"The majority of the senior class of Vassar does not desire my company and I must confess, having read specimens of their thought and sentiments, that I do not desire the company of the majority of the senior class of Vassar"
- William F. Buckley, Jr.
About this Quote
In this quote, William F. Buckley, Jr., a prominent conservative analyst, conveys a mutual absence of interest in association in between himself and the senior class at Vassar College. The statement underscores a division in ideological or philosophical beliefs in between Buckley and the students. To analyze this quote, it's vital to think about the wider socio-political context and Buckley's role in the intellectual and cultural movements of his time.
Buckley's expression, "The majority of the senior class of Vassar does not prefer my company," shows that he likely faced displeasure or difference from the trainees at Vassar. Vassar, understood for its liberal arts education and progressive worths, may have harbored a student body whose beliefs encountered Buckley's conservative ideology. This perceived rejection by the students recommends that his conservative views were at chances with the dominating beliefs within most of the student body.
The latter part of the quote exposes Buckley's reciprocation of these beliefs: "I do not prefer the business of most of the senior class of Vassar." Here, Buckley asserts his own self-reliance and confidence in his beliefs. By stating that he does not want to engage with the trainees, he suggests that their intellectual contributions and ideological perspectives do not resonate with or improve his own worldview. This mutual disinterest highlights a greater cultural divide between progressive and conservative ideologies.
Buckley's remark encapsulates a period where American society was progressively polarized, with the increase of new liberal motions and a robust conservative reaction. This divide was shown in universities, where students and thought leaders typically signified larger ideological fights. Buckley's words, therefore, serve not just as a personal remark but likewise as a symbol of the period's cultural and political schisms. They advise us of the long-lasting difficulty of bridging ideological divides while preserving intellectual integrity.