tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708375.post111451223034628067..comments2024-03-28T03:54:21.932-04:00Comments on Canadian Cynic: What the hell IS it with David Horowitz?CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11406057201126015750noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708375.post-1114536362036766012005-04-26T13:26:00.000-04:002005-04-26T13:26:00.000-04:00Horowitz, having once been a Maoist New Lefty, is ...Horowitz, having once been a Maoist New Lefty, is quite comfortable with authoritarism. Thus academic freedom = what he deems to be acceptable.<BR/><BR/>People like Bush, Horowitz, the religious right, and the pro-Pope Catholic left are all into authoritative governments.Mark Richard Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16331995640397477486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708375.post-1114525326865284172005-04-26T10:22:00.000-04:002005-04-26T10:22:00.000-04:00You know, I used to choose professors who were goo...You know, I used to choose professors who were good, even if -- shock! horror! -- their opinions differed from mine. In fact, I remember distinctly the argument that started when my prof announced that atheism is merely an intellectual fad. Good times.<BR/><BR/>I think that the people who have the trouble in university that the right-wingers are often harping about these days are the people who have a hard time understanding and accepting a differing point of view without feeling compelled to change their own views.<BR/><BR/>It's an important academic skill to say "I understand what you're saying, and I see why you're saying it. And I don't think your argument is convincing." Very few academic arguments, of course -- even in English lit -- are that polite, but that's basically the way it works, and it allows us to continue to work together towards the common goal of understanding and advancing our particular field.<BR/><BR/>It applies to politics too. The kind of people who say "you're with us or you're against us" or boil things down to a binary argument don't deserve a place at the political table. And their time will come.<BR/><BR/>Kind of reminds me of arguing with teenagers, who often see things as binary black and white issues. If you can't find consensus, you're not likely to be very successful.*<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>* Current US administration excepted.M@https://www.blogger.com/profile/13408488215496128814noreply@blogger.com