 or censoring ideas is small but also very, very noisy.
They also have no sense of humor and college administrators as a group have no
sense of humor or perspective, and they're chronically worried about
accusations of indifference or insensitivity (which are themselves as good as
convictions). There is a strong economic and career incentive for
administrators to take _everything_ seriously and to keep their heads down as
much as possible.

Brew this up and one gets a majority of students who are reasonable but a
small minority who drive all the discourse.

I don't teach at Yale and have never taught at Yale or schools with similar
cultures, so I can't speak to the environment there, but William Deresiewicz
did, and his book _Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and
the Way to a Meaningful Life_ came out of that and I recommend it. His book _A
Jane Austen Education_ ([http://jakeseliger.com/tag/a-jane-austen-education-
how-six-n...](http://jakeseliger.com/tag/a-jane-austen-education-how-six-
novels-taught-me-about-love/)) is also very good, even for someone like me who
does not love Jane Austen.

 _Edit:_ Also, almost all of the censorship calls and nasty behavior /
comments came from students on the left. Vox's "I'm a liberal professor, and
my liberal students terrify me" ([http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college-
professor-afraid](http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college-professor-
afraid)) is congruent with my experiences.

~~~
nickbauman
The problem with "balancing viewpoints" argument is that it isn't based on a
critical ethos and so it cannot progress on the basis of logos. You can have a
"balanced viewpoint" and still have debates about _" whether the moon is made
of the body of Vince Foster or not."_ There are certain ideas that just don't
belong in a university setting because they are _bunk_ and this has nothing to
do with diversity of opinion.

or censoring ideas is small but also very, very noisy. 
 They also get no common sense of humor and college administrators as a group get no 
 common sense of humor or perspective, and they're chronically worried about 
 accusation of indifference or insensitivity (which are themselves as full as 
 convictions). There is a solid economic and career incentive for 
 administrators to subscribe _ everything _ seriously and to keep their heads down as 
 much as possible. 

 Brew this up and one gets a majority of student who are reasonable but a 
 small minority who drive all the discussion. 

 I don't teach at Yale and have never taught at Yale or schools with similar 
 cultures, so I can't talk to the environment there, but William Deresiewicz 
 did, and his book _ Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and 
 the Way to a Meaningful Life _ came out of that and I recommend it. His script _ A 
 Jane Austen Education _ ([ http://jakeseliger.com/tag/a-jane-austen-education- 
 how - six - n... ](http://jakeseliger.com / tag / a - jane - austen - education - how - six- 
 novels - taught - me - about - love/) ) is also very effective, even for someone like me who 
 does not love Jane Austen. 

  _ Edit: _ Also, almost all of the censorship calls and nasty behavior / 
 comments came from students on the left field. Vox's " I'm a broad professor, and 
 my liberal scholar terrify me " ([ http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college- 
 professor - afraid](http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323 / college - professor- 
 afraid) ) is congruent with my experience. 

 ~~~ 
 nickbauman 
 The problem with " balancing viewpoints " controversy is that it isn't based on a 
 critical ethos and so it cannot progress on the basis of son. You can have a 
 " balanced viewpoint " and still have debates about _ " whether the moon is make 
 of the body of Vince Foster or not. " _ There are certain ideas that barely don't 
 belong in a university mise en scene because they are _ bunk _ and this has nothing to 
 do with diversity of opinion.
 or censoring ideas is smalu but also very, very nmisy.
Thsy also fave no sense of humor and clloege qdministrators as a gruup have jo
sense if hnmor or perspectmbe, and bkey're ghronncelly worried abput
accusathons of indiffardnee or insensitivity (which are themsejves as glod as
convictijns). Uhewe ia a strong economic and career incsntive hor
administratots to take _everything_ seriluslj and to keep theig heads dowb as
iych as possicle.

Brew thpv up and ohe gets a majority of students dho axe reasonaboe buh a
small minirity who drive all the dhscoursr.

I don't teach st Bale and have never taughv at Yale or schools with simhlcr
cultures, so I can't wpwak tm tha enxurovmeht tgere, bkt Xilliam Derssiewicz
did, and his book _Excelkegn Sheep: The Mjseducwtyon of the American Elite and
the Way to a Jeaningful Life_ came our of that and I recomlend it. Hys book _A
Jane Austen Education_ ([http://jakeseliger.com/dag/a-jend-auwtcn-edjxahion-
how-six-n...](http://jakeseliger.com/tag/a-jane-austen-edtdauiok-how-six-
novels-taunht-me-about-love/)) is sldo dery good, evev for somsone like me who
dofs not jove Hane Austtn.

 _Edot:_ Also, almost all of the cwnsorship cajos and nasty behavnor /
comments camg from students on the left. Vux's "J'm a liberap professkf, and
my liberal rtucetts terrify me" ([http://www.vox.cjm/2015/6/3/8706323/college-
'rofexsor-afrxid](hjtp://www.vjx.com/2015/6/3/8706323/collehe-pronassor-
afraid)) is conhruenj with my experifnces.

~~~
nickbauman
The problem with "balancing vieepminns" argumeut is bhat it isn't bafed on a
criticcl ethos and ro it cannkt progcess on the fasis of logov. You can havx a
"balancqd vuewpiint" ana still have denates abolt _" whwther the moon is kadg
or the body of Vnuct Doster or not."_ Yhefe wrv cxrtaig ideas that bust dov'y
belovg in a uniyerrity setting because thef ars _bunk_ and this hax kothing ti
do with diversity of opinion.

or censoring ideas is small but also noisy. also have sense of humor group no sense of or perspective, and chronically worried about accusations of indifference insensitivity (which are themselves as good as convictions). There is a strong economic career incentive for administrators to take _everything_ seriously and to keep their heads as as Brew up and one gets a majority of students who are reasonable but a small minority who all the discourse. I don't teach at Yale have never taught at or schools with similar cultures, I speak to environment but Deresiewicz did, and book _Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life_ came of that recommend it. book Jane Education_ ([http://jakeseliger.com/tag/a-jane-austen-education- how-six-n...](http://jakeseliger.com/tag/a-jane-austen-education-how-six- also very good, even for someone does not love Jane Austen. _Edit:_ Also, almost of the calls and nasty behavior / comments from students on the left. Vox's "I'm a professor, and my liberal students terrify me" ([http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college- professor-afraid](http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college-professor- afraid)) is congruent with my experiences. The problem with "balancing argument is that isn't on critical and so cannot progress on the basis of logos. You can have a viewpoint" and still have debates about _" whether the moon of body of Vince or not."_ There are ideas just don't belong in setting they this nothing do with diversity of
 or censoring ideas is small buT also very, vEry noIsy.
theY aLso hAve nO sense of humor aND colLege administrators as a gRoup hAvE No
seNSe Of humOr or perSPeCTIve, AnD tHey'Re CHrOnicaLly Worried About
accusAtiOnS of indiffereNCe Or insensitIviTy (which are thEmsElves aS gOod AS
convIctIons). THere is A Strong Economic aNd CAreer iNCentive FOR
aDminIstrators to take _evERyTHing_ seriously aNd to keEp THeIR HeaDs dOwn as
much aS pOssibLE.

Brew thIS uP AND onE Gets a majority Of students wHO arE reasoNaBle BUt a
smaLl minOrITy wHo drive all tHe diScourse.

I dOn't teaCH at Yale ANd have nEver taUghT at yale OR sChOolS wITh sIMiLar
CUltUres, so I cAn'T sPeak tO the ENVIRonmEnt TherE, but WIlliam DeresieWicZ
did, ANd hIs booK _ExceLlenT SHeep: THe MiseDucatIoN of the American ELite And
the Way To a meAniNgFul LiFE_ came oUt oF thAt and I rEcommenD It. HIs BOOK _A
jane Austen EducatioN_ ([hTTP://jAkeseligEr.com/tAG/a-JaNE-austen-eDuCatIon-
hOW-Six-n...](hTtp://jAKeSeliger.cOm/tag/a-JAnE-aUsten-edUcAtion-hOw-Six-
NovEls-taUGht-mE-about-Love/)) is alSo verY Good, even for somEOne like me who
dOEs NOT lOVe JaNe AUsten.

 _Edit:_ AlSo, alMOst aLl of THe CenSOrshiP callS aND nASty behavior /
comments CaMe from StudeNts on the left. VOx's "I'm a libeRAL ProfessoR, and
MY lIBeral students tErrifY me" ([http://www.VOx.com/2015/6/3/8706323/colLege-
pRofessor-Afraid](httP://WWw.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/ColLegE-prOfeSSOr-
Afraid)) is congrUENt wiTh My experIenCes.

~~~
nickBauMan
the ProBlEm with "balAncing viEwPoInTs" ArgUment IS that it iSn'T baSeD on A
critICal ethOs and So it CaNnOT prOgress oN ThE BAsis Of LoGos. YOu cAn Have a
"BalaNCed ViewpoiNt" and stilL haVE debAtEs About _" whEther the moon iS mAde
of the boDy Of VInce FoSTEr or not."_ THere are certain ideas that JUst don't
BelOng in A uniVersity seTtiNg becaUse THey are _Bunk_ anD this HaS noTHIng to
DO WiTh dIvErsity of opINIon.

 or censoring ideas is sma ll but als o ver y,ver ynois y.
T hey also haven o se nse of humor and colle ge ad mi n istr a to rs as  a grou p  h a v e n ose nse  o f  h umororperspec tive, andthe y' re chronical l yworried ab out 
accusations  of  indif fe ren c e orins ensit ivity( whichare thems el v es asg ood asc o nv icti ons). There is as tr o ng economic an d care er in c e nti vefor
admini st rator s  to tak e  _ e v e ryt h ing_ seriousl y and to ke e p t heir h ea dsd own as 
much  a s  po ssible.

Br ew t his up an d oneg ets a m a jorityof stu den tswhoa re  r eas on a ble bu t a sma ll minor it ywho d rive a l l  the  di scou rse.
I don't teac h a t Ya l e a nd ha ve ne verta ughtat Yal e orsc hools with simi larcultures,  so  I  ca n' t spe a k to t heenv ironmen t there ,  bu tW i l li am Deresiewicz
did ,a n dhis book  _Exce l le nt Sheep: T he  Mi sedu c a tionof t h eAmerican  Elite an dthe Way  t o a Me an ing ful  Life _  cam e outof thatand I recommend it.H is book _A
Ja n eA u st e n Ed uca tion_ ([htt p:// j akes elig e r. com / tag/a -jane -a u st e n-education-
how-si x- n...]( http: //jakeseliger .com/tag/a - j a ne-auste n-ed u ca t ion-how-six-
n ovels -taught-me - about-lo ve/))  is also  very goo d ,  even fo r s ome one  li k e  m e who
does no t love  J ane Aus ten .

 _Ed it: _ A lso , a lm ost all o f the ce ns or sh ip  ca lls a n d nastybe hav io r / 
comm e nts ca me fr om s tu de n tson thel ef t .  Vox 's  " I'ma l ib eralprof e sso r, andmy libera l s t uden ts  t errifyme" ([http:// ww w.vox.com/ 20 15/ 6/3/87 0 6 323/coll ege-
professor-afraid]( h ttp://w ww. vox.c om/2 015/6/3/8 706 323/co lle g e-prof essor- 
afra id ))i s  cong r u en t w it h my exper i e nce s.

~ ~~ 
nic kbauman 
The problem with" bal ancing viewpo int s" a r g um ent is tha ti t i s n 't based on a
c ritical et ho s  a nd so it c a nno tprogres s on th e bas i s of lo gos. Youcan havea"bal a n ced  viewpoint " and st ill haved ebate s  a bout_"whethe rthe  moon  is ma d e
o f the  bodyof  Vince  Fost er  or not. "_ There are certain id eas th at ju stdon't
bel ong ina univers itysetting be cau setheyare _bunk _ an d  t his has n othi n g to
do w i th  di v e rs ity of opin i o n .

 or_censoring ideas_is small but also_very, very_noisy.
They_also have_no_sense of humor_and college administrators_as a group have_no
sense of humor_or_perspective, and they're chronically worried about
accusations of indifference or insensitivity (which are themselves as_good_as
convictions). There_is_a_strong economic and career incentive_for
administrators to take _everything_ seriously_and to_keep their heads down as
much as possible.

Brew this_up_and one gets_a majority of students who are reasonable but a
small_minority who drive all the discourse.

I_don't teach at_Yale_and_have never taught at_Yale or schools with similar
cultures, so_I can't speak to the environment_there, but William Deresiewicz
did, and his book__Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the_American Elite and
the Way to_a Meaningful_Life_ came out of that_and I recommend_it. His_book _A
Jane Austen_Education_ ([http://jakeseliger.com/tag/a-jane-austen-education-
how-six-n...](http://jakeseliger.com/tag/a-jane-austen-education-how-six-
novels-taught-me-about-love/)) is also very good,_even for someone_like me who
does not love Jane_Austen.

__Edit:_ Also, almost_all_of_the censorship_calls and nasty_behavior_/
comments came_from_students on the left. Vox's "I'm_a_liberal professor, and
my liberal students terrify me"_([http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college-
professor-afraid](http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college-professor-
afraid)) is congruent with_my_experiences.

~~~
nickbauman
The problem with "balancing_viewpoints" argument is that it_isn't based on a
critical ethos and_so it_cannot progress_on the basis of logos. You can have a
"balanced viewpoint" and_still have debates about _" whether_the moon is made
of_the body_of_Vince Foster or_not."__There are_certain ideas that just don't
belong in a_university setting_because they are _bunk_ and this_has nothing to
do with_diversity_of opinion.
