If you haven’t yet heard about the madness taking place at Yale, by all means read this article by Conor Friedersdorf published on The Atlantic: The New Intolerance of Student Activism
Here’s the summary: Nicholas and Erika Christakis live at Yale, where they preside over one of its undergraduate colleges. Nicholas’ wife Erika, who is a lecturer in early childhood education, sent an email responding to concerns from students that administration was “offering heavy-handed advice on what Halloween costumes to avoid.” In the email, Erika suggested, among other things, that perhaps it was okay to be a bit “provocative” with Halloween costumes, observing that “American universities were once a safe space not only for maturation but also for a certain regressive, or even transgressive, experience; increasingly, it seems, they have become places of censure and prohibition.” She added, quoting Nicholas, “if you don’t like a costume someone is wearing, look away, or tell them you are offended. Talk to each other. Free speech and the ability to tolerate offence are hallmarks of a free and open society.” (The full text of the email is here.) Continue reading Yale Students Have Lost Their Collective Marbles