C-SPAN's WJ: University Poll

[Echo In Light]

My wife and I were just watching this ... two young ladies who were heading up a recent college poll regarding politics. Horrendous! Completely uninformed/disinformed. I didn't hear one substantive discussion on anything, and both of course were so grotesquely reserved, offering only the most neutered opinions and responses imaginable. This is the preferred level of 'debate' such young people are apparently trained in as to avoid offending anyone - and reality. If these two are representative of how little college students know about such dire matters, we're doomed ... however, I suspect they likely represent the indoctrinated, ass kissing, professional-aspiring sort who have to remain without substance in order to be "successful." Anyone else catch any of this segment?

[KharmaTrain]

1. Colleges Are Afraid Of Politics

My daughter, who recently graduated, pointed out that the polarization of politics ran real deep on her campus. While people who speak to one another about the war or their detsst for the boooosh regime, that speaking out was somehow either wrong or would invite trouble. Give "credit" to Horowitz and his thought-nazis who have turned open political discussion on college campuses into a liability.

She also pointed out "out of sight, out of mind"...many of her friends don't want to talk issues...especially Iraq...and her reason is "guilt". That many of her friends know that if they didn't have parents who could afford to pay for college or were born in a different circumstance, they'd be in Iraq right now.

Honestly, I don't think many in college don't take a serious look at the real world, because they don't need to. Why concern yourself with problems that are miles from your door. Now, when they hit "the streets", lets see if that myopia continues.

[Echo In Light]

2. If one wishes to "succeed" professionally, there are certain truths one simply does not entertain

What a sad commentary on the overall system. It speaks to the efficacy of the manufacture of consent. It's interesting because there's a pool of college aged young people where I work who are largely uneducated {as am I} yet are miles ahead of the two on that WJ segment as far as knowing what's what.

[KharmaTrain]

3. That's A Broad Brush

I've had the fortunate of being around young people as my children grew up and give these people a lot of credit for coming of age in a very difficult and confusing time...far more than I ever encountered. They've had to sort through a lot of information and suggestive messages...some succumb to them and want to be Brittney, but many, many others have developed ways to shut out the hype and overload which in some ways may look like tuning out in general.

I also believe a lot of a person's view of the political world is a reflection of their private world. If they are secure in their own skin and future, they can afford to look outward and see how to make the world a better place. For a vast majority, they face a very uncertain world...a shrinking job market, priced out of getting a college education and other problems that make them want to avoid dealing with thing us older types have to deal with as they're trying just to cope with getting their feet on the ground.

Sadly, our educational system has been under seige from the right...from wingnuts running for local school boards to the Horowitz attacks on higher education, that make political thought/discussion a liability. But then, with the selfish actions of the political system, there are many times I don't blame them for tuning out.

[donsu]

4. I saw it - the Conservative woman has consumed a lot of kool aide

and the other young woman seemed to use her desire to be a sports journalist as a shield. but she knew the truth of things.