I don't think there is surprise that higher learning is associated with progressivism. I think the surprise is that someone believes its indicative of a giant conspiracy to exile conservative professors.

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try_the_bass 3 hours ago | parent [-]

> I don't think there is surprise that higher learning is associated with progressivism.

This is such a wildly elitist take. There's nothing intrinsically progressive about education, and to just declare so as fact is an excellent example of the exact kind of hostility that keeps non-progressives from being at home in higher education.

> I think the surprise is that someone believes its indicative of a giant conspiracy to exile conservative professors.

Is it really surprising that people who disagree with someone's politics would let that bleed over into their assessment of that person's professional abilities?

We literally see this everywhere! People use a person's politics to discredit other aspects of their being all the time.

Conservative professors are a rare breed in academia because non-conservatives in academia make it a very hostile workplace environment.

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cosmicgadget 3 hours ago | parent [-]

> just declare so as fact is an excellent example of the exact kind of hostility that keeps non-progressives from being at home in higher education.

My friend, I simply stated a conclusion that is very commonly accepted, including by conservatives (hints: populism, religion, gender roles). You're welcome to dispute it but instead you declare it 'hostile'. If conservatives think this is offensive then I'll add that to the list of reasons they seem to avoid scenarios where their viewpoints are challenged (because that's how academia works).

> Is it really surprising that people who disagree with someone's politics would let that bleed over into their assessment of that person's professional abilities?

It certainly can. That's a long way from a coordinated conspiracy. And there are layers of insulation like wanting talent regardless of personality and avoiding legal issues.

> Conservative professors are a rare breed in academia because non-conservatives in academia make it a very hostile workplace environment.

Like stealing their lunch or lighting them up in a reply-all or what are we talking about here? Note I'm not freaking out that you "just declared something as a fact".

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try_the_bass 2 hours ago | parent [-]

> My friend, I simply stated a conclusion that is very commonly accepted, including by conservatives (hints: populism, religion, gender roles).

People commonly accept that God exists, too, all across the political spectrum. That doesn't mean he actually does exist, though. "Commonly accepted" does not mean "is true".

> It certainly can. That's a long way from a coordinated conspiracy. And there are layers of insulation like wanting talent regardless of personality and avoiding legal issues.

No one in this thread is claiming a "coordinated conspiracy", just years and years of ever increasing political bias amongst faculty at universities in the U.S.

C'mon, implicit bias training is supposed to teach you about how the negative impacts of persistent, low-grade bias accumulate over time, right?

> Like stealing their lunch or lighting them up in a reply-all or what are we talking about here? Note I'm not freaking out that you "just declared something as a fact".

Like not inviting them to conferences, social gatherings, networking opportunities, etc.

Again, decades of small bias add up. I mean, isn't that the entire thesis of things like "systemic racism"? Why would that not also be true in other areas?

Don't get me wrong, I believe theories like systemic racism have merit and are largely true. I just acknowledge that, if it's true that being black in America is an inherent disadvantage due to years of accumulated bias, it's probably also true that being conservative in academia is also an inherent disadvantage, due to the same mechanism.

All that being said, way to double down on the elitism!

	▲	cosmicgadget 37 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		> "Commonly accepted" does not mean "is true". Correct. And if you asserted the existence of a god based on this common notion I wouldn't scream that it's religous hostility. Of course, dieties are not a great example here since they're based purely on people's superstitions. > No one in this thread is claiming a "coordinated conspiracy" From above: "Conservatives have been basically purged from academia over the last 30 years" Most political purges I'm familiar with aren't "oops, implicit bias!" At the start of this I said: "I think the surprise is that someone believes its indicative of a giant conspiracy to exile conservative professors." If you agree with this could have saved yourself a lot of trouble. > Like not inviting them to conferences, social gatherings, networking opportunities, etc. We're talking about adults, right? In any event, it would be interesting to see some stats or hear some anecdotes on the matter. > Again, decades of small bias add up. Does it? Seems far more likely to settle on some sort of median. It's just that the median is considered 'leftist' because it embraces the scientific method while most conservative platforms need to deny evolution, climate change, etc. > it's probably also true that being conservative in academia is also an inherent disadvantage, due to the same mechanism. There are far, far more dissimilarities.