Published on 12, July, 2020
Did you see the news story last week about the students union that wanted to ban clapping because it might cause distress to sensitive souls like myself. It was the cause of much hilarity on various topical comedy shows. But I thought it was a thoughtful and well-meaning attempt to be a bit more inclusive and maybe a hopeful sign for the future.
Hi. Here is my problem with the debate in general. Am I particularly worried about 1 University bringing in “Jazz Hands?” No.
Nus debates don’t get large audiences and once they leave Uni they will be genuinely shocked at the the visceral nature of the world. Once the students are on the treadmill of work and debt, “jazz hands” will probably end up an amusing anecdote.
A more and less widely publicised worry that I am concerned about is the rise of the far-right. They use the same grooming techniques as extremists to influence young and vulnerable teenagers.
The Government is so worried about them, MI5 has taken over monitoring them from the Police.
Indeed debate is about Critical Theory and other theories is great. But the most immediate danger is not from the left, but the far right.
At no point did I imply that you were. You were concerned with the use of satire though. I see nothing unhealthy in that either.
Nus debates don’t get large audiences and once they leave Uni they will be genuinely shocked at the the visceral nature of the world.
Students leaving NUS debates sometimes do get into positions where they influence people further on in life, after indoctrination. Some of the students will go on to positions where they themselves indoctrinate the next generation of students through being part of the faculty. This is clearly evidenced by this generations academic climate. Shouldn't University be a place that actually prepares them for "the visceral nature of the world". With all of the time and money they invest, it should. Universities should be a place for open discussion, but anyone who stands outside of the group think that is basically the culture are lambasted, ridiculed, and ultimately bullied. Sad really considering that it should be a place for mutual exchanges of ideas.
Once the students are on the treadmill of work and debt, “jazz hands” will probably end up an amusing anecdote.
So they will probably discard the "well meaning" so called "inclusivity" of the "request", and it will be relegated to an anecdote once they enter the arena of society outside of the climate promoted or enforced, depending on your opinion. So in essence they were doing it for no reason, other than to fulfill the "request". They will be ironically be ridiculing something "well meaning".
A more and less widely publicised worry that I am concerned about is the rise of the far-right.
It's more (or less?) widely publicised as you say, so logically it is more noticable. The far-left has basically now infiltrated academia so deeply that Universities are state backed indoctrination centres, with departments entirely dedicated to indoctrination to radical leftist thinking, which leave the unfortunate students in massive debt for their troubles. There is such a thing as "Horseshoe Theory", which is criticised by a majority of academia (I wonder why!), even though it was expanded on out at respected institutions such as Stanford and Harvard, that espouses the theory (backed up by factual evidence) that the radical left and right bolster each others support, and mirror each other in many ways. It's a symbiotic relationship of sorts.
They use the same grooming techniques as extremists to influence young and vulnerable teenagers.
As do the radical left. Indoctrination of the young is absolutely wrong whoever is carrying it out. I briefly attended SWP meetings in my younger days. My ex was Marxist because of her university indoctrination, she's no longer subscribed to it all, she owns her own business. Trust me I heard a lot of stuff that was as hateful as any right wing rhetoric. The turning point for me was when they wanted only women to hand out leaflets at a demo because "They could take the moral high ground if there was any physical stuff", it ended up in a pretty nasty confrontation when I called them out on it. I also saw a guy get more or less excluded because he had left the Trade Unionists because he'd worked and saved for years to start his own business. He was bullied and called "petit bourgoise" because he had started his own business. He still was loyal to their cause though. Disgusting, and these meetings were full of youngsters. It really opened my eyes. All sour grapes, hate, jealousy, infighting, bullying, planning public disorder and violent confrontation.
SWP, ANTIFA, The British Communist Party, ILP, The International Marxist Party, Red Action, I could carry on, have all been monitored by the Police or MI5. So the Govenment are equally concerned about them. It seems a bit weird that the Government are openly admitting to spying actively on a group during an operation. I'm not disputing it, but it usually takes time for them to release details.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2018/oct/15/uk-political-groups-spied-on-undercover-police-list
Looking at that list everyone is being watched!
I'm not talking about the left, you are reframing my points, a bit misleading really. The radical left is just as dangerous. It's subscribed to an ideology that has killed many times more people than Facism. I'm not defending Facism, it's deplorable, I'm making a factual statement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_killings_under_communist_regimes?wprov=sfla1
We aren't going to be in a Communist Regime any time soon but after a few generations of the torch currently being carried in academia being passed on (remember these are the teachers, lawyers, politicians, scientists, doctors, of the future), anything is possible.
I think the radical left and right are equally dangerous. I have a problem with any young mind being radicalised.
This got kind of long, lol. Anyway, all the best!