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Originally Posted by Brutha  Most politicans also don't give much about what the art or philosophy profs in universities which they finance do. |
Well most individual politicians don't care what the individual reporter at a CNN writes about, but does that mean that government doesn't have a huge influence on mainstream media? You are a European so wouldn't you agree that our US government uses our mainstream media as a vehicle for propaganda?
Governments and corporations have great influence over academia. Politics and science are getting muddled and mixed up more and more every day. Global warming and creationism anyone?
Personally as a college student, I am amazed at the closed mindedness and lack of innovation that I see at my school. Most people, even those studying sciences, are just here to "get a job." Granted, I go to a state university, but I doubt it's much different anywhere else.
I am not saying good, productive research isn't coming out of universities, but most of it is nonsense. And there aren't many open doors for true innovators.
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Apart from the fact that an professor has to teach annoying students from time to time he has the choice to spend the rest of his time sitting around spinning off good ideas.
A professor only needs to speak to other people if we wants more resources than his own time to spend on problems.
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Annoying students?? Oh what a wonderful perspective to have! Cuz they are just a means to an end right? Just people you gotta deal with to get a paycheck. You would make a wonderful professor.
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The activity of writing books or having a coloum somewhere is also compatible with the act of spinning ideas.
Do you really think that this is the proper role for an intellectual?
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No. Not just to spin ideas. To innovate. To shake things up. To create paradigm shifts. To MAKE PEOPLE THINK.
I believe that by the time most professors have gotten tenure and have a comfortable enough salary that allows them to explore other endeavors, they have already spent too much time in the "system" and have lost any shred of creativity or innovation that they once had.
Or they still secretly hold some original ideas, but are not willing to sacrifice their cushy position to say something controversial, because they have seen what happens when they do:
Ward Churchill - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia