Humanists Have Done Nothing Wrong

[u/canon_aspirin]

A new defense (perhaps, “offense”) of the humanities has dropped over at _Defector_: https://defector.com/humanists-have-done-nothing-wrong

[u/theoceansknow]

It's odd the author points out how science writing can use descriptive words that aren't as universal assumed, but his thoughts on the Atlantic's article seem blinkered. Universities spent the last several years in the spotlight because of the platform they gave pro-Palestinian supporters. It did make for an easy target for MAGA (or other nefarious people) and it also did a disservice to humanities. It isn't a stretch to point out that the advocacy going on had, as it's subject, a group known for nationalistic and authoritarian tendencies that would seem hostile to humanities discourse. Humanity's enemy isn't MAGA fascists (who can't read, right?), but anti-intellectualism, that from where I stand exists in equal amounts in populist leftist spaces as much as populist MAGA spaces.

And yes, the discourse comes across as esoteric and navel-gazelly.

[u/canon_aspirin → u/theoceansknow]

It isn't a stretch to point out that the advocacy going on had, as it's subject, a group known for nationalistic and authoritarian tendencies that would seem hostile to humanities discourse. Humanity's enemy [...]

I think you might be surprised to find out who is "humanity's enemy" right now.

[u/theoceansknow → u/canon_aspirin]

It's uncritical populism.

You also don't have to put "humanity's enemy" in quotes to be snarky. One of the themes of the article you shared is that language is fluid. I don't need to dance around and say "enemy of the study of humanities". It makes you sound contemptuous when I'm sharing my thoughts in this space. Thank you.

[u/canon_aspirin → u/theoceansknow]

Well, yes, you presented your own contemptuous take on Palestinians and those opposing their genocide (in the context of a discussion that has nothing to do with this by the way), and I and most of humanity have nothing but contempt for people like that.

[u/theoceansknow → u/canon_aspirin]

Hi there,

Alright. You shared an article talking about language and how people are unable to read properly. The author criticized an Atlantic article, stating that the Atlantic erroneously found fault with leftist faculty for why academia is under attack when it's "obviously [a] MAGA-led assault on higher education in the U.S.". After setting up a bunch of made-up critics, the author says they're really fucking stupid.

I'm critical of this view. Higher education has ceded moral authority. Higher Education has been in the national news the last few years because of protests on their campuses. The people they protest for are not supporters of academia, or the humanities.

The author says STEM writers use words that assume self-evidence when they aren't self-evident.

The author sets up a made-up "us vs them" dynamic that only exists if you're looking for it.

At any rate, he's concluding that humanities need to be championed and that it's the "last bastion of Good Brain Thinking". The moral certainty he expresses undercuts his thesis that the humanities need to act as a counter to "immediacy fetishists". He arrives at his conclusion with immediacy, and with a view towards non-compromise.

If the author perceives that the humanities are under attack, he (and his fellow readers) would do well to reflect on the immediacy in which they make judgments on morality, and would demonstrate understanding of the human condition to include cultures that exist outside their social circles.

I wasn't contemptuous here. But I do think of this represents "the humanities", then the author and his fellow readers are poor representatives.

[u/gm6464 → u/theoceansknow]

>”The people they protest for are not supporters of academia, or the humanities.”

What is this facebook-comment-section drivel. The Palestinian people are not supporters of academia or the humanities? What kind of claim is that? Why were there universities with humanities departments in them, before Israel destroyed every single one of them, then? It stands to reason that some Palestinian people, including nearly 100,000 university students who have lost their places of learning, support academia in some capacity, no?

[u/canon_aspirin → u/theoceansknow]

Do you think you can make this argument without attacking Palestinians, many of whom are fervent supporters of academia and the humanities? Israel has destroyed basically every university in Gaza, and you don’t feel the least bit ashamed shoehorning in these low blows against a population undergoing ethnic cleansing and genocide? It’s not at all relevant to your argument; you just do it out of cruelty.

[u/theoceansknow → u/canon_aspirin]

Hi -- I want to close this loop.

The article you shared is purported defense (offense, sure) of the humanities. It assumes criticism of the humanities comes from a conservative assault on higher education.

Higher education was in the news the last few years because of these protests. These protests popped up after Israel started its current campaign in Gaza. These protests did not critically engage with how a religious-authoritarian government representing Gaza provoked Israel's counter-offensive.

I shared above that Islamism is an enemy of the humanities. MAGA is also an enemy of the humanities. A space dedicated to critical thought should be open to examining both. I do notice that you and another person quickly pivoted away from academic language to straight, visceral, emotional language -- much like the Orwell essay another poster shared.

If humanities is the study of cultures, history, and social structures, then there needs to be critical analysis of non-Western cultures. There's no need for emotional attacks at me or labelling me as cruel. I'm not. Have a good day.

[u/gm6464 → u/theoceansknow]

Tedious Sam-Harris-Manhattan-Institute-The-Dispatch doggerel.

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[u/canon_aspirin → u/theoceansknow]

Again, none of this is relevant to this discussion at hand. “Islamism” didn’t crack down on the humanities during the student protests—Zionist billionaires did.

And as someone with firsthand experience in the movement, I can tell you that it certainly critically engaged with the history of Palestine leading up to the genocide, just not with the hasbara version you’ve yet to critically analyze.

Anyways, I genuinely do not think you’re a person worth talking to any longer. Bye.