Protesting students get a personal lesson about fossil fuels.
When most people think of Oxford, what comes to mind are images of bright minds debating quantum physics or the existence of God. But even the brainiest sometimes need a lesson in common sense.
That’s exactly what the bursar at St. John’s College—the most richly endowed college at Oxford—delivered when he responded to students occupying his 15th-century quadrangle and refusing to leave until the college divested its oil-company shares. The students want the college to sell the more than $10 million of its endowment now invested in Shell and BP, and they want it now.
The Times of London reports that bursar Andrew Parker made them a counteroffer. “I am not able to arrange any divestment at short notice,” he wrote. “But I can arrange for the gas central heating in college to be switched off with immediate effect. Please let me know if you support this proposal.”
The idea that the students themselves make a fossil-fuel sacrifice did not go over well. One protest organizer complained that Mr. Parker was being flippant, noting that “it’s January and it would be borderline dangerous to shut off the central heating.” Another suggested Mr. Parker was being provocative.
Again the bursar responded with wisdom: “You are right that I am being provocative but I am provoking some clear thinking, I hope. It is all too easy to request others to do things that carry no personal cost to yourself. The question is whether you and others are prepared to make personal sacrifices to achieve the goals of environmental improvement (which I support as a goal).”
Surely a worthy lesson applicable far beyond the colleges of Oxford.
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Meanwhile in the US, the chancellors, deans, etc. wet themselves and comply with all requests by the mentally-defective youth. I’m not sure if any of them have enough critical thinking skills or spines left to even muster such an intelligent argument or response.
Remember when college was supposed to be about expanding your horizons, expanding your knowledge, challenging your belief systems…..and not working tirelessly to contract your world so as to not have anything offend or challenge you?
“not sure if any of them have enough critical thinking skills or spines left”
they do. it’s just that they’d be fired on the spot.
“The idea that the students themselves make a fossil-fuel sacrifice did not go over well”
it never does. the goal is not to reduce (fill in the blank), the goal is for US to (fill in the blank) while the ones who would control us do whatever they want.
“I am provoking some clear thinking, I hope.”
they ARE thinking clearly – they’re thinking that they’re after power and they mean it.
More likely they are just “retweeting” what they were told to “retweet.” They specifically exist in their protected snowglobes so that they will not be forced to ever think clearly, think about a subject with logic, or ever have to allow facts, especially contradictory facts, to undermine their twisted world view.
“so that they will not be forced to ever think clearly”
no no. they’re not trying to avoid thinking, logic, or facts. they’re trying to avoid consequences. the lies and irrationality and coercion are not for themselves, they’re for US, trying to get US to build THEIR fantasy world for THEM.
and, actually, if they can stay in their protected snowglobes that we build for them, while the rest of us remain outside, they can in truth and indeed avoid the consequences. yes they can, and they know it. “we could have out dream world, if you would just build it for us!” they’re absolutely correct.
Incongruent?
The lack of knowledge after attaining a college degree can now be attributed to “brain freeze” .
What are fossil fuels and how did they develop in the bottom of the ocean?
“What are fossil fuels”
afaik the consensus is that nobody actually knows where hydrocarbons came from.
It’s not just students and younger snowflakes. That sort of attitude spans the generations in the USA and elsewhere, based on my own experiences. A now-estranged friend was hysterical about the Syrian “refugee” crisis and she went ballistic when I suggested that she house some on one of her two large horse farms (summer & winter, you see). She has no kids (naturally) but plenty of money. Same goes for a relative who called me a racist because I don’t buy into Wakanda fantasies and don’t think it wise for the US to permit open borders, although I don’t live in the US and have mixed-blood (Guaraní indian) grandchildren and an on-again-off-again Brazilian lady friend best and fondly described as a “natural woman” of 57 with her head on straight. The relative lives in an enclave NYC suburb with neither blacks nor latinos. She does have a latina house-cleaner however. A black? NEVER! That would be “exploitation” she explained with a straight face. Honestly, truth is stranger than fiction at times. I won’t even begin with the “climate change” harangues.
Monte, you are developing ex-pat syndrome like Fred. You’ve been away so long that you don’t realize all Americans talk that way. It’s just you backward countries that aren’t with the progressive program. Maybe you left before the Overton window slid over to the left so that the so-called right is left of JFK and votes for RINOs promising to end foreign wars, as if!
I left 21 years ago and have never been back. Fred and I are the same age (73), but I’m not so sure about ex-pat syndrome. You’re right though: I didn’t realize that things had gotten that bad up there, although just today my compadre, who lives there, told me that all women over 60 are as nutty as the younger ones. We down here have some of that progressive nonsense, but mostly only in large cities. Out here in the backward boons, the men are men,the women are women and we all like it that way. “Climate change” discussions boil down to “Damn, but it’s hot this summer! Hope it changes to cooler weather!”.
I was taking a shot at America and only used your comment as a launching spot. Folks really get annoyed when Fred points out the bullshit that passes for “normal” in America today. They call him a drunk lunatic Mexico lover. And all because he points out shit like Soy boys, Black privilege, gays and everything in between, and just the general waywardness of a formerly First World country. It seems if you get a real rubber meets the road patriot who can see more through a glass eye darkly than most folks here can see with their two good eyeballs, they want to pull his hero card and call themselves patriots for doing so.
The internet has destroyed more brain cells than booze and drugs, seriously, there has to be an explanation for this.
either: Cellphones cause brain damage
or
Internet Propaganda causes brain damage
there is no other explanation for all the stupidity I see going on in the world today.
The internet has saved us from just 3 TV ((networks)) telling us what to believe. Believe what you want on the internet, or what you read on your cell phone, but that is your damn fault. What matters is that the information is (for NOW) out there and accessible. As it never was before. Praise Jesus!! The internet and cell phones did not cause this asshole. You want to go back to total info control???? WTF?? Maybe your are already brain damaged?
The students are right that it would be a threat to wellness and irresponsible for the Bursar to completely turn off the gas heat. Reducing the thermostat to, say, 45 degrees Fahrenheit ought to keep any pipes from bursting or cases of frostbite. At that point it is just discomfort rather than threat to welfare.
45 is quite survivable with a sweater, jacket and comforter. And who knows, one of those bright minds might come up with some sort of actually practical replacement rather than green dreams. Or all their hot air bellowing will keep them warm. Or alternatively, have them sign a statement of personal responsibility for the additional carbon emissions to get the heat turned up in their rooms.
Higher Education or just plain High. It’s not about controlling one’s own behavior, it’s about controlling others. Personal responsibility is too tough for snowflakes of all stripes to handle.
Helluva good idea. Let the snoflakes practice what they preach. No air conditioning in summer for colleges either. If they want renewable energy let them finance it themselves without subsidies. Arrogant pricks.
Sell the stocks, sit in cash double the tuition shut the heat off. Then ask them how they like being green….
Why is this bursar man not preaching about transgenderism or white guilt or something? What’s wrong with educators these days? If he can’t stay on curriculum he should get off his ass and get into the workforce.