Podcast Summary
Inclusive Latin summer school: Rolston College's innovative Latin summer school promotes language learning, inclusivity, and academic freedom, offering scholarships and immersive experiences in Sicily, Rome, and other sites.
The higher education landscape is facing numerous challenges, from political activism to intolerant attitudes towards diversity. Amidst this chaos, Rolston College is making a difference by offering an innovative summer school program in Latin, open to anyone in the world, regardless of their background or previous Latin experience. This immersive course, held in Sicily, Rome, and other sites, includes language learning, literary reading, seminars, and even archaeological visits. Full scholarships are available for the strongest applicants. This initiative not only promotes language learning but also fosters inclusivity and academic freedom. Personally, I've experienced the stark contrasts between educational environments. I've seen a school that objected to teaching materials featuring gay characters and one that encouraged self-harm as a fashion trend. These experiences underscore the importance of institutions that prioritize academic freedom, inclusivity, and the well-being of their students. Rolston College's summer school program represents a beacon of hope in the tumultuous world of higher education.
Teenage girls' social trends: Throughout history, social contagions like self-harm and identity issues have affected teenage girls, with recent times seeing a surge in girls identifying as trans or non-binary. Some attribute this to societal tolerance, while others blame social media. Regardless, addressing these issues requires a thoughtful and nuanced approach.
Social contagions, particularly self-harm and identity issues, have been prevalent among teenage girls throughout history. The speaker shared anecdotes from the past, including the Salem witch trials, dancing plagues, and unexplained physical symptoms among girls. In more recent times, there's been a significant increase in the number of girls identifying as trans or non-binary, with over 5,000 referrals to the NHS's Gender Identity Development Service in 2021, compared to 250 in 2012. While some argue that this is a result of increased societal tolerance, others suggest that social media plays a role in the rapid spread of these trends. The speaker emphasized that understanding the root causes and addressing these issues requires consistent and nuanced approaches.
Social Media Influencers and False Gender Identity: Social media influencers can mislead teenagers, particularly girls, into questioning their gender identity based on emotions and feelings, potentially leading to false beliefs and negative consequences. Evidence of social contagion is growing, and it's essential to approach these issues with caution and evidence-based knowledge.
Social media platforms like TikTok are becoming breeding grounds for influencers who encourage teenagers, particularly girls, to question their gender identity based on feelings of discomfort with their bodies and unwanted attention. This phenomenon, reminiscent of the recovered memory hysteria of the late 20th century, can lead to false beliefs and even ruin lives. These online influencers rely on intuition over material reality, urging girls to trust their emotions and accept a potential misalignment between their body and their gendered soul. It's important to note that this isn't about children with genuine gender dysphoria, but rather healthy children swept up in a trend. The idea of social contagion, or the spread of ideas, behaviors, or beliefs within a group, is often dismissed by activists as a transphobic talking point, but the evidence for it is growing. The Cass interim review recommended that schools cease the social transitioning of children due to the potential long-term psychological consequences. It's crucial to approach these issues with caution and evidence-based knowledge.
Permanent Consequences of Transitions: Social transitions may seem compassionate, but they can cause long-term harm through the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgery, which have irreversible effects.
While social transitions may seem compassionate, they can cause long-term harm, particularly when it comes to the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgery. These interventions have permanent effects that cannot be undone, unlike transient behaviors like limping or trembling. It's important to be aware of the potential risks and consider the long-term consequences before making such decisions. Additionally, the speaker recommended checking out his Substack for more articles on this topic and mentioned Jordan Harbinger as one of the best podcast interviewers. The Jordan Harbinger Show is a great complement to Trigonometry, as it features weekly conversations with fascinating people and focuses on extracting actionable advice. You can find the Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.