Quote: (04-05-2013 09:49 PM)Kabal Wrote:
Are people of the same races of monolithic perspectives and backgrounds? I was of the impression skin color != character.
Affirmative action involves more than white people and black people. There are Asians and latinos in the mix, too.
And when I'm talking about diversity being a good thing for a college experience, I'm not just talking about skin color. But the truth is there's remarkably little diversity among typical white kids in the US, and the most significant minority populations are Black, Latino, and Asian (though asians famously don't need or get the help).
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Let's say top STEM programs started discriminating against men in favor of women to the degree of 280 old-scale SAT points (the black-Asian disparity as of 2005). Men would now have to get a 1600 to be equivalent to a woman's 1320.
This is different for several reasons. Women are not a minority population. STEM subjects don't benefit as much from diversity as softer subjects and the 4-year degree in general. Finally, as a total population, women are not 280 points less qualified than males.
The first means that any adjustments made to favor women have a high chance of backfiring and flooding classrooms with unqualified students.
The second is about asking why you diversity is desirable. Although much of the Aaron Clarey-style criticism about the economic value of college degrees is quite valid, there is still something to be said for the individual value of the "college experience." The opportunity to socialize with other people your age with different ideas and different backgrounds improves your perspective as a person. This is the time in the dining hall, in the library, on the intramural fields, at concerts, sporting events, or parties. Humanities fields may also benefit from diversity but in a differential equations class, it doesn't matter.
To the extent that diversity in STEM even matters at all, the last means that a far more attractive method would involve get the already qualified women to actually pursue and complete those degrees. Women don't need admissions bonuses to get into STEM programs. They can already if they want to, they're choosing other majors.
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Imagine if a feminist said "Ultimately I think men make way too big of a deal about affirmative action. There are hundreds of STEM programs in this country and anyone reasonably competent and intelligent should be able to find a good fit. With few exceptions nobody needs to attend their top-choice STEM program."
Would you still feel so indifferent?
The problem is that when applying the sort of changes the extent that feminists desire them, the assertion "anyone reasonably competent and intelligent should be able to find a good fit" would no longer be true. For every man there would be a woman being given preference. The change is far more threatening to individuals and to STEM programs overall than the 15% affirmative action populations.