I’m currently starting my last year of my polisci degree. I’ve been studying cybernetics, systems theory and stuff and there are a few graduate programs in the US that are fairly new. An interesting one I found is hosted at Westpoint. Obviously an institute of oppression, but I can see many practical advantages. I don’t think it’s a good idea but also like… How many people are in that position to take that opportunity? I need confirmation that it’s a good idea to not submit myself to that horror, even if it may be an insanely incredible asset.
fair enough that you would consider it but i think the issue is less the instituion and perhaps the potential student colleagues, could you see yourself spending three years surrounded by the people that would willingly go to westpoint and not spending yourentire student life in arguements. i think whatever benefits a graduate program might offer would be negated by the mental duress/stress about having to exist around these people. though that being said i think that for uni in general.
Thanks, this is what I was looking for. There’s no way I could keep my head down and pander for 3 years, I’d go insane.
Take the opportunity.
Be a moral person, sure, but don’t be moralistic.
Demoralizing the decision does not necessitate taking the “opportunity”
There are parts of me that really want to. Guns are fun, I’m sure learning theory of war, strategy and tactical theory would all be pretty fucking awesome. Unfortunately I think it requires my active enlistment as an officer after graduation. Also I don’t think I could help but ruthlessly bully the children of rich people until suspension.
You do not have to go from now to shooting a gun; that’s the wrong way to go about it.
I’m sorry I do not understand the first part of your sentence.
Personally, I feel like the important thing isn’t so much how you obtain knowledge but rather how you use it. If you aren’t applying that knowledge to murder poor people overseas like West Point hopes you will, but rather to do what you can to better humanity, then it is less a problem.
Remember, there were numerous revolutionaries who started in imperialist militaries but later used that experience for the proletariat. Granted, I’m not saying you should join the US military. Many of those revolutionaries didn’t have a choice or when they did join, if willingly, lacked theory at the time and likely didn’t know what they were doing.
For now, you have a choice and you have enough theory to know it is questionable. However if you aren’t going imperial, going to West Point would be like going to a conservative university. I can tell you from my time at Norwich, another military institution, that it’ll be very stressful having to write papers that pander to conservative professors’ opinions in order to pass.
I’m glad I asked, had the same conflicts in mind when writing this post. I can’t have the excuse of lack of theory, and I definitely couldnt keep my head down unsuspiciously for 3 years. Only can assume Westpoint has methods of either breaking ideological opposition or I’d just get kicked out and have to apply somewhere else.
Do you have other options? If so, you can compare them.
You can make a list of pro’s and cons. See what really bothers you about this opportunity.
Depriving yourself of an education because of your ideology is not always the way to go. It’s important to get educated if possible. You can’t always do everything 100% correct, you sometimes need to get results one way or another in order to get to your goal.
Oh yeah, I have lots of options. Systems Science has become increasingly important study as the world starts to need analysis of incredibly complex interdisciplinary systems. In fact the one place that I really want to go to is the Portland State program. I’m hoping the housing market crashes and I can buy a condo near campus for pennies. I’ve been a fortunate prole as I am going back to school in my late 20s early 30s while having a trade skill that allows for full time work on weekends to compensate.
Its a no from me dawg
Compelling. Convinced. Thanks lol
Its bad enough dealing with peers and professors at a normal institution. But the military academy? Are your options really that limited? What on earth is there to gain at west point that is unavailable elsewhere besides the craven aspirations of future weapons contractors?
Also people have this “grandfather” view of the military that somehow the military is a rational, masculine, institution that is as close to being in touch with reality as possible and therefor military academies are these rigid and prestigious institutions that can prepare anyone for anything. This is a myth. It is a scam for valor fabricators to create upward mobility for people with connections to the ruling classes.
Every university is ultimately guilty and in many ways part of going to school is getting a feel for the corruption, complicity, and cynacism present in these institutions, not to mention all the things you dont talk about in class ect etc. But Idk why you would subject yourself to west point of all places.
Oh no comrade. You misunderstand, I agree with you 100%. I do not want to go, but there is value in it even if you don’t see it. Upon graduating I’d be an officer with special access to opportunities, networks, leadership training, organizational management etc. I don’t want to go, and everyone here including you have reassured my decision to not take it. I’m studying systems theory, options are limitless, it’s a new field of study and almost no one outside of commies and computer scientists have ever worked with these ideas until recently. So all I have is opportunity.
I didn’t realize systems theory was that new although it does seem like a truly ripe field for graduate studies. Maybe i am just ignorant. Im in global studies and im totally jealous.
Ever since I learned about Cybersyn and Cybernetics I’ve been obsessed. Don’t be jealous, it’s interdisciplinary. It is only usually used by engineers until recently because it’s the basis of building a homeostatically sustained system like an engine, or efficient factory line. In the case of political science it’s the study creating smooth functioning autonomous organizations, or patterns of governments to determine choices and find ways to stop them from always somehow choosing the shittest decision because of unforseen consequences or “externalities”.
Check out this playlist, I would love everyone to be inspired to become cyberneticists through the gift of Socialist Santa: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLODSFS9KTPB6VC2i55oVHOVoxGijF4iw-
