Someone wrote the other day: >In any case, I doubt that any of this will mean anything to you because you >are one of those postmodernist leftists who refuse to be burdened by >historical grand narratives. I myself think that this might be intimately >linked to the undergraduate malaise described so frequently in the media as >"historical illiteracy". For example, the Princeton University website says >that 5 out of 43 students in a group selected at random from Ivy League >colleges could not identify Germany or Italy as enemies of the USA during >WWII. Do you suppose this comes from reading too much Derrida?
Some interesting data on U.S. undergrad attitudes is at <http://www.avot.org/stories/storyReader$72>: >37% of Students Say They Would Evade the Draft > >37% of all college students said they would be "likely to try to >evade the draft," while another 21% would be willing to serve "but >only if stationed in the United States." Only 35% of college >students today would be "willing to serve and fight anywhere in the >world." > >College Students Do Not Believe American Values Are Superior to the >Values of Other Nations > >College students do not see America as representing superior values. >A barely measurable 5% "strongly agree" that the values of the >United States are superior to the values of other nations (20% >somewhat agree). By comparison, fully 71% disagree with the >statement that U.S. values are superior, and 34% "strongly disagree." > >Students Evaluate the War Against Terror > >While President Bush receives very high marks for his handling of >the presidency (70% approval), a majority of college students (57%) >believe the policies of the United States are "at least somewhat >responsible" for the September 11th terrorist attacks. > >A clear majority of college students (60%) believe "developing a >better understanding of the values and history of other cultures and >nations that dislike us" is a better approach to preventing >terrorism than investing in strong military and defense capabilities >at home and abroad" (33%). > >-- 66% of arts & humanities students would embrace the >"understanding option" while 28% would prefer the "military option." >By comparison, 55% of economic and business majors would chose the >"understanding option" while 41% would prefer the "military option." > >-- Despite a very limited willingness to serve in the military and >fight overseas, fully 66% believe the U.S. government "has the right >to invade Iraq because Saddam Hussein is still attempting to build >weapons of mass destruction" and 79% believe the U.S. "has the right >to overthrow" Hussein. Although the questionnaire wording does >differ, support for removing Hussein from power is at least as >great, if not actually greater, among college students than among >the adult population. That support for such an invasion is 58% among >those who acknowledge that they would personally "evade" the draft >is particularly noteworthy. > >Attitudes About Western Culture > >College students are known for their tolerance and occasional >practice of alternative beliefs, value systems and cultures. But >this tolerance has led to a state of belief where American college >students are unwilling to make a moral judgment about their value >systems and culture. > >-- American students intensely and overwhelmingly disagree with the >statement that Western culture is superior to Arab culture. Only 16% >believe Western culture is superior to Arab culture but 79% do not. > >-- Just 3% of college students "strongly agree" that Western culture >is superior to Arab culture, while 43% "strongly disagree." > >Attitudes Toward Israel & the Palestinians > >The college population's support leans toward the Israelis in the >current conflict, but the results are definitely not overwhelming. >In most national surveys, Americans tend to take the Israeli side >over the Palestinians by ratios of 2 or 3 to 1 and margins of about >25%. Among college students, the ratio is only 3 to 2 and the margin >is just 13% (35% pro-Israeli; 22% pro-Palestinian). No national poll >of adults conducted since 9/11 has shown such a close ratio or >margin. > >The only two college sub-groups that are more pro-Palestinian than >pro-Israeli are private college students and students from >Northeastern colleges. Fully 34% of private school attendees back >the Palestinians, while 26% support the Israeli position. The >Northeastern regional difference is even greater: 38% support the >Palestinians while 23% back the Israelis. > >Only a bare majority (53%) believe the recent Israeli military >action against Yasser Arafat and the PLO is no different than the >U.S. taking military action against Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, >while 38% reject the comparison.
