Harvard, Summers, Innate Differences & Ignorance
Reading about the nonsense occurring amongst the faculty over the remarks President Summers made, I am reminded that:
Education and natural intelligence do not preclude ignorance and close mindedness.
We live in a time of over zealous political correctness that breeds fear of expression and repression of ideas. Whether it is the political right or left that stifles freedom of thought, debate or dissent, it is wrong headed and close minded. It inculcates in us all a fear of reprisal for simply stating what we think and thereby challenging those who feel they have some right of control over how we think simply because they feel, by dint of some knowledge or political power gained, that they have some paternalistic/materialistic authority over us.
In other words, shut up and eat your gruel, we know what is best for you, mommy & daddy know best.
Fie! I do not believe in hell but I do hope there is a special place in the next plane of existence (when their natural time comes, of course) for those whose hubris and arrogance of knowledge or position closes their minds and leads them to seek the enforcement of their narrow visions on us all.
Whether Summers is right or wrong is entirely beside the point. We either have freedom of thought and expression or we don’t.
Education and natural intelligence do not preclude ignorance and close mindedness.
We live in a time of over zealous political correctness that breeds fear of expression and repression of ideas. Whether it is the political right or left that stifles freedom of thought, debate or dissent, it is wrong headed and close minded. It inculcates in us all a fear of reprisal for simply stating what we think and thereby challenging those who feel they have some right of control over how we think simply because they feel, by dint of some knowledge or political power gained, that they have some paternalistic/materialistic authority over us.
In other words, shut up and eat your gruel, we know what is best for you, mommy & daddy know best.
Fie! I do not believe in hell but I do hope there is a special place in the next plane of existence (when their natural time comes, of course) for those whose hubris and arrogance of knowledge or position closes their minds and leads them to seek the enforcement of their narrow visions on us all.
Whether Summers is right or wrong is entirely beside the point. We either have freedom of thought and expression or we don’t.
posted by some living dust of the earth at 3:14 AM
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