Oxbridge small minded?

naivesincerity

Yeah sure, because I'm questioning Oxbridge I must be 'insecure'?
As it happens I'm the son of a Cambridge professor, hence assured about my background.

To be honest I somewhat agree with coldfish. Your posts on the Oxbridge forum are boring, rhetorical and often incoherent. And you are clearly an arrogant little prick if you think that the achievements of your parents validate you. My parents are successful, but I, like coldfish and most others, got here entirely on my own merit.

Reply 22

naivesincerity

I know of some who are and some who aren't. But Oxbridge is probably worse than other unis in this respect IMO.

"IMO" does not make your generalisations any less unfounded. Please elaborate on how many academics you know from which universities. Do you even study at Cambridge?

Reply 23

Speedbird2008

Ask Plato. Well, he's dead, but read "The Republic."

PS Plato is wrong.

Reply 24

D-503

"IMO" does not make your generalisations any less unfounded. Please elaborate on how many academics you know from which universities. Do you even study at Cambridge?

I'll do nothing of the sort, unless you can be civil.

Reply 25

naivesincerity

I know of some who are and some who aren't. But Oxbridge is probably worse than other unis in this respect IMO.

I bow down to your superior knowledge of the personalities of academics. :rolleyes:

Reply 26

Yeah, I'm actually not in a civil mood. You're come up here trolling, you should expect to be chased out with pitchforks.

Reply 27

D-503

And you are clearly an arrogant little prick if you think that the achievements of your parents validate you.

I don't think they 'validate me', I just think that people's criticism that I am insulting Oxbridge because I'm insecure or resentful isn't really founded since people do, despite your claims to the contrary, gain assurance from their social background.

Reply 28

I'm not denying that people gain self-assurance from their social background. I'm just claiming that it is utterly unjustified.

Reply 29

naivesincerity

I'll do nothing of the sort, unless you can be civil.

You must understand that your posts seem pointlessly provocative to current students, as our reactions may have demonstrated. Allowing myself a little immodesty for a minute, we worked very hard, and we succeeded, and we are studying at two of the best universities in the world. Your initial post appeared to be aimed not just at the academics, but at everyone affiliated with these institutions. I ask for some evidence of experience because unless you are simply criticising your father for being "self-satified and small-minded" then your post carries as much weight as one I may post on the Harvard website suggesting it is xenophobic and full of nobs, for example.

Reply 30

naivesincerity

To be fair, I didn't say people don't gain assurance from their social backgrounds, I simply said that those who do tend to be arrogant little pricks.

Reply 31

D-503

To be fair, I didn't say people don't gain assurance from their social backgrounds, I simply said that those who do tend to be arrogant little pricks.

Everybody does! It's human nature.

Reply 32

Nah. I know a good few people who are the children of professors. None of them would act like you appear to act. What you're doing is **** all to do with your social background.

Reply 33

D-503

I ask for some evidence of experience because unless you are simply criticising your father for being "self-satified and small-minded" then your post carries as much weight as one I may post on the Harvard website suggesting it is xenophobic and full of nobs, for example.

I have extensive experience of Edinburgh uni and some of Cambridge, gained through my Dad and otherwise from just growing up here all the while. Granted I can't really criticise the people I know through my Dad, but I know there are quite a few others who are a real pain. I'm not denying Cambridge is top rate, just think it's a bit up its own arse in quite a few peoples cases, compared to other places.

Reply 34

So basically your point boils down to "I've met some small-minded people from Cambridge".
I, on behalf of TSR, thank you for your input.

Reply 35

coldfish

So basically your point boils down to "I've met some small-minded people from Cambridge".
I, on behalf of TSR, thank you for your input.

My point is that arseyness, self promotion and snobbery and more prevalent in Cambridge than elsewhere.
If you don't think Cambridge is more snobby than other places then I suggest you get to now it more and spend some time elsewhere also.

Anyway, don't get too pissed off, this seems to arouse greater feeling in you than it does me.

Reply 36

Well, probably. This is kind of expected due to the fact that it contains an awful lot of clever and succesful people. This is hardly an interesting point to raise.

Reply 37

naivesincerity

Not really, you posted it, he just replied. Neither of us gave this a thought before your post. You do not have enough experience to make this assertion. Two universities is nowhere near a big enough sample. Nor is your experience of either remotely initimate enough to make this judgements. I am not being rude, but wait until you come here or to another university, then get back to us.

Reply 38

coldfish

Well, probably. This is kind of expected due to the fact that it contains an awful lot of clever and succesful people. This is hardly an interesting point to raise.

But so do other unis and walks of life, that's precisely my point. Oxbridge arrogance. These are people who have an academic discipline that they are exceptional at, I give them that credit, but when it gives them the conceit to think the rest of the world is stupid and untalented, and not to be able to recognise the rest of the world, other unis, or other walks of life, thats when it gets annoying.

Reply 39