College Students Are Ridiculously Infuriating Safe-Space/Mega-thread

[dead0man]

Yeah, I was going to post that when I had more time.  It's like something out of the Onion.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Lol. The argument that the Yale dust up was about blackface is hilariously dishonest.

First off, the initial letter from Yale doesn't just say "students please don't wear blackface". It talked about a whole host of "insensitive" costumes. The email specifically criticizes:

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The email then refers students to check their costume ideas with an approved censor: https://www.pinterest.com/yalecces/costumes-to-avoid/

This website doesn't just say "Remember children, no blackface." It includes criticism of all sorts of costumes including cowboys, Steve Jobs, a human ball pit and an inexplicable picture of a Euro coin.

The email references that the costume issue is important on many other campuses. SUNY for instance, had their very own hotline to help decide your Halloween costume.http://www.nationalreview.com/article/426260/colleges-designating-official-halloween-costume-sensitivity-consultants-katherine. Clemson issued an official apology when food employees wore sombreros while serving tacos. http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6873. A much cited Huffington Post article on "offensive costumes" includes "sexy nurse" because it totes objectifies a career, and skeleton costumes because OMG anorexia. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/offensive-halloween-costumes-ignorant_560ed210e4b0af3706e0ae3d

But lets look at the second email sent out by Christakis. Christakis didn't say, "Muh blackface is fine." She acknowledges that some costumes may be inappropriate. Her complaint however was three-fold.

1.) Policing off-campus dress codes is patronizing absent some real example of pervasive blackface parties. It's not like there was some actual need to remind the super vast majority of adult students not to wear blackface.

2.) The vague recommendations about "culturally insensitive" costumes sweeps far beyond blackface. Christakis specifically references Disney princess costumes; why is it OK for an Asian student to dress as her favorite Princess (Belle or Cinderella), but its potentially not for a blonde student to dress as her favorite Princess (Mulan or Pocahontas). P.C. policing extends well beyond obvious courtesies like don't wear blackface. As the above articles mentioned, lots of inoffensive costumes are being called unacceptable. Thus the first email is not only chilling legitimately distasteful clothes, its discouraging protected clothes (and thus ideas) as well. This is repugnant to a free, adult society.

3.) As adults in a free society, we should be be willing to tolerate a certain amount of diversity, including diversity of expression. That doesn't mean we should applaud or encourage blackface, but it does mean that assuming a certain ideology (privilege; cultural appropriation; systemic racism) as orthodox is dangerous, as it assumes that all opposing beliefs are illegitimate. Again, the first email didn't limit itself to blackface, it applied to any costume which could be offensive. Offensive to who? Everything is offensive to somebody, and by directly citing the SJW Pintrest groups, the email was implying that the cited groups were determinative of what was and wasn't offensive. This is viewpoint discrimination, and is very dangerous in an academic context. Especially when vague terms are used.

That was what Christakis argued. The idea that this is somehow entirely a defense of blackface is incorrect, ignorant, and dishonest. But it's not surprising. This is the same thing that happened during the other college protests. SJWs demanded automatic sanctions on arbitrarily defined "hate speech" which apparently included signs invoking the first amendment. http://dailycaller.com/2015/11/13/amherst-activists-demand-reeducation-for-students-who-celebrated-free-speech/. Mizzou protesters condemned the President as racist when refused to parrot back their Intersectionality 101 definition of "systemic racism", which assumes that merely disagreeing with their concept is "racist hate speech" worthy of a ban. Dartmouth protesters engaged in violence and intimidation to try and coerce students into participating in their protests. Reporters were forcibly blocked from public locations at Mizzou and Smith. Plus the complaints about unconstitutional off-campus dress codes. These are all legitimate first amendment concerns, and yet to hear the SJWs, the only First Amendment arguments being made are those trying to defend poop swastikas and blackface. Its incredibly deceitful or incredibly ignorant to say that that is what the First Amendment arguments are about.

OK, now that that is out of the way, feel free to discriminate against my viewpoints on the basis of my race.

[dead0man]

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ALLOWS FLAGS TO FLY FROM DORM ROOMS — UNLESS THEY’RE PALESTINIAN

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Don't worry oh fighters for the downtrodden, the school has apologized and cleared his record.

[DC Al Fine]

You missed the best part. They want more fried chicken on the cafeteria menu. I can't deal with the 21st century anymore.

[Mr. Reactionary]

http://www.scribd.com/doc/293326897/Oberlin-College-Black-Student-Union-Institutional-Demands

Here is their full list of demands. It's almost entirely illegal and unconstitutional. It calls for racial quotas (illegal under Regents v. Bakke), discriminatory hiring practices (illegal under CRA Title VII), exclusive monetary benefits to only 1 race (illegal under CRA Title VI), mandatory segregated housing (Illegal under CRA Title III), and a bunch of other stupid demands. They demand that black protesters (but only black protesters) actually be paid for protesting. They draw up a list of favorable professors who should be given tenure outside of the normal process, and also a list of heretics who should be immediately fired without regard to their contracts. They demand that ALL students MUST take a class called Intro to the Black experience, but demand that NO class in any department that focuses on western civilization be mandatory.

Even the demands which could be reasonable are cloaked in bigotry. For example:

"We DEMAND an online database that outlines the deadline, dates, and forms critical for the successful academic journey of Black students.

We DEMAND that Black students be able to supplement their primary academic advisor with an advisor outside of their department or major.

We DEMAND financial aid workshops for Black students by Black financial aid officers so that students can fully understand the contents of their financial package and how it will change throughout their time at Oberlin College and Conservatory."

I mean, if you strip the bolded words out, these demands seem OK, but as written they are blatantly and  disgustingly racist.

[dead0man]

Cornell:You Can Put Up Anything You Want <for Christmas decorations> As Long As It’s a Snowflake

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[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Mistletoe?! That's a secular tradition! At least I don't remember the verse in the Bible when Joseph and Mary kissed under a plant at the stabledoor...

Anyway lacite is stupid.

[Horus]

Mistletoe? What in the actual fk?

[MaxQue]

At last! Someone wants to get rid of the ugly plant!

Seriously, this may be a bit of an overkill to reach their goal (but I still hate mistletoe).

[Adam Griffin]

I'm pretty sure that if I were to enroll in college as an 18 year-old today, I'd end up becoming a conservative. These dip-s[inks]ts are the epitome of what's wrong with the leftern hemisphere and accomplish nothing in the real world other than giving the opposition ammunition.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Most students are studying under the pall of five-figure debt, marginal job prospects at graduation, and parents whose retirement remains totally unsecured. Nearly half of them won't finish their degrees, and increasingly large shares attend "schools" that we wouldn't recognize as institutions of higher learning in the first place. Many are "non-traditional" students, which usually entails balancing one's studies with menial service sector work, child care, or elder care.

Reminds me of the story of the Occupy Wall Street Puppet Master who was shocked he couldn't find a good job in his field.

https://reason.com/blog/2011/11/03/underemployed-puppeteer-joins

[dead0man]

Most students are studying under the pall of five-figure debt, marginal job prospects at graduation, and parents whose retirement remains totally unsecured. Nearly half of them won't finish their degrees, and increasingly large shares attend "schools" that we wouldn't recognize as institutions of higher learning in the first place.

Those people have made a horrible decision and the people that told them it was a good idea should be slapped and educated.  If a person wants to study something near worthless that's fine, but they shouldn't come crying to the rest of us with a hat out when they can't get a job with their degree in Ancient Greek pottery.

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Except nobody is doing that.

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It attracts attention for the same reason any other loud, selfish idiots attract attention....it's easy and fun.  It's extra fun when they eat their own, which these stories are often about.


Are you suggesting we not make fun of these people?

[Cory]

Are you suggesting we not make fun of these people?

No, I think it was pretty clear he was criticizing them.

[Kingpoleon]

http://www.barstoolsports.com/barstoolu/oberlin-college-students-protest-the-cafeteria-food-not-being-culturally-accurate-enough-demand-to-be-paid-an-hourly-wage-for-their-protesting/?utm_campaign=SFFB&utm_source=BarstoolFB&utm_medium=Socialflow

Black students at Oberlin are, among other things, demanding black-only "safe spaces" be set up around campus.

Before you say "white only safe space", false comparison. [Insert ad hominem attack here] Racist atlas is racist./s

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I'm sure this comes up a lot in real life (because while an online personal will not be entirely accurate, it will be at least partially reflective) and as such you will be bored of even hearing the question, but why are you such an utter cock, Dead0man? Why so nasty? I don't refer to your views here, but the manner in which you put them across: as a general rule your posts typically display such a staggering meanness of spirit as to come across as almost psychotically callous. Please understand that this is not something to be proud of.

[dead0man]

meh, I'm a dick.  Doesn't come up much in real life, but I certainly can be a dick there too.  I'm not unique.  Especially not here.

[tallguy23]

Honestly it's a small (albeit very vocal) minority of college students doing this. The majority of college students care about finishing school, starting a career, and partying on the weekends (not necessarily in that order).

I'm honestly glad I went to a public university where the majority of students were first generation college students hustling to graduate and improve their lives. They didn't have time to argue about whether a skeleton costume was offensive to anorexics.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

meh, I'm a dick.  Doesn't come up much in real life, but I certainly can be a dick there too.  I'm not unique.  Especially not here.

Again, you seem almost proud of this. Why?

[dead0man]

I don't know what to tell you man, I don't feel proud of it if that makes you feel any better.

[dead0man]

Laurentian prof removed from teaching first year psychology course

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[Bojack Horseman]

[Famous Mortimer]

Was just wondering today, why in the face of the Great Recession, the American education system was able to survive, even though it it's been obvious in the almost 8 years since, that college degrees, and liberal arts degrees in particular, are less than worthless in their current form.

Why do people young people still sign up to get BAs in psychology, anthropology, sociology, political science, and gender studies when 1) they know it won't get them a job 2) they can find more in depth information about these subjects online for free?

It doesn't seem a coincidence that the moment when schools could no longer lie about making their students money was the same moment schools decided to push hard the idea that their students were collectively possessed by a demon called privilege and the only way to exorcise it is to "get educated"/pay a school lots of money.

[Green Line]

Was just wondering today, why in the face of the Great Recession, the American education system was able to survive, even though it it's been obvious in the almost 8 years since, that college degrees, and liberal arts degrees in particular, are less than worthless in their current form.

Why do people young people still sign up to get BAs in psychology, anthropology, sociology, political science, and gender studies when 1) they know it won't get them a job 2) they can find more in depth information about these subjects online for free?

It doesn't seem a coincidence that the moment when schools could no longer lie about making their students money was the same moment schools decided to push hard the idea that their students were collectively possessed by a demon called privilege and the only way to exorcise it is to "get educated"/pay a school lots of money.

It's still very possible to get jobs with some of the degrees you listed (gender studies majors usually have other issues which make them un-hireable).  I've found that with most entry level jobs, it really doesn't matter what your bachelor's degree was in, as long as you have one.  My friend graduated with a degree in history and now works for a PR company. Masters degrees are where it really matters what it is.

[Famous Mortimer]

Was just wondering today, why in the face of the Great Recession, the American education system was able to survive, even though it it's been obvious in the almost 8 years since, that college degrees, and liberal arts degrees in particular, are less than worthless in their current form.

Why do people young people still sign up to get BAs in psychology, anthropology, sociology, political science, and gender studies when 1) they know it won't get them a job 2) they can find more in depth information about these subjects online for free?

It doesn't seem a coincidence that the moment when schools could no longer lie about making their students money was the same moment schools decided to push hard the idea that their students were collectively possessed by a demon called privilege and the only way to exorcise it is to "get educated"/pay a school lots of money.

It's still very possible to get jobs with some of the degrees you listed (gender studies majors usually have other issues which make them un-hireable).  I've found that with most entry level jobs, it really doesn't matter what your bachelor's degree was in, as long as you have one.  My friend graduated with a degree in history and now works for a PR company. Masters degrees are where it really matters what it is.

How long ago did he graduate? I would say that's very rare. Most "entry level" jobs either pay about the same as retail ($10 an hour) or actually want you already to have a Masters and five years experience.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I'm actually with Green Line in part here. Most of the degrees you listed do make it a bit tougher, but coming out of good schools, they are given a good degree of consideration still for many decent jobs. If you do well in a good place, it displays competence, but you have to be extremely socially intelligent at the same time, even more so than people of the marketable majors, which makes it tougher. (Speaking more towards psychology and polisci who I do see in good positions though I know it's certainly not the majority of their graduates).