3 ms·

Weak bureaucrats are going to be the undoing of so many societies until the average person realizes that they do have genuine agency in (and a responsibility to

• jefftk 5y ago
  The decision was made by the chair of the department that was organizing the talk
  • mactavish88 5y ago
    Why does the chair of the department get more of a say in who gets to speak than those who were going to come listen?
    • jefftk 5y ago
      Because it is there department that is organizing the talk? I'm happy to argue about whether they should have decided to cancel the talk, how in general you should decide what speakers to have, and how you should respond to public pushback to your selections. But the general idea that a department gets to decide who they have come and speak seems like it should be uncontroversial?
      • mactavish88 5y ago
        My point is, for whose benefit was the talk in the first place? I imagine it’s mostly for those who were coming to listen to the talk, right? So what’s the job of the chair of the department in this case? To serve those who are coming to listen to the talk, is it not? If that’s all true, then were all of those coming to listen to the talk consulted prior to the cancellation? If not, who was the chair serving? Do you see where I’m going here with the idea of the “weak bureaucrat”? They’re pervasive in modern politics too. Most such people are supposed to serve others, but inevitably end up unashamedly serving themselves first and foremost.