Too many modern students refuse to learn tolerance and respect for diversity of opinion, by Rita Panahi.
ONCE upon a time, universities were centres of excellence, achievement and critical thinking. It’s where the best and brightest would expand their minds and engage in robust debates, exploring ideas ranging from the conventional to the contentious. Those days are long gone.
In my experience of the last thirty years, universities have declined markedly as student numbers swelled and politically correctness blossomed. The universities are now run by administrators rather than academics, by bureaucrats attuned to money and politics.
Sadly, universities, particularly the arts and humanities disciplines, are now inhabited by too many entitled, insufferable idiots with the coping skills of overtired toddlers.
The snowflake generation can neither cope with nor tolerate beliefs, attitudes or opinions that differ from their own. Infantilised and indulged from birth to early adulthood, these echo-chamber-dwelling dolts have developed totalitarian attitudes which demand that dissenting voices be silenced. In an effort to shut down debate, these activist students — whose warped idea of “social justice” and independent thought is regurgitating far-Left talking points with a total disregard for the truth — will abuse, bully and threaten anyone they consider an ideological opponent.
Australia has imported this nonsense from the US and UK:
La Trobe University’s student union passed a motion to use trigger warnings in student council meetings. Its list of issues requiring a trigger warning is extensive, including the usual fare such as eating disorders, rape, suicide and violence, but also includes vomit, snakes, spiders, Islamophobia, needles, slimy things, insects, classism, food, eye contact, misophonia (hatred of sounds), pregnancy, queerphobia, transphobia, transmisogyny, weapons, sex, and any discussion of “isms” including “shaming, or hatred of any kind (racism, classism, hatred of cultures/ethnicities that differ from your own, sexism, hatred of sexualities or genders that differ from your own, anti-multiple, non-vanilla shaming, sex positive shaming, fat shaming/body image shaming, neuroatypical shaming).” …
Any member of the student council failing to abide by those absurd guidelines will face disciplinary action.
Student unions at prestigious Melbourne, Monash and Sydney universities have also adopted the use of trigger warnings. …
Here’s how to handle it guys (also from the US and UK, so you can feel safe copying it):
[T[he University of Chicago … issued a letter to all incoming students explaining that it was committed to “freedom of inquiry and expression” even if that meant rigorous debate that might leave the student uncomfortable. The letter read:
“Members of our community are encouraged to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn, without fear of censorship. Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so called ‘trigger warnings’, we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own.” …
Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins summed it up beautifully when he tweeted: “A university is not a ‘safe space’. If you need a safe space, leave, go home, hug your teddy and suck your thumb until ready for university.”
A reader adds:
Led by the looney left our world will continue to collapse. Defenders of free speech be strong.
