The Morbid State of Universities
The gatekeepers of knowledge are in deep trouble. Let us dive in.
For quite some time, I’ve had immense admiration for North American literature. Influential authors such as Frederick Douglas, Edgar A. Poe, and Leslie M. Silko have inspired me with their compelling writing. The day I entered my first class, I was exuberant to expand my knowledge of such a rich culture during my third year of university. Unfortunately, I expected what I dreaded the most.
During my first North American literature class, the lecturer categorically taught students how to be antiracist and why we should carry the burden of guilt for the unfortunate historical events of colonialism and slavery. Week after week, instead of focusing on the art of literature, most sessions imparted overt leftist training. The most in-demand topics were Trump and the irrefutable institutional racism. Critical Race Theory at its finest.
Most students happily nod to the teacher’s remarks. Yet some, like me, were reluctant to openly disagree - mainly out of fear of being anathematized. Although willing to impart a civilized discussion. At first, you might think this happened in a North American college campus - something excessively predominant in coastal and northern states. This happened in Spain.
It shows how leftist ideology has pervaded across the Humanities, thus undermining the fundamental core values of the West. Without the Humanities, there’d be no other discipline, therefore no society.
On the other hand, there’s another aspect that comes into play. With the inexorable expansion of technology, the market craves for a surplus of emerging software-based workers. The most in-demand are coders, involving artificial intelligence, computer programmers, and web development. So, there’s chatter over the narrowing career paths of the Humanities degrees due to new emerging disciplines. Nonetheless, this is not a critique aimed at MIT. In fact, its innovative thinkers have made the world a better place. The true discourager of the Liberal arts is the inflammatory ‘woke’ politics. Today, we are reversing history with susceptible students falling for radical ideas - silencing and carrying out violence because it is justifiable.
To profess one’s ability to practice free speech and freedom of thought whether you agree or disagree - is a true privilege. Such foundations that our ancestors fought so hard for should be cherished.
Back in the day, universities invited thinkers to exchange and explore diverse ideas regardless of discrepancies. To challenge one’s notions forces us to use critical thinking. Now, they instigate an intellectually shallow approach - belief in the good and evil dichotomy of irrational thinking. The race to virtuousness. Thinking outside the box or question woke ideals are considered offences, thus vindicated by today’s academics.
To say women and men are equal yet different means you are sexist. To believe trans women are not biologically women labels you as transphobic – those are the people who call to condemn people for not believing in science. To oppose BLM riots is because you are a racist bigot. Or, to correct a woman for something wrong is mansplaining.
What would one expect of studying literature? To investigate the mind of the author and examine line-to-line hidden meanings and interpretations. Instead, scholars with an overt political agenda express the present oppressive power structures of the patriarchy - the indispensable notion of groupthink. Dare to challenge this idea? You are immediately scorned at by both students and the lecturer for not complying with their morals.
Last summer, The Royal Academy of Royal Art (RADA) released a statement following the George Floyd murder and subsequent Black Lives Matter popularity. “We recognise that RADA has been responsible for maintaining systemically racist structures. We are aware that RADA has been and currently is institutionally racist. We are profoundly sorry for the role we have played in the traumatic and oppressive experiences of our current and past Black students, graduates and staff.”
Additionally, the Humanities are not the only impacted department by this pathological ideology – Science too. For instance, the University of Oregon has released a research article titled: Glaciers, gender, and science: A feminist glaciology framework for global environmental change research. Never in a million years would I have imagined feminist activism taking place in the scientific study of glaciers. Medical courses are unwilling to explore the potential ramifications of gender transitioning. Why wouldn’t they? Because it is controversial, therefore transphobic to mention such topics which urge further research.
Worst still, Dr Emily Cousins, lecturer of women’s studies masters course at Oxford University, prefers her university not to win the race for the urging COVID-19 vaccine. Why? Because it will fulfil its political, patriotic function as proof of British excellence. I repeat. She is a lecturer working for one of the top universities.
Nevertheless, among the midst of social irrationality, I sense a sliver of silver lining. More and more students are noticing the downfall of academic studies as undergraduate enrolment is down with the growth of ‘wokeness’.
There are other reasons for this decrease. The fact everything is accessible on the web for free. Elon Musk questioned the worthiness of universities: “I think college is basically for fun and to prove that you can do your chores, but they’re not for learning,”. Moreover, he listed extremely successful people who are college dropouts: Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. William Shakespeare never attended university and became the pioneer of modern English writing. Lastly, Elon claims a job position at Tesla does not require a degree.
Why would someone attend lectures of implicit bias training? There certainly would. As I said previously, universities should aim to inspire students to think independently – make use of reason and logic. Engage with other students or professors regardless of disagreement. And most importantly, explore endless possibilities with an open mind welcomes curiosity.
“I am neither clever nor especially gifted. I am only passionately curious”
Albert Einstein.
“In order to think, you have to risk being offensive”.
Dr Jordan Peterson