Showing that you’re on the battlefield of education
April 10, 2023 6:30 PM Subscribe
Inside Hillsdale College. Emma Green (previously) explores an influential conservative campus, an inspiration for Florida governor DeSantis' takeover of New College. (SLNewYorker)
Previously.
Previously.
“There are things to know,”
They are beautiful things to know
that will make you better
if you know them.”
-C̶h̶a̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶G̶a̶r̶d̶n̶e̶r̶ Larry Arnn
posted by clavdivs at 8:17 PM on April 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
They are beautiful things to know
that will make you better
if you know them.”
-C̶h̶a̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶G̶a̶r̶d̶n̶e̶r̶ Larry Arnn
posted by clavdivs at 8:17 PM on April 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
I've known for years that New College of Florida is a member of the Colleges That Change Lives consortium. But only recently did I notice that Hillsdale College is, too.
I guess it doesn't specify changing lives "for the better." Or whose lives it changes. Or how.
PS: Hey, CTCL, it might be time to review your membership list.
posted by martin q blank at 6:28 AM on April 11, 2023 [4 favorites]
I guess it doesn't specify changing lives "for the better." Or whose lives it changes. Or how.
PS: Hey, CTCL, it might be time to review your membership list.
posted by martin q blank at 6:28 AM on April 11, 2023 [4 favorites]
Feels a little disingenuous to say that Hillsdale's national speech digest Imprimis has more subscribers than the Washington Post without mentioning the free lifetime subscriptions.
posted by box at 6:47 AM on April 11, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by box at 6:47 AM on April 11, 2023 [7 favorites]
Hillsdale tried to open some charter schools in TN including one in my county. They were denied, and the depth of the opposition frankly surprised me. I figured they were a slam-dunk, tbh.
posted by jquinby at 8:10 AM on April 11, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by jquinby at 8:10 AM on April 11, 2023 [5 favorites]
I was impressed with how even-handed the New Yorker article was. It seems there is a genuine commitment to studying the canon, for some definitions of genuine, commitment, study, and the canon.
After reading it I came away wrestling with the following seeming contradiction: I would hope that a sincere engagement with seeking the Truth or some such would lead to students questioning all the (to me) contradictions of life at Hillsdale (the apparent tensions between their internal and external politics; the homogeneity of their campus and canon; their repression of well all sexuality since 1950). Is their engagement not sincere? Do I put too much faith into studying Plato?
I do find it funny that they seem to think of Nietzsche as a controversial character. I guess he sounds too alluring philosophically while being too alienating culturally, putting the lie to their project?
posted by getao at 8:59 AM on April 11, 2023 [4 favorites]
After reading it I came away wrestling with the following seeming contradiction: I would hope that a sincere engagement with seeking the Truth or some such would lead to students questioning all the (to me) contradictions of life at Hillsdale (the apparent tensions between their internal and external politics; the homogeneity of their campus and canon; their repression of well all sexuality since 1950). Is their engagement not sincere? Do I put too much faith into studying Plato?
I do find it funny that they seem to think of Nietzsche as a controversial character. I guess he sounds too alluring philosophically while being too alienating culturally, putting the lie to their project?
posted by getao at 8:59 AM on April 11, 2023 [4 favorites]
Having now looked at the previously for Emma Green, I realize now that "even-handed" more reflects my priors on the New Yorker's politics, not on her more conservative politics.
posted by getao at 9:04 AM on April 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by getao at 9:04 AM on April 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
As the article notes, there are other places to study Plato, and at those places, I'll note, the students read books and have conversations, while at Hillsdale they have their own special textbooks and the faculty lecture so that the students don't risk misunderstanding the proper interpretations of the readings.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:06 PM on April 11, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 4:06 PM on April 11, 2023 [7 favorites]
(which is not to say that SJC is perfect, but it's not that fucking hot mess)
posted by hydropsyche at 4:07 PM on April 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 4:07 PM on April 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
The seven areas which the movement believe control society and which they seek to control are family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business, and government.
Of course fascists are obsessed with the idea of "control", but I keep seeing the right wingers saying things like this and I keep finding these statements disconcerting in their wrongheadedness. They believe that education, media, and entertainment are controlled by the left, presumably for the purpose of controlling society. This is an eight-year-old's idea of how a culture functions. As we know, of course, all is chaos, and the culture is emergent from that chaos.
A fascist sees nothing but the idea of control, I guess. And wherever there is an idea, that idea must be of control. And there is no system that can emerge spontaneously; all systems must controlled.
"Seek to control". What a fucking creep. What you seek to control will lop your fucking head off if you try to control it too hard.
posted by mr_roboto at 10:16 PM on April 11, 2023
Of course fascists are obsessed with the idea of "control", but I keep seeing the right wingers saying things like this and I keep finding these statements disconcerting in their wrongheadedness. They believe that education, media, and entertainment are controlled by the left, presumably for the purpose of controlling society. This is an eight-year-old's idea of how a culture functions. As we know, of course, all is chaos, and the culture is emergent from that chaos.
A fascist sees nothing but the idea of control, I guess. And wherever there is an idea, that idea must be of control. And there is no system that can emerge spontaneously; all systems must controlled.
"Seek to control". What a fucking creep. What you seek to control will lop your fucking head off if you try to control it too hard.
posted by mr_roboto at 10:16 PM on April 11, 2023
I'm living through the fun of what Hillsdale does outside of its own campus right now. My local school district recently had its board of trustees taken over by folks funded by supporters of our local Hillsdale affiliated charter school. Based on their actions and future plans, I do not get a sense that they're interested in stable and well run public education. But hey, their donors may get a few more charters out of it and possibly even shutdown a few public elementary schools and sell the campus off to the charters - so I guess its a good investment on their end.
posted by Arbac at 11:07 AM on April 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Arbac at 11:07 AM on April 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
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Theory
The Seven Mountain Mandate is part of dominionism.
. . .
The seven areas which the movement believe control society and which they seek to control are family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business, and government.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Mountain_Mandate
And to think I actually voted for the GOP choice for senator in 2000. Sweet summer child indeed.
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 8:04 PM on April 10, 2023 [4 favorites]