The Professors Made Their Bed

James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | January 28, 2022 | Mark Bauerlein

[karpov]

One of the stories in my new book, The Dumbest Generation Grows Up: From Stupefied Youth to Dangerous Adults is that of the changed status of undergraduates and professors. They don’t relate to one another the way they used to. If you wandered the hallways at State U in 1980, you’d sense an ordinary relationship of students and teachers, one side in charge, the other obedient (whether because of fear, custom, or sincere respect—it would vary). Do it today, and you get a whole other feel. Let me explain.

Around 2011, I joined a panel at University of Minnesota on student habits in the Digital Age. Another book, The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future; Or, Don’t Trust Anyone under 30 had come out awhile before, and many deans and provosts had tendered invitations to speak. Two other professors spoke as well, with 150 students and profs in the audience.

I did my thing, berating undergrads for meager homework hours, fewer books in leisure time, and phones in hand like Linus and his blanket. I felt comfortable scolding them because my host had told me during a morning walk that he, too, saw flagging labor and phone addiction among them. It was a glum crowd when I finished, but not for long. The professors took their turns and reversed the argument. No, they said, students weren’t screen-addled and academically lazy. They were bright, independent minds, young adults meeting the world. One had a hurt tone in his voice, as if he were defending innocents from unjust accusations. The students brightened up, the profs did their job.

[AppyPappy]

Well, that’s why classes are taught by Grad Assistants and Adjunct Faculty. Some of the best and brightest professors are butt holes in real life.

I had a professor send me a screenshot of an error and I noticed he had Stormfront open in a tab.

[libertylover]

I noticed he had Stormfront open in a tab.

What's Stormfront? I dare not look.

[unread]

>"What's Stormfront? I dare not look.<

"Stormfront is a neo-Nazi Internet forum, and the Web's first major racial hate site. The site is primarily focused on propagating white nationalism, antisemitism, Holocaust denial and white supremacy. In addition to its promotion of Holocaust denial, Stormfront has increasingly become active in the propagation of Islamophobia.

[daniel1212]

Not just college students:

By Aug 31, 2007 it was reported, "The average American today works 8 hours less per week and enjoys 7 hours more leisure per week than in 1965." ..During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, people age 15 and older spent 32 minutes more per day in leisure and sports activities than they did in 2019—5.5 hours compared with 5.0 hours. (https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/time-spent-in-leisure-and-sports-activities-increased-by-32-minutes-per-day-in-2020.htm).

https://www.slideshare.net/cccnproductions/average-american-leisure-and-sports-time-charts

https://www.1843magazine.com/data-graphic/what-the-numbers-say/leisure-time

https://www.whitehutchinson.com/leisure/articles/rise.shtml

http://www.rayfowler.org/2007/07/12/average-american-leisure-and-sports-time-charts/

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2007/may/wk4/art03.htm

https://www.1843magazine.com/data-graphic/what-the-numbers-say/leisure-time

https://www.whitehutchinson.com/news/lenews/2016/april/article104.shtml

[sauropod]

.

[Reily]

It used to be a neo-Nazi group.

[FreedomPoster]

Neo-Nazi organization.

[vpintheak]

Adults have abdicated their responsibility and the world is reaping the consequences.

[Sequoyah101]

I just told my hired youngster, 18 now, as he dropped the cheese cloth strainer in the paint cup for the second time, that I am tired of having to teach him things in detail I thought he should know already or could figure out. After that I told him for the severalth time that you don’t use water to clean-up after oil base paint. That was after I told him to put a cover, that I had set out and handed to him, on the paint cup instead of cleaning it. That after asking him if he was hearing me and then making eye contact with him to make sure he at least was paying attention, or so I thought.

He is number three of young hired hands and they have all been similar. Knowing in many things and understanding very few.

I have learned not to trust them with but the most menial of tasks. Weed eating is about the limit and it takes a lot of OJT to get them able to start the weed eater without having to follow them around to do it for them. I laughed out loud when one wanted to know when he could use my $75,000 tractor and 15’ mower.

I can’t sugar coat it and am not sorry for saying I’m not impressed with the youts of today. I have not been given any reason to so far. They google a lot and think that is the same as experience or understanding. It takes more than that. Unless you can link the knowledge you have to create solutions and understand new things you are no more than a data base at best. Data bases don’t think or reason.

[WMarshal]

I see you enjoy pasting leftist propaganda verbatim. While stormfront is composed of loons only a fool would fault them for hating on Islamofascists.

[Secret Agent Man]

Stupid people are the most dangerous type of people in society. They have the highest degree of unpredictability.

[unread]

"I see you enjoy pasting leftist propaganda verbatim."

Yes, it is verbatim. To do otherwise would be deceiving...

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

It’s not just college. Even in elementary school, the teachers are no longer feared (as they were in my day) or even respected. The kids rule and there’s nothing the teachers can do about it. Only the teachers that give them what they want are liked.

[PeterPrinciple]

He is number three of young hired hands and they have all been similar. Knowing in many things and understanding very few.

---

it is easier and faster to just do it your self................

[AppyPappy]

They have fewer analytical skills. The ones that have them figure out that the real money is in getting a job. My son went from cashier at 15 to Research Assistant in the Ag school. At 17, he and his friend bought a 1980 VW Rabbit and took it apart, replacing the fuel injection system with a carburetor.

What you do find is some kids don’t like having a “job” because it requires them to be somewhere on time.