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Academics isn't for the faint of heart. Its about fostering an environment filled with debate and active criticism. We build structured arguments which others dismember, often politely through questioning or a satirical jab. How has academics faired through the C19 response? 1/
Quite poorly, its hard to imagine a worse outcome. We dismembered the academic environment at the very time it was needed. We shuttered debate and thought, to the point of almost criminalizing it. Universities debased themselves as did our other societal institutions. 2/
C19 revealed that academics were just like everyone else. We weren't a pillar of intellectual strength or a reservoir of sober second thought. Not in the least. We easily surcome to the fear and panic narrative created by an undisciplined public health community. 3/
C19 will bring a reckoning, it won't be pleasant. We treasure tenure and the principles of academic freedom; society affords us this luxury for one reason. We are expected to diversify debate, to be fearlessly truthful (as best we can determine) even when publicly unpopular. 4/
We utterly failed in this duty, not unlike huge swaths of the media. We acted like cowards; we sat at home and collected a pay check. Rarely a peep, even from those with the knowledge/experience society so desperately needed. We were pathetically feable. 5/
Perhaps worse, some in academia treated C19 as a "hustle", an opportunity to enrich themselves or for self promotion. Rewards were tied to towing the line and to closing down debate, the very essence of a university. 6/
Contributing to this failure were our vaulted university administrators. Nearly invisible for the last year, their sole accomplishments centered on delivering a subpar educational experience and the smothering of free thought with "safety" culture. 7/
Perhaps C19 provide academics and administrators an opportunity for critical self assessment. Do we want universities and those within to be dull, uninspiring and lacking in courage? Its time to rethink our existence and what we stand for. End.
