[lbo-talk] yakking about the right

[Wojtek S]

Dennis: "hatreds develop for the opposite reason... i.e. careers are
at stake and somebody, somewhere, when you least expect it, can shoot
you down with a review of your work, among other means."

[WS:]  Yup.  There is more reason behind academic animosities than
outsiders typically see, Mr. Kissinger notwithstanding.  If a State
Department functionary loses a debate to his/her counterpart in, say,
China, this is likely to have minimal, if any, impact on his his/her
career.  If an academic loses a debate to another academic, his career
is likely to suffer, as his/her chances of getting a tenure, research
grants, speaking engagements, or appointments as department chairs or
deans are adversely affected.

For the outsiders it may look like academic hair splitting on some
obscure subject, for the insiders it is all about money, power, and
glory - the usual reasons for people going for each others' jugulars.

Wojtek