The political schism between parents and offspring is an issue perplexing so many of my conservative friends. Perhaps it was always thus. John Locke (1632-1704) an English philosopher and physician, was regarded as one of the founding fathers of liberalism. He mused:
“Parents wonder why the streams are bitter, when they themselves have poisoned the fountain.”
Author and commentator Midge Decter, my dearest friend asked in 1975 in her book “Liberal Parents, Radical Children”Why and how did liberal parents end up raising a generation of radicals?”
In 2015 Bret Stephens opined:
Radical Parents, Despotic Children Sooner or later, Orwellian methods on campus will lead to Orwellian outcomes.https://www.wsj.com/articles/radical-parents-despotic-children-1448325901
“Liberal Parents, Radical Children,” was the title of a 1975 book by Midge Decter, which tried to make sense of how a generation of munificent parents raised that self-obsessed, politically spastic generation known as the Baby Boomers. The book was a case study in the tragedy of good intentions.”
For almost 50 years universities have adopted racialist policies in the name of equality, repressive speech codes in the name of tolerance, ideological orthodoxy in the name of intellectual freedom. Sooner or later, Orwellian methods will lead to Orwellian outcomes. Those coddled, bullying undergrads shouting their demands for safer spaces, easier classes, and additional racial set-asides are exactly what the campus faculty and administrators deserve.
Please read his entire column under EDUCATION
rsk