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South Africa 23 December 2007 Dear Jeff I received
my copy of Disciplined Minds on Friday and read it and finished
it Saturday. I then immediately
re-read 1984 by George Orwell, because I think your book falls
in that intellectual political tradition.
And while reading 1984, I came across this passage: "...That is what has brought you
here. You are here because you have
failed in humility, in self-discipline.
You would not make the act of submission which is the price of sanity. You preferred to be a lunatic, a minority
of one. Only the disciplined mind can
see reality, Winston." I thought
this passage captured the essence of the idea that informs your book. Apart from
reading, I know the process and the system you describe in your book from my
own experience as a graduate student.
Your book gave me a better understanding of the politics of
affirmative action. Like most
leftists, I have always supported affirmative action on the bases of
diversity; I have never really thought about the ideology control that goes with
the politics of affirmative action. Your book made me look at my situation. Because of South African history,
affirmative action is a big thing in South Africa. Consequently, people like myself are accepted to do
postgraduate work at predominantly white universities. Under "normal" circumstances the
ideological radar would alert the people in power that I am an
undesirable. But because of
affirmative action the powerful get to find out later and have to make political
concessions in the process. Cheers, Name
withheld Graduate student |