Wow, just WOW.
Remember when Free Speech was uniquely American? When we were the only country with a First Amendment right to speak our minds freely? When all comers were given quarter whether we approved of their ideology or not? Even Nazis - the real kind, not the made-up post-modern Nazis created by sitcom writers and other linguistically challenged liberal activists who don’t know their Left-wing National Socialists from their Left-wing Fascists.
But now “it is important to distinguish intellectual diversity from hate speech on college campuses” because the really big brains at Harvard and other elite colleges in the formerly Land of the Free and Home of the Brave have adopted Europe’s “No Platform” policy in order to contain dangerous ideas on campus. All this to accommodate the “badass believers in human rights” concept of “equity, empathy, goodness and love” - in other words, snowflakes:
H/T Francinepink, who really must spend less time on Facebook
Generation Snowflake seems to live in fear of actual free speech, requiring safe spaces from microaggressions, trigger warnings for potentially upsetting concepts and words, and strident “no platforming” of anyone they disagree with. Many have proffered theories as to why this cohort is so fragile and committed to being epically offended on behalf of both themselves and others. None has done it better than Claire Fox in “I Find That Offensive” in which she cites several root causes for their constant vexation. The first is an education/culture that fills their skulls with the dogma of ethical relativism, a theory that holds complicated issues like “multiculturalism” must not only be tolerated but embraced as superior to “white privilege.” Interesting how liberalism is “nuanced” about everything except where nuance might prove useful.
The second reason Fox cites is the rise of narcissistic identity politics which raises “victimhood” to the level of sainthood. In this miasma if you’re not oppressed enough (i.e. born into white privilege) you need to adopt the victimhood of others and bear it as your own.
The third factor contributing to Generation Snowflake’s epic melt down is none other than good intentions: specifically therapeutic educational interventions such as the self-esteem movement and anti-bullying campaigns. It’s hard to know how to deal with disagreement, adversity and defeat constructively when you’ve never been exposed to any of them.
Hence we find ourselves in battle with people who honestly believe their ‘nuanced’ superior viewpoints should take precedence overall others, and that viewpoints contrary to their own present a source of serious harm to victims everywhere and therefore need to be outlawed. Hearty congratulations to the Department of Education and the NEA! You’ve created a generation (or two) of solipsists who actually think they are empathetic - having confused that nuanced concept with sympathy. But as they say, close enough for government work.
Today’s Post Dedicated to Betsy DeVos, the new Secretary of Education: DRAIN THE SWAMP! And Godspeed Betsy.
Linked By: BlogsLucianneLoves, and Free Republic, Thanks!
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