Isn’t it odd that an institution of higher learning such as Yale hosts a member of faculty who wants to remove a word from campus. That word is “master”.
Isn’t it similarly odd that Henderson University is coming under fire for wanting to remove “sagging” pants from it’s campus. Henderson has been called racist for doing so.
Somewhere between these two extremes something very informative about progressivism exists. That an elite university — one that awards Master’s degrees – is actually talking about deleting the existence of the word “master” while another university is under fire for wanting to change the way students dress is telling.
In the case of the former, the removal of the word is no doubt based on some hypersensitive belief that it evokes the era of slavery. That, and it also carries the idea that some are better in some quantifiable way than others. For example, Picasso was a master painter and Jimi Hendrix a master guitarist. In the case of the latter, the idea carried forth is that no one should cast judgment on the attire worn by another especially if that attire is associated with thuggish rap culture.
But if we aren’t to judge people, then how is judgment in effect being cast against those that wish to use the word “master” at Yale? And if we are striving towards the ultra-equalized social order progressives adore, then why are some permitted to sag their britches free of sanction?
This is where progressivism takes us — to moronic goals hoisted up in the name of the public good. Ban a word because it might make someone remember a dark part of world history? If we don’t remember history in all it’s shades how can we move forward as a people. Ban a word because it might make someone feel inferior? We all aren’t cut out to be good at the same things. While Picasso and Hendrix might have been masters in their chosen fields, chances are they sucked at things too. Cry racism at a school that wants to ban “sagging” (and yes, there is a legitimate argument to be made that “sagging” is a form of expression)? Why does one sub-culture’s attire get to be exalted and others ignored?
As I wrestle these ideas around in my head, I encourage you to as well and then post your thoughts to this column.
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