University of Austin

[Manderleyagain]

Some people in America are trying to launch a new university. It will have a physical campus in Austin Texas.

Kathleen Stock is listed as an academic advisor. Their advisory board is very impressive.

The many gc feminists who post here who work in academia might be interested in this development.

They have published a blog on Bari Weiss Web site.
bariweiss.substack.com/p/f0ee620b-e8f7-43f0-a9b9-0caff5d76d55

It is a response to the censorious and group think prone nature of American Unis.

"Universities are the places where society does its thinking, where the habits and mores of our citizens are shaped. If these institutions are not open and pluralistic, if they chill speech and ostracize those with unpopular viewpoints, if they lead scholars to avoid entire topics out of fear, if they prioritize emotional comfort over the often-uncomfortable pursuit of truth, who will be left to model the discourse necessary to sustain liberty in a self-governing society?"

Their Web site.
www.uaustin.org/our-principles

My instinct is its too difficult a thing to pull off, but still worth watching I think.

You appear to be mixing up people criticising your posts with cancel culture.

Just in case you're unaware, you're winning the case for the side you're opposing. Now, that's not calling for you to be cancelled, I'd say you should crack on with it.

Oh do explain how I am winning the case for the other side. I would like to hear more.

And if you think this new outfit is not surfing the wave of anti 'cancel culture', then I don't know what it

In your post you said you were being silenced. When I pointed out that this was silly you seek to move the discussion of cancel culture onto the new outfit.

That's a bit slippery. Added to your sneery and self-righteous tone, and belief in your own superiority, you're coming across pretty badly. Maybe you can't see it.

I made a flippant comment about the policing of debate in a post, hardly claiming I am being silenced!

The "Fascist right" - who are they exactly?

I have very little time for anyone who trots out that line unless they are actually talking about the part of the 20th century where there were actually Fascist governments in power.

the well documented proponents of cultural marxism as conspriacy theory. I am sure you know all this and are juut goading , Look - Wikipedia has a page. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Marxism_conspiracy_theory

I just love posters who use Wikipedia as a source

Used with a certain irony. I am not going to link you to my writings on theme, for obvious reasons. But actually it is a well informed entry. What is your specific problem with it. Or are you just being nasty for nasty's sake?

And the particular argument is whether one can speak of Fascism outside the context of 20s/30s. I think it is clear one not only can but must.

@Obakarama

And the particular argument is whether one can speak of Fascism outside the context of 20s/30s. I think it is clear one not only can but must.

Oh one can talk about it all you want but given that "Fascism" is being stretched to mean whatever the person using it disagrees with it hardly adds credibility to one's argument.

On a personal note according to certain elements in the Scottish separatist movement supporting the Union is a Fascist stance.

No one has said university faculty can't be CT proponents.

That's basically the opposite of what's been said.

Lots of anti-woke social commentators have been saying for some time we're going to have to build an alternative academia.

@Phobiaphobic

Lots of anti-woke social commentators have been saying for some time we're going to have to build an alternative academia.

Even before woke was a term.

I'm aware of at least one new American university that has been set up similarly with the idea of a real commitment to free exchange of ideas, already, and there may be others as well. Some perhaps not looking to be accredited institutions.

But scholars are going to want to talk about ideas, and then you'll get students wanting to learn from them.

Fascism, as a concept, has a reasonably identifiable meaning, involving a highly authoritarian state structure, a belief that this state represents some kind of spirit of the nation, embodied in the Great Leader, with everyone doing their work for the common good in a disciplined fashion and in their allotted place. It is anti liberal, anti reason and involves a doctrine of the "power of the will". We do not have a fascist right of any real relevance in this country. If you just call everyone you disagree with a fascist, you are losing the meaning of the term, and it becomes useless. A bit like how you lose the meaning of the term "Marxism" by referring to everyone on the left you don't like as a "cultural Marxist".

FWIW I think a Marxist and cultural marxist are quite different, and the latter doesn't have much to do with economics.

@LobsterNapkin

FWIW I think a Marxist and cultural marxist are quite different, and the latter doesn't have much to do with economics.

And not anything to do with Marxism, either. It's just a derogatory label.