It’s a big problem, apparently. The latest is that Rutgers has a guide to keeping your mouth shut so you don’t commit microaggressions. Yeah, imagine that: keeping your mouth shut. Who knew?
The funny thing – and it’s funny, trust me – is that the gist of the Rutgers guide is basically what moms used to tell their 10-year-olds, back when children were “reared,” as opposed to whatever they now call keeping the young alive and free of rabies until they can forage for their own food.
Moms also used to teach their kids not to get their noses out of joint about unintentional insults. Hearing other people say things that were just stupid – not even directed at you; just stupid – wasn’t called “assault” or “bullying.” It was called something like “they weren’t taught any better, hon.” You weren’t under any obligation to let it ruin your life. Mom was there to help you have a life, as opposed to having your mental health enslaved to the inevitable stupidity of others.
Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
Of course, that was a time when stupidity on the part of others wasn’t quite so inevitable. Read the Campus Reform post for how some students now seem to talk as if they belong in an insane asylum.
I know many of today’s college students have spent their brief lives soaking in a very crass popular culture. There’s going to be some stuff to deal with and get over.
But there’s a really useful shortcut to the goal line. Instead of thinking it’s fine to talk like a person who needs to be institutionalized or medicated, and we in the world need to adjust a lot of barnyard rules to make it safe for everyone – instead of doing that, make the conceptual leap. Recognize that you need to stop talking like a person with no judgment, perspective, or character. Full stop.
As far as I can tell, Rutgers feels, weirdly, that it has no option other than specifying one example after another of behavior that will get you in trouble.
It’s as if there’s no taxonomy of good character. No thematic way to appeal to the better nature the left has always said is our baseline state as humans.
Seemingly, the only option Rutgers can see is running around frantically after a student body that comports itself like a herd of sheep on meth, constantly crashing into each other. This seems like the administration’s first mistake: imagining it’s dealing with barnyard animals, as opposed to human beings.
Reagan said there are solutions that aren’t easy, but they are simple. That’s the case with this moronic problem of microaggressions. The growing up will have to start with the faculty and administration, and that may be the tallest order of all. They’ll have to stop getting their own noses out of joint, and stop overdramatizing themselves and putting all their inane nonsense down to a passion for “social justice.” They’ll have to set a better example.
The taxpayers and alumni could also stop the money, to very good effect. Why are we still paying for this anti-education — this tearing down and corrupting of the mind?
It won’t be easy, perhaps. But the solution is simple.
