IMPORTANT: Excerpts From Secretly-Recorded Proceedings Against Canadian Graduate Student For Discussing Jordan Peterson's Transgender Pronoun Arguments In Class
I really think everyone should listen to this. (It's under ten minutes long.)
I think this is extremely important. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I worry that the fate of the Western intellectual tradition may hang in the balance.
(Via the indispensable Ph*l*s*phy M*t*f*r*m)
I think this is extremely important. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I worry that the fate of the Western intellectual tradition may hang in the balance.
(Via the indispensable Ph*l*s*phy M*t*f*r*m)
posted by Winston Smith at
9:46 AM
12 Comments:
"These arguments are counter to the Canadian human rights code". A direct quote.
Canada has literally outlawed arguments, at least as interpreted by campus administrators (and they are probably right).
There's almost too much layered, multifaceted insanity in there to extract specifics. It's like they're flooding the dialectical zone. I started to try to pull out specific points to discuss, but it's so angrifying and so utterly irrational that even I (and I've got quite the tolerance for complaining about this stuff in detail, obviously) basically threw my hands up.
Part of their power, though, is that their positions aren't even vaguely rational. It's infuriating to find oneself in the position of having to address these lunatic arguments that seem to have come from some kind of alternate moral / intellectual dimension.
Oh, and don't miss the bit where the dude says something like:
It's like you played a tape of arguments from Hitler...or Gamergate or something...
My institute, while not seemingly as bad as Wilfrid Laurier in this respect, displays many of the same failings as those heard on the recording.
I was told that a student representing Hitler in any kind of positive light (this even includes suggesting that Stalin was comparatively worse than Hitler) makes the classroom "unsafe." They just reported a kid who suggested that if the jews had conformed to Hitler's (perverted) view of civility, he wouldn't have targeted them in the first place. The kid allegedly made the argument at the end of class and he was rushed as he was making it. After the class, he sent out an apology and clarified his position, but that apparently was not sufficient. Some of my cohorts said that he cannot afford to presume that he is *not* a neo-nazi sympathizer because something something unsafe.
When I pressed them for a definition for their use of "unsafe," they eventually admitted that they mean that such arguments make some students uncomfortable. When I pointed out that they are defining down the term so as to lower the bar for confirming evidence of such an instance (and allowing the connotations of "unsafe" to do most of the rhetorical work), they said they did not care because it was a useful term for rooting out injustice.
I'm afraid that I can't hold back anymore. This is just one instance. I will state once again that my institution isn't in bad shape like some other schools, but some of the rhetoric and theory-mongering is too much for me to handle. I'm not going to lie down and take accusations of being a sheltered, privileged white male who cannot understand the plight of oppressed people.
It's bullshit, man. Lunacy.
I feel like I ought to counsel prudence...
Though I myself just send out an email to my department about recent decisions by the university's "diversity counsel." These included: suggesting we create a web page for anonymous accusations of "bias crimes"...which, we were told, "do not fall under the rubric of traditional crimes." Think about that sentence for a second.
Oh, also suggested: the creation of a document to explain to students "the difference between hate speech and free speech." Those were just two of the highlights.
Thing is: I think that this university is pretty sane, and my department is notably sane, and at least a couple of people on the committee are *very* sane. So I just can't figure out how this happened.
...also, I've got tenure, mofo...so...different situation.
Might I suggest that modest tactical resistance in your case might be more prudent and effective than flipping your shit at them...in case you fear that might be on the horizon?
Try to stave off getting kicked out at least until next year, I say.
But, yeah. At some point, speaking up becomes obligatory.
>These included: suggesting we create a web page for anonymous accusations of "bias crimes"...which, we were told, "do not fall under the rubric of traditional crimes."
I feel physically ill reading this. I'm going to leave this alone for now.
>Oh, also suggested: the creation of a document to explain to students "the difference between hate speech and free speech." Those were just two of the highlights.
I love how the notion is to "explain" to students the distinction. Not discuss or critically analyze it to see if there exists such a distinction. Because, of course, they just cannot be wrong about these matters.
>Might I suggest that modest tactical resistance in your case might be more prudent and effective than flipping your shit at them...in case you fear that might be on the horizon?
I hear your point. I've done a good job holding back so far. I'm mainly venting at this point. I'm just going to focus on end of term papers and prepare for my independent study next semester. I'm doing an independent study on Bas van Fraassen's constructive empricism. I'm pretty excited about it.
There are enough distractions to keep my attention away from the crazies, but constantly hearing how I'm guilty of some vague indiscretion due to the color of my skin and what's between my legs to get at me, you know?
I'm seriously considering going into the private sector once I finish my master's. Don't know what I'd like to do, but I can figure things out. I've always wanted to be a police detective. Maybe I'll look into that?
Yeah you could just hear the poor grad student become distraught by the sheer insanity of the demand. Honestly I have no idea how I would handle something like that. And the Gamergate reference was just...damn.
How can these people be in any position of authority? That's what eats me up, and it is not just the university now.
CS,
That makes me sad to hear. Don't do anything precipitously!
But, hell, if you're leaving, might as well go out in a blaze of glory...
van Fraassen! The Bas! We should talk. I had a brief flirtation with constructive empiricism. It was a way of decompressing from positivism...
Comments about a policy are not going to get in the way of a masters degree, as such comments don't actually violate the policy. Nothing in that (horrible) policy suggests otherwise. I agree it's a terrible policy.
But how do you feel about the policy, Pete?
What about the policy?
Ok, ok, WE ALL LOVE THE POLICY
Winston-
>That makes me sad to hear. Don't do anything precipitously!
Oh I never do. I've got a year and a half to work this stuff out. I'm probably being dramatic.
>van Fraassen! The Bas! We should talk. I had a brief flirtation with constructive empiricism. It was a way of decompressing from positivism...
Yeah the Bas has become one of my favorite living philosophers. I'm not sure where this independent study is going to take me, but I have some ideas as to what I'd like to get out of it. I can shoot you an email, and we can discuss it a bit if you'd like.
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