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Re: Fred on Education
Posted:
May 29, 2001 1:36 PM
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One has to wonder what the local curmudgeons think of this. Why, the
attitude toward teachers seems not too far off what Bishop and his
cohort have exhibited in the past. There is one distinguishing
characteristic that makes it very clear that it could not have come
from this bunch--Fred Reed actually writes well. Not "grammatical
English" well, but he can actually express thought. There may not be
much to this thought, but, at least, it's a thought.
VS-)
>More of his writings can be found at: http://www.fredoneverything.net/
>...
> You would think that professors in universities would be brilliant,
>intellectually fearless, and seek truth wherever it might take refuge.
>No. Professors are fervent moral cowards, which is why the
> universities are the dark night of the mind. When's the last time you
>heard of a new thought coming from campus? If the average prof ran into
>an original idea, he'd have it quarantined.
>
> Note that universities are home to the most rigidly controlled thought
>outside of North Korea. The slightest wiggle, the merest glint of
>political incorrectness leads to ostracism, fining, expulsion, marches,
>riots, and book burning. You find more diversity of thought, and more
>vigorous expression, in a Tennessee roadhouse.
>
> Why? Well, what people are attracted to professing? Reasonably bright
>folk drawn by the womb-like security of tenure. They prefer safe,
>anonymous riskless placidity to winging it and maybe getting bruised. If
>they had courage, ambition, or originality, they would be somewhere
>else. Professors, our guardians of ideas, are terrified of them.
>
> Exactly the wrong people.
>
> For that matter, look at teachers in secondary school. Presumably
>teachers should be bright and educated with an appreciation of the
>advantages of civilization. Ideally they would speak grammatical
>English.
>
> In fact they are dead bottom among professions. They rank in tests just
>above PE majors, but below dromedaries. They have no obvious interest in
>schooling, and in fact seem to actively resent it. Notice the grinding
>insistence on social conditioning, on lowering standards so as not to
>hurt feelings.
>
> Why? Because they're dumb as sea cucumbers. I don't mean alert sea
>cucumbers, with a gleam in the eye, that might be going to night school
>to better themselves. No. I mean affirmative-action sea cucumbers. They
>detest education because it threatens them.
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