University diversity

This morning's WSJ op-ed by Joe Lieberman (and soon-to-be Hillary Clinton) political consultant Dan Gerstein ("Why the Democrats Are Losing the Culture Wars"; link only good for subscribers) neatly summarizes the I'd-much-rather-be-elitist in-good-standing-than-win view held by many on the left.

Dan Klein has done more than anyone to document the extent of left-leaningness among U.S. university faculties. Dan also shows the extent to which it is self-perpetuating.

Those who are the most shrill about diversity also prefer to live in a world of smug presumptions of shared assumptions.

Paul Krugman's NY Times op-ed on this ("An Academic Question") was pure unintended self-parody. He explained that there is nothing odd about Klein's findings because, after all, how can anyone seriously expect a bunch of creationist know-nothings to get tenure. I expect that he sincerely believes in the wisdom of his explanation .

And therein lies the problem.