A paucity of common sense, a lack of wisdom, a tendency among those in authority to abdicate . . . these are among the characteristics of contemporary liberals. Common sense would suggest that in a sex-saturated society putting young men and women together in the same dormitory would be an unwise idea, one rather unconducive to the traditional purposes of a university. Among the traditional purposes were the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge and the inculcation of critical habits of mind. (Take a gander at Newman's Idea of A University.) The facilitation of 'hook-ups' and the consumption of prodigious quantities of alcohol was never on the list as far as I know. 'Hook-ups' there will be. But only a liberal would adopt a policy that facilitates them. University officials abdicated their authority starting in the 'Sixties. The abdication of authority is a fit topic for a separate post.
That a Catholic university would sponsor coed dorms is even more absurd. In Catholic moral theology sins against the sixth and ninth Commandments are all mortal. It would be interesting to explore the reasoning behind this. But part of the motivation, I think, is a conservative appreciation of the awesome power of the sex drive and its perhaps unique role in distorting human perceptions. Of the Mighty Tetrad (sex, money, power, fame/recognition) sex arguably ranks first in delusive power. In the grip of sexual obsessions we simply cannot think straight or live right. The news is replete with examples, Anthony Weiner being the latest example. 'Weenie-texting' he threw away his career. In the grip of his obsession, a naked old man, Strauss-Kahn, pounced on a hotel maid. And so on.
But all is not lost. CU is backtracking on this one.
Recent Comments