You are very kind. My story is simply an indication of how deeply and vigorously the Woke Mind Virus has captured our institutions. The harms NU does to young people far surpasses any harm I have suffered from the deeply un-American experience I had. Still no retraction, no apology, and no change in NU's behaviors and policies regarding speech. Which is why NU is near the bery bottom of the www.theFIRE.org free speech rankings. As the 2018 Lukianoff & Haidt book (www.theCoddling.com) details, NU focus on "safetyism" promotes three big lies to students: 1) words are violence, 2) your feeling are THE most important thing, and 3) people are either all good or all evil.
I’ve written about that before here and there. It’s just a more current term for “social justice in practice”, which is basically the core of what I wrote about
I butted heads with a very dark side and the damage it has been doing to our kids and society. Happy to have the conversation and maybe explore a bigger conversation
Great article and a good reminder of why I am hoping my 18-year-old gets accepted and chooses to go to my alma mater of Hillsdale College in Michigan where he won't have to deal with that type of environment.
I’ve also seen “toxic masculinity” taught to high school students in NYC. I was hired as a guest specialist to work with an ELA teacher to develop and facilitate drama lessons to deepen students’ understanding of assigned novels. The class was beginning a new book with elements of magical realism. I proposed creating a unit on how magical realism can be performed on stage. The teacher wasn’t interested. She said she wanted me to create a unit on “theater and toxic masculinity.” The students were 14 years old. I told her I didn’t know enough about the concept to write that unit. I was removed from her class and assigned to a different teacher. Every time I walked by her room, I heard her drone, “toooooxic masculiiiiiiiinity.” I felt so bad for those 14 year-old high school students because, unlike college students, high school teens can’t drop ELA or transfer to another school. They are a captive audience.
This stuff is nuts. What educators are doing is out of control and cruel. Sadly when I try to explain why this stuff is wrong to people who I formerly thought to be rational adults, they double-down.
That’s the same reason why I usually avoid political discussions. Everyone wants to be “right”/correct and nobody wants to talk about solutions or how we can become better as a society.
My high school class valedictorian Paula fell afoul of toxic femininity all the way back in 1977 at Oberlin. She attempted to come out, but the lesbian community there was 100% committed to men being toxic. Since she was bi, she was at least tentatively guilty of sleeping with the enemy and had to hide in a different closet than the one she was in back home. She ended up researching bisexuality within lesbian communities, earned a doctorate and published a book. I was too stuck in my conservative family of origin to date her, but there was definitely energy there.
"My professors taught me that men are “oppressors.” They suffer from “cisheteronormativity.” They “reinforce the patriarchy by their very existence,” according to an old notebook I have. Men’s “toxic masculinity” causes everything from dating problems to the destruction of women’s self-esteem."
OHHHHH BOY!!!! I can't believe this is called "education." Wow.
The Left errs in trying to control how we think believing the outcome will be in what we do. Systemic racism stopped being systemic when the laws were able to enforce painful enough consequences that people chose differently. The prospective landlord may be a racist but if the fear of getting sued incentivizes him to not act like a racist and rent you that place then the system has worked. It doesn't always and that's ok.
What is means to "be a man" is a very personal journey for each man. I still remember when we let our babies crawl on the floor and eat dirt. I remember when the playground was where a dispute was settled between 10 years olds without any adults. Somehow after a dispute was settled and a black eye went away the kids usually found a way to be friends.
Hi, I usually do investigations from scratch. But if your article idea is related to higher ed, feel free to hit me up. And thanks for reading, Jon! It's always nice to see you around. Did you go to CPAC by chance? I didn't but want to go next year.
I didn't. I have actually never been to CPAC. Some day, maybe. The article I have isn't on education. It's more on civil liberties, and how local governments are using AI cameras to catch drivers on their phones. There was a local story here about it, and I thought it could make a decent national story. It's wouldn't have to be from scratch. Might not be up your alley, but thought I'd check.
Your description of that program at NU helps explain the experience I had a few years ago: https://hxstem.substack.com/p/northwestern-cancels-former-trustee
Ben, I pinned your comment to the top of the comments section. Your story is incredible. Thanks for reading my piece and commenting.
You are very kind. My story is simply an indication of how deeply and vigorously the Woke Mind Virus has captured our institutions. The harms NU does to young people far surpasses any harm I have suffered from the deeply un-American experience I had. Still no retraction, no apology, and no change in NU's behaviors and policies regarding speech. Which is why NU is near the bery bottom of the www.theFIRE.org free speech rankings. As the 2018 Lukianoff & Haidt book (www.theCoddling.com) details, NU focus on "safetyism" promotes three big lies to students: 1) words are violence, 2) your feeling are THE most important thing, and 3) people are either all good or all evil.
I was just thinking about FIRE! I had attended a bunch of their conferences as a college student. They're great.
Tell me when you are ready to take on the unspoken evil of DEI, the part is very much anti-diversity
I’ve written about that before here and there. It’s just a more current term for “social justice in practice”, which is basically the core of what I wrote about
I butted heads with a very dark side and the damage it has been doing to our kids and society. Happy to have the conversation and maybe explore a bigger conversation
Great article and a good reminder of why I am hoping my 18-year-old gets accepted and chooses to go to my alma mater of Hillsdale College in Michigan where he won't have to deal with that type of environment.
Ah man, if I knew about Hillsdale when I was applying to colleges maybe I’d have a different life story.
I’ve also seen “toxic masculinity” taught to high school students in NYC. I was hired as a guest specialist to work with an ELA teacher to develop and facilitate drama lessons to deepen students’ understanding of assigned novels. The class was beginning a new book with elements of magical realism. I proposed creating a unit on how magical realism can be performed on stage. The teacher wasn’t interested. She said she wanted me to create a unit on “theater and toxic masculinity.” The students were 14 years old. I told her I didn’t know enough about the concept to write that unit. I was removed from her class and assigned to a different teacher. Every time I walked by her room, I heard her drone, “toooooxic masculiiiiiiiinity.” I felt so bad for those 14 year-old high school students because, unlike college students, high school teens can’t drop ELA or transfer to another school. They are a captive audience.
When I was 15, I was in a women’s upper level psychology course at my local university.
My professor made us sign a petition against the campus Subway because their sub sandwiches were “phallic imagery”
This stuff is nuts. What educators are doing is out of control and cruel. Sadly when I try to explain why this stuff is wrong to people who I formerly thought to be rational adults, they double-down.
That’s the same reason why I usually avoid political discussions. Everyone wants to be “right”/correct and nobody wants to talk about solutions or how we can become better as a society.
That is truly sick. Good Lord.
So true. Great post. It's also toxic to women who are now raised to fear and hate men. I am so glad I'm Gen X. We like our men.
One of my takes on that: https://www.splicetoday.com/sex/the-beauty-of-female-passion
Wow I love this
My high school class valedictorian Paula fell afoul of toxic femininity all the way back in 1977 at Oberlin. She attempted to come out, but the lesbian community there was 100% committed to men being toxic. Since she was bi, she was at least tentatively guilty of sleeping with the enemy and had to hide in a different closet than the one she was in back home. She ended up researching bisexuality within lesbian communities, earned a doctorate and published a book. I was too stuck in my conservative family of origin to date her, but there was definitely energy there.
Could have ended the article at "Why colleges should stop teaching." These institutions haven't helped anyone since Plato was alive
I’m sorry you weren’t interested in reading. Maybe next time? 😜
"My professors taught me that men are “oppressors.” They suffer from “cisheteronormativity.” They “reinforce the patriarchy by their very existence,” according to an old notebook I have. Men’s “toxic masculinity” causes everything from dating problems to the destruction of women’s self-esteem."
OHHHHH BOY!!!! I can't believe this is called "education." Wow.
Enjoyed the piece.
Thanks Michael!
The Left errs in trying to control how we think believing the outcome will be in what we do. Systemic racism stopped being systemic when the laws were able to enforce painful enough consequences that people chose differently. The prospective landlord may be a racist but if the fear of getting sued incentivizes him to not act like a racist and rent you that place then the system has worked. It doesn't always and that's ok.
What is means to "be a man" is a very personal journey for each man. I still remember when we let our babies crawl on the floor and eat dirt. I remember when the playground was where a dispute was settled between 10 years olds without any adults. Somehow after a dispute was settled and a black eye went away the kids usually found a way to be friends.
Thanks for reading, as always!
Amen Sister!
Are you doing any freelance work, Toni? I have an article and am looking for a writer. Might be something up your alley.
Hi, I usually do investigations from scratch. But if your article idea is related to higher ed, feel free to hit me up. And thanks for reading, Jon! It's always nice to see you around. Did you go to CPAC by chance? I didn't but want to go next year.
I didn't. I have actually never been to CPAC. Some day, maybe. The article I have isn't on education. It's more on civil liberties, and how local governments are using AI cameras to catch drivers on their phones. There was a local story here about it, and I thought it could make a decent national story. It's wouldn't have to be from scratch. Might not be up your alley, but thought I'd check.