Where do you stand? (5 Viewers)

[erawamai]

I got incredulous death stares when I did my Mabo speech in philosophy and talked about judicial activism

I got some death stares when suggested that the only way ATSI people would improve their lot is if market principles were applied. (I'm sure NTB would be proud).

However personally I'm pretty sure that the constant welfarism of ATSI people is not good for ATSI people.

 

[MoonlightSonata]

I got some death stares when suggested that the only way ATSI people would improve their lot is if market principles were applied. (I'm sure NTB would be proud).

However personally I'm pretty sure that the constant welfarism of ATSI people is not good for ATSI people.

Well Aboriginal leader/activist Noel Pearson agrees with you

 

[erawamai]

Well Aboriginal leader/activist Noel Pearson agrees with you

ahah yes I know...and not everyone agrees with Noel.

I mean you can turn anything into gold. Neoliberal economics says so. Just add market and you don't even have to stir.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

I argued in class that Human Rights are not a transcendental thing, like passed down by a god or that simply exists in nature. It was fairly heated, tho i'm not sure if it is really a 'right' perspective.

Well Aboriginal leader/activist Noel Pearson agrees with you

I remember reading in the australian... about a year ago now, that a prominent aboriginal leader had an issue with the sorry campaign. His perspective was that it had been a huge waste of resources that had taken focus away from the true and immediate plights of the aboriginal people.

I wonder if this is the same person?

 

[loquasagacious]

The comparison with Tommy has turned AM into a debating champ - I have definantly warmed top him.

Moonlight you do know that they have the internet in Korea don't you? It's actually even much much faster than ours....

I find that university (and specifically the study of both politics and economics) has shifted me towards being quite in favour of the free market and opposed to much on the left because of its assosication with aforementioned whiny left wing girls and the socialist alternatives.

In tutes I end up as spokesperson for the market as I am almost invariably the only student in the room who studies it (and not marxist political economy). As a note I am far from comfortable with a completely free market. The pain is beating your head against a brick wall trying to explain basic economic theory to an arts student....

Though more recently the schism in tutes has been between liberals and realists in International Relations. As a quick oversimplfied synopsis liberals want everyone to get a good deal and are internationalists whereas realists interpret all IR as power plays between the states seeking to get the best deal for themselves. There is a large minority of realists so at least i'm not alone....

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Waf has shifted further to the right at university.

 

[erawamai]

Yep. Welfare should slow down. Saying sorry is only going to solve white middle class leftist guilt and doesn't fix ear infections and the poor education of ATSI children. The Focus should shift to service delivery. etc etc

 

[Liberal Scum]

My spin on it is that left-wingism is:
a) appealing to idealistic tendencies
b) sounds better on a superficial level (ie selling higher HECS is a lot harder than selling free university)
c) left wingism tends to be more activist than right wingism, and so they tend to be drawn to the activist student organisations and hence are better able to promote leftist views while demonising those of the right and perpetuate the cycle.

 

[erawamai]

My spin on it is that left-wingism is:
a) appealing to idealistic tendencies
b) sounds better on a superficial level (ie selling higher HECS is a lot harder than selling free university)
c) left wingism tends to be more activist than right wingism, and so they tend to be drawn to the activist student organisations and hence are better able to promote leftist views while demonising those of the right and perpetuate the cycle.

It depends what right wingism you are talking about.

IMO there right wing/ left wing really only refers to economic theory.

Social positioning is better described with 'consrevative' or 'progressive'...or someone who believes in 'public choice' (which is essentially neoliberal theory transplanted into politics) theory versus someone who believes in greater participatory democracy.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Well I wouldn't say that I have been appealed to more idealistic notions... just that I have a solid belief in an objective proof and in the ability of arguments / logic to find that objective proof. At university much stronger arguments have been presented to me on some issues than i had previously encountered.

 

[Liberal Scum]

Waf has shifted further to the right at university.

That's probably because none of my classes have political discussions attached, and in fact my faculty is filled with right wingers, as well as a lot of mingling wiht the Liberal club and YL's.

 

[Liberal Scum]

It depends what right wingism you are talking about.

IMO there right wing/ left wing really only refers to economic theory.

Social positioning is better described with 'consrevative' or 'progressive'...or someone who believes in 'public choice' (which is essentially neoliberal theory transplanted into politics) theory versus someone who believes in greater participatory democracy.

left/progressive then.

 

[Armani]

I'd agree that university has somewhat shifted my views towards the right.

 

[erawamai]

I think university shifts people to the center (if they are bothered to be open)...

 

[loquasagacious]

NTB yes the anti-sorry ATSI in the Australian would have definantly been Noel Pearson.

As far as AM pondering the leftism of university:

I would contend that many people who go to university (at least the respected ones - UNE/UWS doesn't count) are already left leaning.

The environment at uni is conducive to leftism the teaching in the ever popular arts subjects almost invariably leans left. It is via arts that many students are exposed to economics.

IMHO it would be useful if for instance all first year students had to do: Microeconomics 1, Macroeconomics 1, Intro to Politics, Intro to International Relations, a history course, an ethics course and a philosophy course.

Returning to topic though university is predominantly left for two reasons: students are at a stage in their lives where they want to rebel against the establishment/orthodoxy/their parents. And they are idealistic having just left the sheltered world of school/adolesence/home they have yet to aquire the cynicism and pragmatism instilled by the real world.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

I would contend that many people who go to university (at least the respected ones - UNE/UWS doesn't count)

People who go to UWS are definately right (and very apathetic), but the only vocal ones on are on the left. My law classes are definately full of lefties (hello guys).

 

[loquasagacious]

I think university shifts people to the center (if they are bothered to be open)...

I think the direction of the shift is largely dictated by the faculty, arts for instance is mostly left wing, economics/commerce mostly right wing. Engineering mostly drunk. etc etc

 

[Armani]

That's quite strange. I was far left in high school, somewhat of an advocate of for communism, yet it was university where I became centrist.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

And they are idealistic having just left the sheltered world of school/adolesence/home they have yet to aquire the cynicism and pragmatism instilled by the real world.

Odd because I find i've become much more of a cynical prick at uni.

 

[erawamai]

I think the direction of the shift is largely dictated by the faculty, arts for instance is mostly left wing, economics/commerce mostly right wing. Engineering mostly drunk. etc etc

However constant leftism can be nauseating. Even for someone like me on the bleedying heart compassionate side. I've being much more central however over the last year of my arts...while other have continued to drift to the left.