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Philo Prof Bashes Objectivism On The First Day

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How do you deal with this? I objected to most of her irrational comments, but it simply amused her in an annoyed way, and shocked the rest of the class in a disapproving way. I really don't think I have the ability to convert either of them.

I would think that your prime job as a student is to learn, not to convert your teachers. If the class is really that bad you might consider taking it another time with a different teacher, if that is at all possible. I would also consider tempering your perspective a bit and try to extract all that you can of value from what is being taught, and discard the rest. Sometimes there is a lot to be gleaned in the way of facts in a subject like art history, even if you and the teacher do not share the same philosophical premises. Maybe it will help to remind yourself that if she has some bad philosophy it is really her own problem, and you do not necessarily have to make it yours.

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Any suggestions of ways to relieve my anger? I'm just glad the class is on Friday afternoons, so I have the weekend to recover.

Get yourself a support system.

For starters, pick out the people who agree with you and/or hate that teacher too. Then go out for coffee after the class and crack jokes about it, ridicule the teacher and her ideas, and thus restore a rational context.

I had some buddies in college, most but not all Objectivists, and that's what we did. I not only survived college but, thanks to them, I often enjoyed even the nonsense.

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I've found that I just don't have the stamina to day-in, day-out argue with irrationality. But I've also long ago decided that a career in academia isn't my thing, so I'm not exactly on the front lines of Objectivists. But, I do have some advice:

If this is a discussion class, simply refuse to participate. I am taking a class right now within the advertising department at UT on business ethics, and you would be surprised at the consternation on a conscientous professor's face when there is no discussion, only agreement.

If there's a grade at stake for participation, then there are still options for you. In the above situation, the professor definitely noticed after a few days of agreement, and looked straight at me while announcing to the class that she was going to assign people to argue the devil's position in any given case. So, I can now sit until I'm called upon to act the devil, and then say whatever I need, without sacrificing a participation grade.

If this isn't a discussion class, then don't bother. Obviously, express disagreement, but it may come off as disrespectful to do so continuously in the middle of class. Ethically, I would assume that expressing simple disagreement could also be done with a TA or in office hours (assuming your school has such a thing). I've also used this situation by sitting down with the professor and explaining that I simply wasn't going to discuss anything so long as the positions I would try to defend are being called 'racist' and 'classist' before I get to comment on them. Which, I think, is as good as having said such during class. But again, I have a little cache here, because I'm the only contrarian voice.

But these are ideas from a guy who is tired of butting heads with moral retards. If you've still got the energy, do whatever is the limit of your ability.

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<_< Okay, well, I'm calmer now, and I appreciate the advice, and have come to the conclusion that I will just have to shut up in class, if I am to continue. Yes, DPW, I have a boyfriend, who is an obj. but were doing the long distance thing, and I can't just call him up whenever I want to complain about something. I'd just like to meet some other objectivists on campus, that would be really cool. But so far, no. Thanks for your advice though, I just needed some rational thought on the situation, so that I could move on.
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