December 08, 2004

"DULL-WITTED ACADEMICS blathering on about [leftist] ideas." Now there is a punchy title for a new blog! -- David Velleman provides new background on the thinking behind the Left2Right academic blog (scroll down in the comments section). Quotable:
As I've said .. the blog's sub-title and statement of purpose seem to have given the wrong impression to many readers. The blog is not about how the Left can win more votes away from the Right: it's not about political strategy. Nor is the blog intended to contain arguments by the Left addressed to the Right: it isn't a Blue vs. Red debate, nor even the Blue half of that debate. It is meant to be a discussion about how liberal ideas and values -- understood in the broadest, most inclusive sense of the word "liberal" -- might be re-considered and re-expressed so as to facilitate real communication and dialog across political divisions.

A word about the title "Left2Right" and the sub-title "How can the Left get through to the Right?" My impression of the blogosphere is that the titles and sub-titles of blogs are often flippant and purposely provocative. Blog titles can't be taken seriously as political statements. I and the initial core of participants here experimented with a couple of titles and designs. "Left2Right" seemed more punchy than the alternatives that we able to come up with -- dull-witted academics that we are. Maybe we should have called the thing "Dull-witted academics blathering on about [leftist] ideas."

Meanwhile, an interesting discussion on academic diversity and homosexuality (among other topics) has begun here. Posted by Greg Ransom