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Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#51

Post by tanderson92 »

adamnemecek wrote: post #26
metaphorm wrote: post #22

I'm so conflicted right now. On the one hand, yeah, that shit is offensive and I'm not too keen on elevating a person who makes jokes about sexual assault or violence against minorities. On the other hand I'm terrified at the creeping surveillance society that has institutions examining all of our utterances for "wrong speech", which is much too close for comfort to "wrong think", which is much too close for comfort…

> makes jokes about sexual assault or violence against minorities. At the same time it's somewhat hypocritical of the school to do this as their attitude towards sexual assault on campus is pretty lenient. http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/6/9/harvard-clery-sta...

That's not called hypocrisy, it's called a mixed record.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#52

Post by spyspy »

g051051 wrote: post #41

Considering how competitive the acceptance criteria are for Harvard (2,056 out of 39,506 applications), this is just another decision point. Now 10 other people are able to get in, and the entire body of current and prospective students have learned a valuable lesson about privacy and free speech.

> a valuable lesson about privacy and free speech

That there is none?

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#54

Post by metaphorm »

Frondo wrote: post #37
metaphorm wrote: post #22

I'm so conflicted right now. On the one hand, yeah, that shit is offensive and I'm not too keen on elevating a person who makes jokes about sexual assault or violence against minorities. On the other hand I'm terrified at the creeping surveillance society that has institutions examining all of our utterances for "wrong speech", which is much too close for comfort to "wrong think", which is much too close for comfort…

I am perfectly fine with private organizations banning whoever they like for posting racist shit. Racist shit is "wrong speech". If I have friends who start uttering racist shit, and I can't talk them out of it, they are no longer my friends. (This has happened precisely once, no regrets. Thanks, Fox News, for poisoning an old man's mind.) Posting racist memes is wrong, saying racist things is wrong, thinking racist…

I want to respond to you in good faith but I'm afraid to because I get the strong impression that you will not respond in kind. Therefore I choose to say nothing further.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#55

Post by em3rgent0rdr »

I think these memes illustrate a serious superiority complex of harvard (and other "prestigious" schools) students/alumni. I think this represents just the visible tip of the iceberg...I'm sure many more Harvard students still exhibit similar superiority complexes and thoughts even though they are too wise to not share such memes in a private chat.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#56

Post by weberc2 »

akhilcacharya wrote: post #11

Someone at a state school would have the same thing happen to them if they pulled stuff like this. No reason why they should be treated with kid gloves because they got into Harvard.

Maybe, but it would be illegal. That college students are frequently too poor or unknowledgeable to defend their free speech rights doesn't make it okay.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#57

Post by eropple »

std_throwaway wrote: post #23
lclarkmichalek wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The students in the spinoff group exchanged memes and images “mocking sexual assault, the Holocaust and the deaths of children,” sometimes directing jokes at specific ethnic or racial groups, the Crimson reported. One message “called the hypothetical hanging of a Mexican child ‘piñata time’” while other messages quipped that “abusing children was sexually arousing,” according to images of the chat described by the…

I don't care what they said. If it's against the law, let the law deal with it. If it's covered under freedom of speech, let them speak.

They were allowed to speak. They did speak. "Freedom of speech" applies only and strictly to governments, not to a private institution. And that's because the only way "freedom of speech" matters is if others are free to react to you as they please; Harvard might not like you and might tell you to get the hell out of their (and my, as it happens) neighborhood.

If you don't like that, then you have options. One, don't be cretinous. Two, hide it better. Three, accept that being cretinous will cost you opportunities and own it.

Actions have consequences. You don't get to hide behind "my free speech". Own what you do.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#58

Post by nxsynonym »

g051051 wrote: post #41

Considering how competitive the acceptance criteria are for Harvard (2,056 out of 39,506 applications), this is just another decision point. Now 10 other people are able to get in, and the entire body of current and prospective students have learned a valuable lesson about privacy and free speech.

I wholeheartedly agree with this.

As a private institution, Harvard can choose to deny acceptance to anyone for any reason. I don't agree with their reasoning, but I agree with their right to decide.

Next time don't use Facebook. This is what 4chan is for.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#59

Post by bjl »

spyspy wrote: post #52
g051051 wrote: post #41

Considering how competitive the acceptance criteria are for Harvard (2,056 out of 39,506 applications), this is just another decision point. Now 10 other people are able to get in, and the entire body of current and prospective students have learned a valuable lesson about privacy and free speech.

> a valuable lesson about privacy and free speech That there is none?

Last I checked they weren't jailed for posting racist shit on FB.

Re: Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances for ‘offensive’ memes in private group chat

#60

Post by aestetix »

Maybe I missed it from the article:

1. Were the students given a warning before having their admissions withdrawn?

2. I'm curious why Harvard chose the nuclear option, rather than to use this as an opportunity to teach why the memes were considered offensive, and more appropriate ways to express themselves.

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