AAUP Tacitly Admits Discrimination Against Conservatives in Academia

To my mind, the most astonishing thing about this is that anyone could honestly think that the academic left is adept at critical inquiry... In fact--especially when it comes to political and "culture-war"-related issues--it would hard to find a groups that's more deeply-immersed in its own echo chamber...

It’s been often claimed that conservatives are largely non-existent in academe because they are drawn to money-making careers. Glad to see this canard utterly obliterated by the American Association of University Professors, who admit that conservatives are effectively purged… https://t.co/K8laiCH3Eq

— Patrick Deneen (@PatrickDeneen) October 22, 2025

    The academic left has been enthralled by outright absurd theories about race, sex, "gender," class, etc...not to mention many other things...for at least the last 50 years. The most absurd ideas you've ever heard are often de rigueur in wide swaths of the academy--from Women have penises to Reality is socially constructed... Mindless, brainless ideas from the left are commonly recited on campus as if they were the plainest truth...and often with the smug sanctimony of the invincibly self-satisfied.
   It is true that the academic left is apt to "challenge traditional norms"...but that's almost just definitive of the left. They reflexively...even mindlessly...challenge traditional norms. Challenging traditional ideas is basically taken as undeniably good...no matter how stupid those challenges might be. So this isn't really so much a virtue...it's really nothing to crow about...

   As for genuinely deep and rational thought in academia...honestly, I tend to think conservatives are better. Leftist academicians are more likely to be herd animals. Conservative academicians are more likely to be independent-minded. But this is a general phenomenon--someone who bucks the herd mentality may do it mindlessly...but more often doesn't.

   And finally: is it any surprise that those in the majority value peer review more highly? More of their peers agree with them, after all... (Note: I'm cynical about peer review...but I don't have a better idea...)

Oh, and: the "fascism" nonsense actually slipped right by me...that sort of mindless crap from the left is just background noise to me at this point.