Harvard Caves to Diversity Mafia
Harvard has recently joined a long line of organizations forced into action from the diversity mafia. They have agreed to adopt new policies aimed at improving the climate for women at Harvard. Many of these "climate" changes are actually good ideas, including child care service and late night transportation options for students (things that you would expect at a premier university like Harvard). In this particular case, the problem isn't about the result (since Harvard surprisingly stood firm against affirmative action hiring of its faculty), it's about the cause.
If you don't remember, Harvard President Lawrence Summers dared pose the hypothesis that women may not be genetically engineered to excel in the areas of mathematics. This hypothesis was made along with several others, in addition to stating that this was merely one of many theories to consider. I know from personal experience that women are able to excel in the areas of Math and Science, since I personally know several that do. That said, this *appears* to be more of an exception to the rule. Why is that? We don't really know. The problem is that if we limit university dialog to an "acceptable" range of thinking, what *won't* we learn in the future on any number of controversial topics. Think Copernicus and Galileo on theories of the Earth orbiting the Sun.
Diversity for the sake of diversity is a dangerous path, and is inherently counter-intuitive to anyone who respects the concept of the individual. Unfortunately, the diversity police in this country currently wield a very big stick, capable of bringing down the highest of authorities. The price we all pay for this diversity could end up being more than they bargained for.
posted by JoeFreedom @ 10:51:00 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Not all cries for greater diversity are radical left-wing conspiracies. Sometimes (just sometimes) an inequity is seen and it is right to question why it comes about. For instance, in one study, why did 88% of men identified as having scientific promise receive tenure, but only 40% of the women identified in the same study? (http://www.ecclectica.ca/issues/2002/4/wright.asp) Is there something that we're missing in our current system? Is there something that women bring to the table that isn't being valued properly?
In this case, Summers is rightly both criticized and praised. Praised for his willingness to ask a hard question. And criticized for his indelicacy, given his immense stature in the area of academics. (http://slate.msn.com/id/2112799/)
Diversity purely for diversity's sake is hardly defensible as a good thing. This, however, is not one of those cases.
"Not all cries for greater diversity are radical left-wing conspiracies."
Agreed.
"Sometimes (just sometimes) an inequity is seen and it is right to question why it comes about."
Absolutely.
"In this case, Summers is rightly both criticized and praised. Praised for his willingness to ask a hard question. And criticized for his indelicacy, given his immense stature in the area of academics."
Sure, given Summers position it may have been wise for him to speak more delicately. The issue is that it could have been any Harvard or other College Professor, Student, or Janitor making this statement, and the same uproar would have ensued. Well, maybe not for the Janitor.
"Diversity purely for diversity's sake is hardly defensible as a good thing."
The diversity crowd (including many elected officials in high offices) would disagree with that statement.
"This, however, is not one of those cases."
I wasn't originally happy with my summary in this post, as I too noted that this particular case was not representative of the more egregious violations of the individual (as stated, in this case it is more about the means than the end). That said, I decided to go ahead and leave it in to make a broader point about the diversity movement. It was more of a topical statement than a reinforcement of an argument. I should have been clearer on that in the original post.
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