Why Leftism Makes Me Angry

[Legion]

People usually only get angry about things which effect them personally or effect someone close to them. I am no different. So what has Leftism done to me or mine which would make me angry?

 

I should have excelled academically. I am intelligent and passionate about learning. I believe of all the human endeavors, few are more noble than the continuing pursuit of understanding. So why didn't I excell?

 

Leftism. Academia is overwhelmingly Leftist. And they do their best to ensure that it remains this way. All I had to do was speak the right words. That's all I had to do. I didn't even have to believe it, I only had to toe the line. But I couldn't do it. So I was barred.

 

It's really that simple.

[JadedAtheist]

I feel for you but there's politics in every social circle, whether it be in academia, science or just your everyday blue collar job. I don't think "leftism" is the root cause of the issue. Humans are simply to blame.

[Legion]

I feel for you but there's politics in every social circle, whether it be in academia, science or just your everyday blue collar job. I don't think "leftism" is the root cause of the issue. Humans are simply to blame.

I feel for you, but...

 

Man that's too bad, but...

 

I'm sorry that's the case, but...

 

That's unfortunate, but...

 

Do you think this satisfies me? I have been robbed. And you make excuses.

[Guest Valk0010]

People suck and use different methods to cause harm. I think your getting caught up in the tool more then with the craftsman if you get my meaning. And I am not saying this to start a fight. I am not making excuses for them.

[Legion]

Valk, no one here yet in this thread has disputed that academia is overwhelmingly Leftist.

 

No one here yet has disputed that I was excluded because I failed to toe the Leftist party line.

 

And yet, I am supposed blame human frailty.

[Guest Valk0010]

I wouldn't know about you situation very well because i wasn't involved.

 

But I am starting to believe the academia leftist bit, especially among the social sciences like poli-sci or even philisophy. As far as math and biology and things like anthropology, I am not sure. But that might be lack of experience talking here.

[Legion]

Let's try this. Maybe it will break some things loose.

 

Imagine this...

 

Why Conservatism makes me angry

 

I have a gift for building structures and a passion to do it. And I want to work with others who build things. However... the construction industry is overwhelmingly conservative. And they do their best to ensure that it remains this way. I could have contributed to the construction industry and enjoyed doing it, but I couldn't bring myself to toe the Right-wing line. And I was excluded because of it.

 

How's that fly by you?

[JadedAtheist]

I'm not expecting you to take it on the chin and leave it at that, nor would I if I was in your situation but you're blaming a political movement/mentality/whatever when the fault lies with humans in general. If leftism didn't exist in academia would one no longer be required to "toe the line"? I trow not. The problem is far bigger than that.

[Legion]

JA, I have a blind spot here. And I know it. I can almost see your point, but not quite. If I am going to understand this then you will have to spell it out for me in real simple terms using analogies if possible.

 

Please tell me what the bigger problem is. Because all I know is this. If tomorrow I decided to re-enter academia then I know that in order to open the doors I want opened I would have to speak the Leftist words. It's really that simple.

[Sybaris]

If I am going to understand this then you will have to spell it out for me in real simple terms using analogies if possible.

 

 

Ever see that McDonalds commercial where the girlfriend tells the boyfriend about a guy who told his wife that Sundays are just for football? She obviously doesn't agree and the boyfriend has a choice. You're the boyfriend.

[Legion]

So what is my choice? What do I have to decide? Between expressing what I truly believe or lying in order gain favor with others?

 

I am going to die with integrity. That is not in question.

[JadedAtheist]

To give you a real life illustration: When I was still a Christian I was well aware of the politics within our fellowship of churches. I knew that if I acted a certain way, said certain things and talked to certain people that I could very easily get financial support to go to a prestigious Bible College and get my degree. I chose not to, and as such I wasn't a part of the "inner circle" and went to some shack of a college. I also knew that if I wanted to get financial support as a missionary I would have to keep my mouth closed about my beliefs (at the time I was a very vocal Calvinist which was basically frowned upon by the fellowship of churches in general, with exception of mine basically).

 

In the end, humans form cliques and whenever one expects to enter into this clique they need to "toe the line" as you put it. These cliques are formed in schools, in workplaces, clubs, religious organizations, and so on. Academia and the Sciences are not exempted from humanity's propensity to form cliques and force acceptance on issues they've defined. Sometimes these cliques are regarding ones political views, other times it's their religious views, or race or gender or whatever. In your case, the environment is academia and the clique is leftism. If you removed leftists, another clique would fill their place in time simply because it's what humans do.

[Guest Valk0010]

JA, I have a blind spot here. And I know it. I can almost see your point, but not quite. If I am going to understand this then you will have to spell it out for me in real simple terms using analogies if possible.

 

Please tell me what the bigger problem is. Because all I know is this. If tomorrow I decided to re-enter academia then I know that in order to open the doors I want opened I would have to speak the Leftist words. It's really that simple.

Isn't you blaming leftism a bit like german's blaming jew's. When really its just massive fucking up with people use things in the case of leftism a bit like a hammer, and you end up being a nail. Yes I violated godwin's law but who gives a fuck.

[Perfessor]

Academia is definately left because the unions support teachers even if they are lousy at it. I had a teacher who drank so much she had to lean on the counter entering class; I knew a teacher who gave away answers so his class looked good and his teaching looked good; I had teachers who taught the same things for 20+ years so they didn't have to think. These people had a vested interest in keeping a strong union, and a left leaning viewpoint, as a cover for any real thought or actually applying themselves. Why should they, they have it made! And all summer off and people saying how much they are underpaid. Anybody for a trip to Europe?

[Guest wester]

Academia is a conservative wasteland. Show many any professor with creative drive who will make real and transformative contributions to his field and I'll show you a prof without a gig. Show me any prof who makes a revolutionary critique in her field and I'll show you a prof in the doghouse, soon to be fired or demoted to a community college in the deserts of hell.

 

A piece of paper called a diploma is a credential that proves you are willing to suck up to the status quo - and that you won't ask too many radical questions or rock the boat in your chosen field and especially not in the business world. A degree is really a measure of how much you have failed.

 

Real education is your responsibility and yours alone. I reached the pinnacle of my scientific discipline with a freaking B.A. degree. So stop complaining about the evul libruls who are holding you back. There is one person and one person alone who is doing that.

 

[florduh]

The Man holding you down? A few conservative colleges that could have been chosen:

• Baylor University Waco, Texas
  
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• Bob Jones University Greenville, SC
  
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• Brigham Young Provo, UT
  
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• Christendom College Front Royal, Va.
  
• 
  
• Franciscan University of Steubenville
  
• 
  
  
  
• Grove City College Grove City, Pa.
  
• 
  
• Harding University Searcy, Ark.
  
• 
  
• Hillsdale College Hillsdale, Mich.
  
• 
  
• Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, Ind.
  
• 
  
• James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
  
• 
  
• Liberty University Lynchburg, Va.
  
• 
  
• Oral Roberts University Tulsa, OK
  
• 
  
• College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, Mo.
  
• 
  
• Patrick Henry College Purcellville, Va
  
• 
  
• Point Loma Nazaren University San Diego, Ca.
  
• 
  
• Southern Virginia University Buena Vista, VA
  
• 
  
• Thomas Aquinas College Santa Paula, Ca.
   
   
  
  
• Wheaton College Wheaton Il.
   
  

[ConureDelSol]

I always thought it was the right that turned the educational system into a mockery among the world. Maybe I'm just around conservatives too often. Living in Virginia will do that.

[freeasabird]

Another one here who doesn't get the problem. I have thought the disjuncture between academia and conservatism was because academia led to liberalism in the same way in depth religious education led many of us to leave religion. Maybe I would understand better if I better understood what conservative principles you held.

[Mike D]

Between expressing what I truly believe or lying in order gain favor with others?

People have to lie to gain favor with other people all the time. Sometimes it's a requirement for basic survival.

 

Although it's really more a function of telling people what they want to hear, not necessarily lying per se.

 

Ever gone on a job interview for a job you didn't want, but needed the job because you had to pay your bills and survive? If you want the job, you're going to have to suck up to the interviewer and tell them what they want to hear. What you shouldn't do is express what you truly believe to your interviewer, and say: "I really don't want this crappy job working for this lousy company because I think you all suck. And by they way, that's the ugliest fucking tie i've ever seen in my life!" What you should do is say whatever it takes to gain the favor of the interviewer, at least if you want the job.

 

Basically there are two paths you can take: You can take Path A and adapt and placate people when necessary, to achieve your goals. Or you can take Path B and tell everyone to fuck off and hope that you can find another method to achieve the same goal. And if you're as intelligent as you say you are, perhaps you will.

[Guest Xtech]

People usually only get angry about things which effect them personally or effect someone close to them. I am no different. So what has Leftism done to me or mine which would make me angry?

 

I should have excelled academically. I am intelligent and passionate about learning. I believe of all the human endeavors, few are more noble than the continuing pursuit of understanding. So why didn't I excell?

 

Leftism. Academia is overwhelmingly Leftist. And they do their best to ensure that it remains this way. All I had to do was speak the right words. That's all I had to do. I didn't even have to believe it, I only had to toe the line. But I couldn't do it. So I was barred.

 

It's really that simple.

 

So are you going to get specific in your accusations? or is it that the world is against you? Because your vagueness makes me suspicious about what is really going on here

[par4dcourse]

Gotta go with the "say what they wanna hear" crowd. If I'm interviewing with XYZ Corp. then XYZ Corp. is the bestest and always right. For an hour.

[sethosayher]

I smell bullshit.

 

You need to give us some specific answers here, like a liberal professor giving you a shitty grade for a well-argued conservative position.

 

And conservatism has its strongholds in economic and foreign policy theory. And how would conservatism influence the study of the sciences or mathematics?

 

In my experience academics are pretty tolerant of opinions that differ from their own.

[Legion]

Let's talk about the future.

 

I work at a university. It would be the simplest thing for me to walk over to the sociology department and have a little chat with them.

 

What if I say this? ....

 

Good professors, I am educated in mathematics and I have an intense interest in studying societies. I am hoping to apply the understanding that I gain on bringing America nearer to the ideal of freedom, prosperity, and unity. Is there a place for me among you?

 

What may I expect as a response?

[florduh]

Good professors, I am educated in mathematics and I have an intense interest in studying societies. I am hoping to apply the understanding that I gain on bringing America nearer to the ideal of freedom, prosperity, and unity. Is there a place for me among you?

Does that mean you want to be a professor or a student? If you're qualified to teach and there is an opening, what would they hold against you? If you want to be a student, anybody that can pay tuition seems to have no problem getting into class.

 

Are you implying that "Leftists" are totally in charge of all academia and they are opposed to "freedom, prosperity, and unity?"

 

Sorry, I'm not following you too well on this one either.

[Positivist]

I should have excelled academically. I am intelligent and passionate about learning. All I had to do was speak the right words. That's all I had to do. I didn't even have to believe it, I only had to toe the line. But I couldn't do it. So I was barred.

I am fairly well acquainted with academia. The good students are the ones who suck it up to get credentialed, and then go out and change the world and live out their beliefs. In many circles, you won't be heard until you have a credential. Is it fair? Not really, but it's the way of the world, it seems. (It's not how I operate, but those around me tend to.)

 

Get a credential, then express your opinion, which will be grounded in common thought (even if you choose to reject those notions).

 

These people had a vested interest in keeping a strong union, and a left leaning viewpoint, as a cover for any real thought or actually applying themselves. Why should they, they have it made! And all summer off and people saying how much they are underpaid. Anybody for a trip to Europe?

Many professors work 80 hours per week year round, but are only paid for 40 per week. They do it because they are helping students find their passion and equip them to change the world. I'd like to write a book some day called "The Lunacy to Teach" because if your heart is really in it, it gobbles up your whole life.

Show me any prof who makes a revolutionary critique in her field and I'll show you a prof in the doghouse...

Some of us may be in the doghouse, but we are living there with integrity and we continue to make significant impacts to make the world a better place. Or so we hope. Woof!

 

Legion, if I may be so bold as to cough up unsolicited advice, please finish your education so you can express your passions and intelligence in a way that will be better appreciated by and have greater impact in the world. Yes, it sucks to toe the party line, and I've had a lot of sucky school years so I know what I'm talking about. Now that I'm credentialed I can enter situations into which I would otherwise lack access, and I can talk the talk and walk the walk, and then I can impact these situations.

 

Think about it. You clearly have a lot to offer the world. Don't keep your passions and intelligence caged.

 

My 1.5 cents.