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Were these bureaucrats just waiting in the wings for an excuse to pounce with regressive policy? Yes. American culture has always been a tug of war between
by quanticle 4y ago
Were these bureaucrats just waiting in the wings for an excuse to pounce
with regressive policy?
Yes. American culture has always been a tug of war between puritanical norms and libertine norms, and we're seeing the latest mutation of the puritans taking over. It doesn't seem that way, because this iteration of the puritans have co-opted the language of the libertines, but if these university administrators were transported back in time, they'd be enforcing Prohibition laws with equal zeal. Transported further back in time, they'd be organizing the expulsion of Catholics, Quakers and other "heretical" religious sects. There is, and always has been, a large segment of America which looks at the average frat kegger the same way that a Taliban mullah looks at a collection of unveiled women. They hate fun, and, given a chance, they will do their utmost to banish it. And if fun can't be banished, it will be regulated into submission.
Of course, they don't do this for themselves. No, of course not. They do it to improve the moral worth of the people. Their zealotry is driven by the purest of intentions.
Who decides who has sour grapes?
The ones who have placed themselves in a position to define which grapes are or are not sour: the aforementioned bureaucrats.
- cs702 4y ago> ...we're seeing the latest mutation of the puritans taking over. It doesn't seem that way, because this iteration of the puritans have co-opted the language of the libertines, but if these university administrators were transported back in time, they'd be enforcing Prohibition laws with equal zeal. Transported further back in time, they'd be organizing the expulsion of Catholics, Quakers and other "heretical" religious sects... This rings true to me, and I find it very insightful. Thank you for writing it.
- scatters 4y ago"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C. S. Lewis
- cs702 4y agoThis reminds me of an old saying: "The beatings will continue until morale improves."
- vagrantJin 4y agoI enjoyed reading this. It brings a nice perspective on the issue which is hardly talked about.