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American colleges in crisis with enrollment decline largest on record

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Re: American colleges in crisis with enrollment decline largest on record

#71
post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You proposed a definition of “Left”. I pointed out your definition doesn’t work because taken literally it incorporates things which nobody in their right mind would call “Left”. I am engaging in discourse-I don’t feel like you are.

The "We are the 99%!" crowd were decidedly left, but that is beside the point. I said I see no difference of substance between class, race, and sexuality insofar as politics is concerned, it's all identity politics all the way down. You have provided nothing to suggest otherwise.

> The "We are the 99%!" crowd were decidedly left, but that is beside the point.

That was more than 10 years ago though. A lot has changed in the decade+ since. 2023 “progressivism” differs in many ways from its 2011 incarnation, to the point that you have to ask if it is still the same thing, or has evolved (or been hijacked) into something else

> I said I see no difference of substance between class, race, and sexuality insofar as politics is concerned, it's all identity politics all the way down.

“Identity politics” isn’t exclusive to “the Left” however-nationalism is a form of “identity politics” too, and while there are “left” versions of it, the majority of it is usually considered “right”. White nationalism, Christian nationalism, Kahanism, Islamism, Nazism, “men’s rights activists”, “incels”, etc - all are examples of “right-wing identity politics”. So, defining “left” in terms of “identity politics” doesn’t work

Re: American colleges in crisis with enrollment decline largest on record

#72
post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "We are the 99%!" crowd were decidedly left, but that is beside the point. I said I see no difference of substance between class, race, and sexuality insofar as politics is concerned, it's all identity politics all the way down. You have provided nothing to suggest otherwise.

> The "We are the 99%!" crowd were decidedly left, but that is beside the point. That was more than 10 years ago though. A lot has changed in the decade+ since. 2023 “progressivism” differs in many ways from its 2011 incarnation, to the point that you have to ask if it is still the same thing, or has evolved (or been hijacked) into something else > I said I see no difference of substance between class, race, and sexu…

You still haven't answered my argument; given you're trying to evade and reframe again, I'll assume you can't actually answer me.

Re: American colleges in crisis with enrollment decline largest on record

#73
post #17

Shame that. Last time I drove past a college in the US it was the day the hat sorts people into fraternities or however that works and there was a great big cardboard sign on the lawn with a poignant message scribbled in sharpie: "Thank you for your daughters" Quite the facial expressions on parents dropping off their kids and good chunk of life savings at these ivory towers.

Interesting how this only goes one way. Would it have the same effect if at a sorority there was a sign that read "Thank you for your sons"?

What percentage of men vs women get raped?

These what-ifs are so fucking odious because they’re completely divorced from what actually happens in the real world.

Re: American colleges in crisis with enrollment decline largest on record

#74

I remember from some video on youtube that colleges in US used to be cheaper because government gave a lot of money to subsidise education. It stopped when government figured out that it was essentially paying to create citizens with progressive ideas and critical thought. There may be a lot of things wrong with colleges but they are essential and should be saved.

>” It stopped when government figured out that it was essentially paying to create citizens with progressive ideas and critical thought.” I have no idea what that video is basing this on. The government continues to substantially subsidize college education through guaranteed loans, Pell grants, tax breaks, and research grants. And, colleges/universities had a reputation for “progressive ideas” since the 1960’s and i…

State governments have massively dropped their support for colleges. And the federal govt’s support has barely kept up with rising inflation, never mind the inflated rise in college costs.

In fact, one of the only major changes the federal govt has made in the last couple of decades is to make college loans something you cannot get rid of in a bankruptcy.

Re: American colleges in crisis with enrollment decline largest on record

#75
I found that the first two years of college were basically a repeat of my final year of high school, done to get everyone coming from different high schools around the nation to the same level. There was a semester class on how to use the library, in geography I colored a map of the United States and was tested on state capitals, business class covered supply and demand for those not exposed to the concept previously, the history of the world ended in 1945 because everything after was too controversial to discuss in a state funded school - same as in grade school and high school. Then I ran out of money, so I left, and I never looked back.

Overall college was a waste - more useful for atheists to get married then anything else. In the age of tender and online dating maybe it’s not even good for that.

My advice to people is just leave, get an entry level IT job, start getting experience. You will be working next to people who have six figures of college debt, but unless you tell them they will likely never know. I’m happy to tell them which school I went to if it comes up in conversation, I just omit the part that I left without obtaining a degree.

In the beginning I got turned down for loans occasionally because I didn’t obtain a degree, but no bank has asked my educational background since the 90s.

Of course if you want a non-IT job like practicing law then this may not work because many state bars require a regular college degree in addition to everything else and there is no flexibility. Same with anything medical that doesn’t involve hair exclusively.

Re: American colleges in crisis with enrollment decline largest on record

#76
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The "We are the 99%!" crowd were decidedly left, but that is beside the point. That was more than 10 years ago though. A lot has changed in the decade+ since. 2023 “progressivism” differs in many ways from its 2011 incarnation, to the point that you have to ask if it is still the same thing, or has evolved (or been hijacked) into something else > I said I see no difference of substance between class, race, and sexu…

You still haven't answered my argument; given you're trying to evade and reframe again, I'll assume you can't actually answer me.

I have answered your argument. The only person “trying to evade” here is you.

Re: American colleges in crisis with enrollment decline largest on record

#78

The admin bloat ought to be cut in order to qualify for federal student loans. I'm always baffled how much tuition was at my public university, yet teacher and TA salaries are so low. It's like everything except academics attached itself to drain money from students

Funded with bloats caused by student loans, many ex-politicians find their job as college administrators.

Cut that lifeline. Then it will revert back to the usual alumni fundraiser cycles for new teaching buildings.

Re: American colleges in crisis with enrollment decline largest on record

#79

[flagged]

>if you don't see things a specific way you might get canceled for life.

Every time I ask for examples people get angry, or if they're mask-off they reply with a very obviously drug-addicted hyper-racist, hyper-sexist, men's rights advocate who is pretending to be a doctor or guru or alpha male and who is, as part of their "cancellation", raking in millions from basement dwelling losers who like being told that they are special and the world is against them and so it's obvious that the cancellation controversy surrounding them is a grift.

Re: American colleges in crisis with enrollment decline largest on record

#80
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You still haven't answered my argument; given you're trying to evade and reframe again, I'll assume you can't actually answer me.

I have answered your argument. The only person “trying to evade” here is you.

You keep talking about lefts and rights, while I'm saying I don't see any difference of substance between class, race, and sexuality insofar as it regards to politics.

At best you're misunderstanding, at worst you're disingenuous, and either way you aren't carrying your half of the conversation.

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