Let’s Complain About Harvard and the "Snow White" Reboot
Reach into the grab bag
Today we examine a free speech rocker, the absurd state of grade inflation, and the most subversive college course you’ve come across in a long time.
But first …
Can America Survive “Snow White”?
Forget the presidential election, a new flick might tear our nation apart first.
From casting controversies to lead actresses on opposite sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Snow White reboot might be the culture war-iest movie of them all:
Some were baffled by the decision to cast a Latina actress to portray the famously 'fair-skinned' character who is known for being 'as white as snow'.
Others took issue with casting Jewish Israeli actress Gadot amid the current war - with pro-Palestine viewers claiming her inclusion calls for a boycott while conversely pro-Israel viewers claimed it was offensive to cast her in an 'evil' role.
Flames were then fanned when Rachel shared the trailer on her own social media channels and thanked fans for sending her support.
In a follow-up tweet, she penned: 'and always remember, free palestine.'
Zegler has publicly taken a pro-Palestinian stance since 2021, sharing several tweets and posts urging fans to donate to emergency aid for Gaza.
Yet some Israeli publications took exception to Zegler's comment and suggested she had insulted Gadot.
So much turmoil, and the movie hasn’t even been released yet.
The trailer alone has amassed more than 1 million dislikes (versus 80,000 likes). The Critical Drinker calls it “nightmare fuel.”
Remember, Hollywood isn’t merely shallow. Its cultural impact runs deep.
Here’s some more depressing evidence of that: New Harvard study says celebrity voices do matter in elections.
It’s a Small World After All
A compelling new German film called The Teachers’ Lounge explores some coddling-adjacent themes. I mentioned that recently, and then learned that TCM contributor
interviewed the director Ilker Çatak in March!Check it out Drew’s interview here.
Think Indoctrination at College is Bad? Wait till you hear what happens on high school campuses.
RGK Publishing calls the latest essay by TCM’s
, “One of the saddest, darkest, most depressing pieces I’ve read in recent memory.”And continuing with TCM contributors, The Ivy’s Voice of Reason, Dr.
recently noted that scientists aren’t big on free will. But that doesn’t seem to be the case with philosophers. According to this survey, only about 11 percent lean toward the “no free will” position.In these “pages” Randy also explained how his campus (Cornell University) began the new year with some anti-Israel vandalism. The incident was also covered by The New York Post:
Cornell Law professor William A. Jacobson said the crimes sent a message at the start of the semester.
“Given the weak response at Cornell last academic year to intimidation tactics by anti-Israel activists, it is no surprise that they have upped the aggressiveness by opening the semester with vandalism and destruction of property,” said Jacobson, founder of EqualProtect.org. “This is a bad omen.”
Before we plunge even deeper into depressing free speech news, let’s highlight one of the rare musical artists who’s both really talented and really devoted to free speech.
Our pal
interviews the master of the intense jingle-jangly alternative scene Nick Cave.Gillespie talks with Cave about his unshakeable commitment to free speech, how the death of his 15-year-old son affected his art, his abiding interest in ritual and religion, and why he refuses to join artist boycotts of countries such as Israel.
Here’s Gillespie’s recent interview with Courtney and me:
“Harvard Has a Discourse Problem”
So says the Harvard Crimon’s Calvin D. Alexander. He points out that, according to last year’s senior survey, only 36 percent of students felt comfortable expressing opposing views on controversial topics in courses.
Enter Harvard’s new Intellectual Vitality Initiative:
This year, the initiative has introduced much more far-reaching changes, especially for freshmen students. New orientation modules for freshmen included a three-hour long program from the Constructive Dialogue Institute called “Perspectives,” a scientific, yet sensitive curriculum made to help students navigate difficult conversations on campus.
Freshmen students also discussed intellectual vitality during orientation and even met with Government Professor Michael J. Sandel in Sanders Theater, where he mediated a civil discussion about the ethics of artificial intelligence.
So it is possible to have a civil discussion on a controversial topic at Harvard! Actually, we accomplished that this spring:
Harvard Screening Recap: The Coddling Movie Goes to Cambridge: Students, Pinker, and Satanism
We’d love to find a way to get The Coddling movie into programs like the Intellectual Vitality Initiative.
Here's more on the Biggest Ivy:
What'll It Be, Harvard—Minority Advancement or DEI Dogma? Ivies could create feeder schools for underserved black and Hispanic students