you're a TA? oh shit. i missed this part. Sorry to hear, Nigel.
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:30:05 AM
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on June 04, 2015, 06:10:57 AM
Feelings have no place in the pursuit of knowledge (except in psychology where they may sometimes be appropriate as the subject of detached observation)
That's not exactly true, if it's true at all; there is plenty of room for feelings in academia. The very best academics and researchers are passionate about their work, and many of them come to it from a personal experience that motivates them, like the MS researcher whose college best friend had MS, or the AIDS vaccine developer whose adopted daughter was born with HIV. What there isn't room for is self-indulgent bullshit.
"Feelings" are an intricate part of the pursuit of knowledge... without passion or a love for a given craft... why delve deeper into it or innovate?
Without feelings comes indifference, and with indifference comes nothing.
Okay, but lets please to distinguish between feelings (read: superfluous butthurt) and passion.
While emotions can give you drive, they cant be allowed to steer. Not when it comes to the actual process of education. College in particular used to be about broadening your horizons. Thats tje rationale behind all the extra classes you have to take not directly related to your major in order to get a degree. Its not necessarily a comfortable process and it shouldn't be
We need to nurture the special snowflakes IMO. For science and for the lawls!
Quote from: Cainad (dec.) on June 04, 2015, 04:53:14 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:25:23 AM
Science classes are the fucking best, because you either study your ass off and do shit right or you don't. There is no discussion. There is no appeal to emotion. What are you going to say, "electron behavior hurts my feelings"? No.
You underestimate my whiny entitled tumblr millenial powers.
:lulz:
Quote from: Cain on June 04, 2015, 05:01:16 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:31:44 AM
Quote from: NoLeDeMiel on June 04, 2015, 05:57:09 AM
Not as depressing as I anticipated. "Nothing to do now but sit on our hands...and wait for the inevitable conservative backlash," was pretty on the nose.
I don't even know if it will be a conservative backlash, as he seems to be mistaking special snowflake syndrome for a phenomenon exclusive to liberal brats. Professors who teach at expensive private colleges have been complaining about it for a lot longer.
I think that's definitely a big part of it, and the move towards steadily more privatised education has led to the impression that schools are service providers not educators, and that the student as customer is always right.
However, I remember reading this guy's blog post from when he first put it up, and those by Freddie de Boer as well. And I think their criticisms are a bit more subtle than that. From what I can see, based on their writing, there are seperate problems which come together in particular in schools. There is the liberal-rhetorical problem: most public liberals have incredibly weak rhetoric and verbal skills, and tend to rely on shutting down debate via the "I Win" button of accusations of sexism, homophobia, racism, "problematic", prejudicial etc. And then there is the neoliberalisation of schools problem. The two meet at a point because it's incredibly attractive for students to use discourse that originated in the academy, validates their complaints and allows little in way of dissent precisely because they are spoilt brats. But they're spoilt brats operating within this particular discourse, at this particular time, because said discourse is very popular outside of the staid and traditional social conservative or libertarian conservative circles, and because they've learnt it works.
A guy in my class had a temper tantrum today because he doesn't like that 70 years ago, psychology researchers did really shitty things to cats.
Not kidding.
Quote from: Bu☆ns on June 05, 2015, 03:18:54 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:25:23 AM
<snip>
Science classes are the fucking best, because you either study your ass off and do shit right or you don't. There is no discussion. There is no appeal to emotion. What are you going to say, "electron behavior hurts my feelings"? No.
</snip>
This part literally made me laugh out loud.
:thanks:
Quote from: Bu☆ns on June 05, 2015, 03:25:58 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 04:38:26 AM
I don't know what it's like from a professor's perspective, but I do know that most of my fellow students are fucktards and that I hate being a TA with a burning passion.
oh you're a TA? oh shit. i missed this part. Sorry to hear, Nigel.
Thank you. I can only hope that I'll be OK again, someday.
:thousand-yard stare:
Quote from: Dubya on June 05, 2015, 05:17:39 AM
Okay, but lets please to distinguish between feelings (read: superfluous butthurt) and passion.
Actually, I think it's up to you to appropriately distinguish between superfluous butthurt and feelings, and apply language accordingly.
Not all feelings are passion, and not all feelings are butthurt, and that's why we have so many different words to describe things like emotions.
QuoteWhile emotions can give you drive, they cant be allowed to steer. Not when it comes to the actual process of education. College in particular used to be about broadening your horizons. Thats tje rationale behind all the extra classes you have to take not directly related to your major in order to get a degree. Its not necessarily a comfortable process and it shouldn't be
I agree with this completely. Learning is rarely comfortable, and learning outside of your original perspective can be downright painful.
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 05, 2015, 06:46:59 AM
Quote from: Bu☆ns on June 05, 2015, 03:25:58 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 04:38:26 AM
I don't know what it's like from a professor's perspective, but I do know that most of my fellow students are fucktards and that I hate being a TA with a burning passion.
oh you're a TA? oh shit. i missed this part. Sorry to hear, Nigel.
Thank you. I can only hope that I'll be OK again, someday.
:thousand-yard stare:
something something trigger warnings something red pens something something grading
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 05, 2015, 06:44:48 AM
Quote from: Cain on June 04, 2015, 05:01:16 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:31:44 AM
Quote from: NoLeDeMiel on June 04, 2015, 05:57:09 AM
Not as depressing as I anticipated. "Nothing to do now but sit on our hands...and wait for the inevitable conservative backlash," was pretty on the nose.
I don't even know if it will be a conservative backlash, as he seems to be mistaking special snowflake syndrome for a phenomenon exclusive to liberal brats. Professors who teach at expensive private colleges have been complaining about it for a lot longer.
I think that's definitely a big part of it, and the move towards steadily more privatised education has led to the impression that schools are service providers not educators, and that the student as customer is always right.
However, I remember reading this guy's blog post from when he first put it up, and those by Freddie de Boer as well. And I think their criticisms are a bit more subtle than that. From what I can see, based on their writing, there are seperate problems which come together in particular in schools. There is the liberal-rhetorical problem: most public liberals have incredibly weak rhetoric and verbal skills, and tend to rely on shutting down debate via the "I Win" button of accusations of sexism, homophobia, racism, "problematic", prejudicial etc. And then there is the neoliberalisation of schools problem. The two meet at a point because it's incredibly attractive for students to use discourse that originated in the academy, validates their complaints and allows little in way of dissent precisely because they are spoilt brats. But they're spoilt brats operating within this particular discourse, at this particular time, because said discourse is very popular outside of the staid and traditional social conservative or libertarian conservative circles, and because they've learnt it works.
A guy in my class had a temper tantrum today because he doesn't like that 70 years ago, psychology researchers did really shitty things to cats.
Not kidding.
All of a sudden it was gone... FOREVER... my cat's penis. **sob**
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 05, 2015, 06:44:48 AM
Quote from: Cain on June 04, 2015, 05:01:16 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:31:44 AM
Quote from: NoLeDeMiel on June 04, 2015, 05:57:09 AM
Not as depressing as I anticipated. "Nothing to do now but sit on our hands...and wait for the inevitable conservative backlash," was pretty on the nose.
I don't even know if it will be a conservative backlash, as he seems to be mistaking special snowflake syndrome for a phenomenon exclusive to liberal brats. Professors who teach at expensive private colleges have been complaining about it for a lot longer.
I think that's definitely a big part of it, and the move towards steadily more privatised education has led to the impression that schools are service providers not educators, and that the student as customer is always right.
However, I remember reading this guy's blog post from when he first put it up, and those by Freddie de Boer as well. And I think their criticisms are a bit more subtle than that. From what I can see, based on their writing, there are seperate problems which come together in particular in schools. There is the liberal-rhetorical problem: most public liberals have incredibly weak rhetoric and verbal skills, and tend to rely on shutting down debate via the "I Win" button of accusations of sexism, homophobia, racism, "problematic", prejudicial etc. And then there is the neoliberalisation of schools problem. The two meet at a point because it's incredibly attractive for students to use discourse that originated in the academy, validates their complaints and allows little in way of dissent precisely because they are spoilt brats. But they're spoilt brats operating within this particular discourse, at this particular time, because said discourse is very popular outside of the staid and traditional social conservative or libertarian conservative circles, and because they've learnt it works.
A guy in my class had a temper tantrum today because he doesn't like that 70 years ago, psychology researchers did really shitty things to cats.
Not kidding.
That bolded part there at the end. Superfluous butthurt.
Now if the cat enthusiast takes that butthurt and focuses it, and it sustains him through years of education, research and assorted other trials and tribulations in order to make science be kinder to kitties, then it has become passion. Because its no longer superfluous.
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:30:05 AM
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on June 04, 2015, 06:10:57 AM
Feelings have no place in the pursuit of knowledge (except in psychology where they may sometimes be appropriate as the subject of detached observation)
That's not exactly true, if it's true at all; there is plenty of room for feelings in academia. The very best academics and researchers are passionate about their work, and many of them come to it from a personal experience that motivates them, like the MS researcher whose college best friend had MS, or the AIDS vaccine developer whose adopted daughter was born with HIV. What there isn't room for is self-indulgent bullshit.
I suppose it can be a motivation to go into the field and to keep getting up in the morning, but once you're in...
What I mean is that, for example, you don't want to get emotionally attached to a theory and keep insisting that it's right even if it's been disproven. You don't want to confuse hope with probability or faith with evidence. And you CERTAINLY don't want to consider other people's feelings; can you imagine if Galileo or Kinsey or Darwin had worried about offending people's sensibilities!?
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on June 05, 2015, 07:27:30 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:30:05 AM
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on June 04, 2015, 06:10:57 AM
Feelings have no place in the pursuit of knowledge (except in psychology where they may sometimes be appropriate as the subject of detached observation)
That's not exactly true, if it's true at all; there is plenty of room for feelings in academia. The very best academics and researchers are passionate about their work, and many of them come to it from a personal experience that motivates them, like the MS researcher whose college best friend had MS, or the AIDS vaccine developer whose adopted daughter was born with HIV. What there isn't room for is self-indulgent bullshit.
I suppose it can be a motivation to go into the field and to keep getting up in the morning, but once you're in...
What I mean is that, for example, you don't want to get emotionally attached to a theory and keep insisting that it's right even if it's been disproven. You don't want to confuse hope with probability or faith with evidence. And you CERTAINLY don't want to consider other people's feelings; can you imagine if Galileo or Kinsey or Darwin had worried about offending people's sensibilities!?
Sure. But if you are using language precisely, that's not the fault of the presence of emotion. It's the fault of letting emotionality override critical thinking.
It is depressing to think that I was in university five whole years ago. I guess things really could have changed a lot in that time.
I studied Politics and there was a lot of classroom debate. In the first year I took it fairly easy, but in the second and third year I enjoyed arguing from alternative perspectives just to get people to defend their viewpoint. It didn't always make me popular in the class, but there were usually four or so people along with me in each class who got the point of doing that and we had fun with it. The professors usually seemed supportive, too.
My favourite was arguing with someone about environmental politics. They were saying we should impose more tax and regulation in order to try and bring down climate change because if we didn't we'd reach a tipping point where the world would end some time in 2020. I argued that if that was the case, the time for tax and regulation was over because we are talking about the end of civilization and if you believe that, surely we should be engaging on a campaign of global guerilla warfare - or at least blanket bans on anything and everything we can even vaguely related to global warming to stop it. If the end of civilization itself isn't justification for more than fines and penalties, what is?! He didn't really... have an answer for that other than 'well I still need to use a car and violence is ... bad?'
I do remember the first time someone followed me after a class and asked if I really believed what I'd been arguing for. He seemed genuinely surprised when I said 'no', which was interesting because I'm fairly sure we shared classes where I'd argued for communism in one seminar and libertarian capitalism in another. Good times.
Quote from: The Johnny on June 05, 2015, 07:02:12 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 05, 2015, 06:44:48 AM
Quote from: Cain on June 04, 2015, 05:01:16 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:31:44 AM
Quote from: NoLeDeMiel on June 04, 2015, 05:57:09 AM
Not as depressing as I anticipated. "Nothing to do now but sit on our hands...and wait for the inevitable conservative backlash," was pretty on the nose.
I don't even know if it will be a conservative backlash, as he seems to be mistaking special snowflake syndrome for a phenomenon exclusive to liberal brats. Professors who teach at expensive private colleges have been complaining about it for a lot longer.
I think that's definitely a big part of it, and the move towards steadily more privatised education has led to the impression that schools are service providers not educators, and that the student as customer is always right.
However, I remember reading this guy's blog post from when he first put it up, and those by Freddie de Boer as well. And I think their criticisms are a bit more subtle than that. From what I can see, based on their writing, there are seperate problems which come together in particular in schools. There is the liberal-rhetorical problem: most public liberals have incredibly weak rhetoric and verbal skills, and tend to rely on shutting down debate via the "I Win" button of accusations of sexism, homophobia, racism, "problematic", prejudicial etc. And then there is the neoliberalisation of schools problem. The two meet at a point because it's incredibly attractive for students to use discourse that originated in the academy, validates their complaints and allows little in way of dissent precisely because they are spoilt brats. But they're spoilt brats operating within this particular discourse, at this particular time, because said discourse is very popular outside of the staid and traditional social conservative or libertarian conservative circles, and because they've learnt it works.
A guy in my class had a temper tantrum today because he doesn't like that 70 years ago, psychology researchers did really shitty things to cats.
Not kidding.
All of a sudden it was gone... FOREVER... my cat's penis. **sob**
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 05, 2015, 06:44:48 AM
Quote from: Cain on June 04, 2015, 05:01:16 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:31:44 AM
Quote from: NoLeDeMiel on June 04, 2015, 05:57:09 AM
Not as depressing as I anticipated. "Nothing to do now but sit on our hands...and wait for the inevitable conservative backlash," was pretty on the nose.
I don't even know if it will be a conservative backlash, as he seems to be mistaking special snowflake syndrome for a phenomenon exclusive to liberal brats. Professors who teach at expensive private colleges have been complaining about it for a lot longer.
I think that's definitely a big part of it, and the move towards steadily more privatised education has led to the impression that schools are service providers not educators, and that the student as customer is always right.
However, I remember reading this guy's blog post from when he first put it up, and those by Freddie de Boer as well. And I think their criticisms are a bit more subtle than that. From what I can see, based on their writing, there are seperate problems which come together in particular in schools. There is the liberal-rhetorical problem: most public liberals have incredibly weak rhetoric and verbal skills, and tend to rely on shutting down debate via the "I Win" button of accusations of sexism, homophobia, racism, "problematic", prejudicial etc. And then there is the neoliberalisation of schools problem. The two meet at a point because it's incredibly attractive for students to use discourse that originated in the academy, validates their complaints and allows little in way of dissent precisely because they are spoilt brats. But they're spoilt brats operating within this particular discourse, at this particular time, because said discourse is very popular outside of the staid and traditional social conservative or libertarian conservative circles, and because they've learnt it works.
A guy in my class had a temper tantrum today because he doesn't like that 70 years ago, psychology researchers did really shitty things to cats.
Not kidding.
It's almost like people in the past had different moral outlooks and ways of thinking about things.
There should be a pention to ban all mentions of history. This deeply problematic outlook has no place in the Bright New World of Tomorrow.
You know what they say, those who do not remember history never ever repeat it.
I also have a professor in one class who is profoundly unqualified to teach the subject... in fact, I'm more qualified than he is, and yet he's in charge of grading the papers. It's kind of obscene.
Yesterday, h asked about neuroscience book recommendations, and I mentioned a few authors, and concluded by saying "...and of course, Ramachandran is always a good read" to which he responded "If you can stand his arrogance". I said "I have trouble with his arrogance and I'm not a fan of his sense of humor, nor do I always agree with his conclusions, but he has really interesting case studies". The professor kind of scoffed and said "but you recommend him?" as if that was some kind of contradiction. I said "I don't always like what I recommend, and I don't always recommend what I like. If there's good information that has contributed significantly to informing the field, it's worth reading, and a good chance to exercise some critical thinking".
He clearly didn't get it, which is not surprising. He's into complete bullshit that reinforces his views, whether there's good science behind it or not. Currently, he's singing the praises of Rupert Sheldrake, which should tell you everything you need to know about his views on science.
Rupert fucking Sheldrake.
:ffs:
Had to google, because Rupert Sheldrake sounds like a Harry Potter character.
"Morphic Resonance"? Homeopathic termites? WHAT?
Nigel, your prof is an airhead.
I know, it's absolutely just awful. When I think about how much my handlers paid for this class, I feel nauseous. I could have taken something interesting, instead, this complete babyshambles.
Quote from: The Johnny on June 05, 2015, 07:02:12 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 05, 2015, 06:44:48 AM
Quote from: Cain on June 04, 2015, 05:01:16 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 04, 2015, 06:31:44 AM
Quote from: NoLeDeMiel on June 04, 2015, 05:57:09 AM
Not as depressing as I anticipated. "Nothing to do now but sit on our hands...and wait for the inevitable conservative backlash," was pretty on the nose.
I don't even know if it will be a conservative backlash, as he seems to be mistaking special snowflake syndrome for a phenomenon exclusive to liberal brats. Professors who teach at expensive private colleges have been complaining about it for a lot longer.
I think that's definitely a big part of it, and the move towards steadily more privatised education has led to the impression that schools are service providers not educators, and that the student as customer is always right.
However, I remember reading this guy's blog post from when he first put it up, and those by Freddie de Boer as well. And I think their criticisms are a bit more subtle than that. From what I can see, based on their writing, there are seperate problems which come together in particular in schools. There is the liberal-rhetorical problem: most public liberals have incredibly weak rhetoric and verbal skills, and tend to rely on shutting down debate via the "I Win" button of accusations of sexism, homophobia, racism, "problematic", prejudicial etc. And then there is the neoliberalisation of schools problem. The two meet at a point because it's incredibly attractive for students to use discourse that originated in the academy, validates their complaints and allows little in way of dissent precisely because they are spoilt brats. But they're spoilt brats operating within this particular discourse, at this particular time, because said discourse is very popular outside of the staid and traditional social conservative or libertarian conservative circles, and because they've learnt it works.
A guy in my class had a temper tantrum today because he doesn't like that 70 years ago, psychology researchers did really shitty things to cats.
Not kidding.
All of a sudden it was gone... FOREVER... my cat's penis. **sob**
:mittens:
Quote from: Demolition Squid on June 05, 2015, 11:40:42 AM
It is depressing to think that I was in university five whole years ago. I guess things really could have changed a lot in that time.
I studied Politics and there was a lot of classroom debate. In the first year I took it fairly easy, but in the second and third year I enjoyed arguing from alternative perspectives just to get people to defend their viewpoint. It didn't always make me popular in the class, but there were usually four or so people along with me in each class who got the point of doing that and we had fun with it. The professors usually seemed supportive, too.
My favourite was arguing with someone about environmental politics. They were saying we should impose more tax and regulation in order to try and bring down climate change because if we didn't we'd reach a tipping point where the world would end some time in 2020. I argued that if that was the case, the time for tax and regulation was over because we are talking about the end of civilization and if you believe that, surely we should be engaging on a campaign of global guerilla warfare - or at least blanket bans on anything and everything we can even vaguely related to global warming to stop it. If the end of civilization itself isn't justification for more than fines and penalties, what is?! He didn't really... have an answer for that other than 'well I still need to use a car and violence is ... bad?'
I do remember the first time someone followed me after a class and asked if I really believed what I'd been arguing for. He seemed genuinely surprised when I said 'no', which was interesting because I'm fairly sure we shared classes where I'd argued for communism in one seminar and libertarian capitalism in another. Good times.
That's what really stuck out for me too...i mean, not 10 years ago i was in college dealing with adult subjects like adults. wtf happened?
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 05, 2015, 02:35:34 PM
I also have a professor in one class who is profoundly unqualified to teach the subject... in fact, I'm more qualified than he is, and yet he's in charge of grading the papers. It's kind of obscene.
Yesterday, h asked about neuroscience book recommendations, and I mentioned a few authors, and concluded by saying "...and of course, Ramachandran is always a good read" to which he responded "If you can stand his arrogance". I said "I have trouble with his arrogance and I'm not a fan of his sense of humor, nor do I always agree with his conclusions, but he has really interesting case studies". The professor kind of scoffed and said "but you recommend him?" as if that was some kind of contradiction. I said "I don't always like what I recommend, and I don't always recommend what I like. If there's good information that has contributed significantly to informing the field, it's worth reading, and a good chance to exercise some critical thinking".
He clearly didn't get it, which is not surprising. He's into complete bullshit that reinforces his views, whether there's good science behind it or not. Currently, he's singing the praises of Rupert Sheldrake, which should tell you everything you need to know about his views on science.
It kills me that you had to explain it to him. Sheldrake, the morphogentic field guy? Man...your prof checked out years ago.
Quote from: Bu☆ns on June 06, 2015, 04:15:39 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 05, 2015, 02:35:34 PM
I also have a professor in one class who is profoundly unqualified to teach the subject... in fact, I'm more qualified than he is, and yet he's in charge of grading the papers. It's kind of obscene.
Yesterday, h asked about neuroscience book recommendations, and I mentioned a few authors, and concluded by saying "...and of course, Ramachandran is always a good read" to which he responded "If you can stand his arrogance". I said "I have trouble with his arrogance and I'm not a fan of his sense of humor, nor do I always agree with his conclusions, but he has really interesting case studies". The professor kind of scoffed and said "but you recommend him?" as if that was some kind of contradiction. I said "I don't always like what I recommend, and I don't always recommend what I like. If there's good information that has contributed significantly to informing the field, it's worth reading, and a good chance to exercise some critical thinking".
He clearly didn't get it, which is not surprising. He's into complete bullshit that reinforces his views, whether there's good science behind it or not. Currently, he's singing the praises of Rupert Sheldrake, which should tell you everything you need to know about his views on science.
It kills me that you had to explain it to him. Sheldrake, the morphogentic field guy? Man...your prof checked out years ago.
He's not trained in any science, whatsoever, and has apparently not really tried to educate himself beyond reading things that reinforce what he wants to believe.
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 06, 2015, 04:28:32 AM
Quote from: Bu☆ns on June 06, 2015, 04:15:39 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 05, 2015, 02:35:34 PM
I also have a professor in one class who is profoundly unqualified to teach the subject... in fact, I'm more qualified than he is, and yet he's in charge of grading the papers. It's kind of obscene.
Yesterday, h asked about neuroscience book recommendations, and I mentioned a few authors, and concluded by saying "...and of course, Ramachandran is always a good read" to which he responded "If you can stand his arrogance". I said "I have trouble with his arrogance and I'm not a fan of his sense of humor, nor do I always agree with his conclusions, but he has really interesting case studies". The professor kind of scoffed and said "but you recommend him?" as if that was some kind of contradiction. I said "I don't always like what I recommend, and I don't always recommend what I like. If there's good information that has contributed significantly to informing the field, it's worth reading, and a good chance to exercise some critical thinking".
He clearly didn't get it, which is not surprising. He's into complete bullshit that reinforces his views, whether there's good science behind it or not. Currently, he's singing the praises of Rupert Sheldrake, which should tell you everything you need to know about his views on science.
It kills me that you had to explain it to him. Sheldrake, the morphogentic field guy? Man...your prof checked out years ago.
He's not trained in any science, whatsoever, and has apparently not really tried to educate himself beyond reading things that reinforce what he wants to believe.
How did he get to be a professor? Was it nepotism, or cronyism, or bribery, or just bad hiring policies?
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on June 06, 2015, 04:55:03 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 06, 2015, 04:28:32 AM
Quote from: Bu☆ns on June 06, 2015, 04:15:39 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on June 05, 2015, 02:35:34 PM
I also have a professor in one class who is profoundly unqualified to teach the subject... in fact, I'm more qualified than he is, and yet he's in charge of grading the papers. It's kind of obscene.
Yesterday, h asked about neuroscience book recommendations, and I mentioned a few authors, and concluded by saying "...and of course, Ramachandran is always a good read" to which he responded "If you can stand his arrogance". I said "I have trouble with his arrogance and I'm not a fan of his sense of humor, nor do I always agree with his conclusions, but he has really interesting case studies". The professor kind of scoffed and said "but you recommend him?" as if that was some kind of contradiction. I said "I don't always like what I recommend, and I don't always recommend what I like. If there's good information that has contributed significantly to informing the field, it's worth reading, and a good chance to exercise some critical thinking".
He clearly didn't get it, which is not surprising. He's into complete bullshit that reinforces his views, whether there's good science behind it or not. Currently, he's singing the praises of Rupert Sheldrake, which should tell you everything you need to know about his views on science.
It kills me that you had to explain it to him. Sheldrake, the morphogentic field guy? Man...your prof checked out years ago.
He's not trained in any science, whatsoever, and has apparently not really tried to educate himself beyond reading things that reinforce what he wants to believe.
How did he get to be a professor? Was it nepotism, or cronyism, or bribery, or just bad hiring policies?
Universities pay their adjuncts shit wages, and he's perfectly qualified to teach the other classes he teaches. He just overreached terribly, I am guessing in a classic case of not knowing enough to recognize the depth of his lack of knowledge.