LETTERS READERS WRITE BACK

goes hand in hand with and visionary leader, who— free market and small through force of sheer will— ByBy CatherineCatherine Caldwell-HarrisCa government thinking, dragged a mid-level, back-

What It MeaMeans When You Dye protuberances of her cheekbones made me try to How a liberal learned to respect Your HairHair PuPurple remember the name of the disease that could cause it. Then something clicked. She was a normal woman and challenging the water university into the Should a 20-something20-someth information technology with a strong nose and cheekbones, characteristically specialist, by all accountsacco a competent employee, be Germanic features. ableable to dyedye her long, wavy brown hair purple without It turned out that three months of living as the rare ggettingetting griefgrief from management?m That question was at Caucasian in Chinese neighborhoods had reconfigured the heart ofof the convconversation at a recent dinner for a my face recognition system (think of fumbling for collective. Hence the nation’s top 50. Thanks to groupgroup ofof intelligentintelligent anda age-diverse women. words in your native tongue when you’ve been daily “Mana“Managementgement wentwe apoplectic,” the woman said. using another language). Back in , my “Sure, they said my hairh wasn’t relevant to my job face recognition system had almost instantly popped performance;performance; they aagreed I did my job well. But I had back to its normal setting. But historical animosity his drive, the value of my to dyedye it back.” the China trip had sensitized TThehe groupgroup noddednodde and rolled their eyes in sym- Catherine Caldwell- me to the virtue of minimizing pathetic outrage.outrage. TheTh owner of the hair didn’t even Harris is a College individualist displays and re- interact withwith the pubpublic! The business didn’t have of Arts & Sciences specting the desires of those conservative thinking a published dress cocode! To redye hair, it has to be associate professor above one in the social hierarchy. between American con- diplomas is greater than bleached,bleached, andand that’s a health risk! of psychology and a In the collectivist cultures of I kept quietquiet.. Like others who grew up in an age of research associate East Asia, people have been personal freedom,freedom, I, too, reasoned, “Back off. I’m not at the nonprofit less concerned with expressing hurtinghurting anyoneanyone else by doing x.” Institute for the their individuality and more Inside, however,however, I was coming down on the side of Bio-Cultural Study concerned about harmonious servatives and commu- when I graduated. management, and here’she why: dyeing your hair purple of Religion. relations with others, includ- as a 20-something20-something shshows a lack of respect to your ing being sensitive to negative managersmanagers and fellow employees. It makes you stand appraisal by others. One result is a well-behaved out. You are defiantldefiantly not fitting in with the group. You classroom of 30 preschoolers led by one teacher nist and socialist soci- Given this, you’d think are imposingimposing on othothers by shrieking, “Look at me!” and an assistant. I was also awareaware thatt my thoughts about the purple As I sat at dinner with my female friends, I thought hair incidentincident were veryv different from what they would about the subtle power of social norms and respect (and accept the fact that, yes, have been a few yearsyear ago. They were changed by sev- for authority. In addition to the lessons of living in eral things,things, but the mostm powerful forces were my read- China, I remembered social psychologist (and author eties. The right is also I’d view the man with unvar- ingsings in socialsocial and cross-culturalcro psychology and my of the 2012 book Righteous Mind: Why Good People experiences in other cultures. Are Divided by Politics and Religion) Jonathan Haidt’s five foundations of morality. I’d admired Haidt’s work OverseasOverseas EdEducation since I started assigning his 2007 New Yorker video to my cross-cultural psychology and cognitive psychology happier than the left nished admiration, but It was MayMay 2008.2008. WeeksWe earlier I had returned from classes. Haidt had once given a colloquium to my de- a semester-longsemester-long sabbaticalsabb in China, where I had partment and visited my lab. In recent years the New traveled withwith my TaiwaneseTai doctoral student for two York University professor has become something of research projects,projects, bothbo about language, but quite a rock star of social psychology, largely because of his because conservatives this is not the case. His different.different. OneOne projecproject studied the cognitive processing persuasive analysis of the value systems of liberals underlyingunderlying readingreading CChinese script, and the other and of conservatives. Haidt proposes that the moral involved interviewsinterviews and questionnaires on the comfort worldview of liberals focuses on justice and fairness, and frequencyfrequency of use of the phrase Wo ai ni (I love you). with equal treatment for all, and on care vs. harm, the right is happier than the left) MMyy husband aandnd I hadha lived in rented apartments, which involves having compassion for others. Politi- tend to be more laid-back disdain for the students, and I’d travtraveledeled by bbus or bike to meet every day with cal conservatives also have these values, says Haidt, student assiassistants.stants. II’d hung out in parks with my laptop, but they are influenced by three other moral systems: writinwritingg my academicacademic papers, observing people playing respect for hierarchy, favoring one’s in-group over and exercisiexercising,ng, tryingtryin to communicate with interested the out-group, and valuing purity (a complex concept and tolerant of other his ruthless treatment locals who wantedwanted to have their first conversation with that involves sexual propriety, nobility, and avoiding an American. disgusting objects). Once, during a visitvi to a local Starbucks, I was The idea that different groups embrace different startled to see a womwoman, a foreigner, who appeared value systems was, of course, not new, but prior to to have some sort of facial dysmorphology. The bony reading Haidt I had considered respect for authority, people’s individuality of many members of the 48 BOSTONIA Fall 2013 PHOTOGRAPHS BY JESSICAJESSICA SCRANTON Fall 2013 BOSTONIA 49 and differing opinions. In faculty, and the general lack 28-51_BostoniaFall2013_4.indd 48 9/10/13 5:10 PM28-51_BostoniaFall2013_4.indd 49 9/10/13 5:10 PM contrast to conservatives, of personal skills have left TAKING ISSUE WITH ddeterminationt and self- liberals are the ones who many potential donors still VIEW ON LIBERALS reliance creates unfair often get bent out of shape smarting from his remarks VS. CONSERVATIVES outcomes for some, but any if a core liberal value is decades later. Catherine Caldwell- reasonable examination challenged. Liberals are The fact is that I’ve yet Harris’ article “How a of societies where the gov- the ones who believe that to write a substantial check Liberal Learned to Respect erning class and bureau- the social good should to University, nor Conservative Thinking (and crats control the means trump the individual and Accept the Fact That, Yes, of production to theoreti - that liberal views of social FACULTY OBITUARIES the Right Is Happier Than cally ensure equal out- justice are more important BU President Emeritus John R. the Left)” (Fall 2013) did comes, as opposed to equal than individual liberty. Silber Dies at 86 Led University for 25 years

nothing to diminish the opportunity, doesn’t build I think Caldwell-Harris By Bostonia staff John R. Silber (Hon.’95), the president emeritus and former chancellor who led the transformation of from sense that liberals’ view much of a case for individ- needs to rethink her under- a commuter school to a renowned research institution, was strong-willed, outspoken, and often controversial. His resolute work ethic, formidable capacity for knowledge, and dogged of conservatives portrays ual growth. But to offhand- standing of American con- determination to improve both BU and the city of Boston made him well known in academic as well as political circles. During his tenure at Boston University, which coincided, for a time, with his unsuccessful 1990 us as anthropological edly dismiss conserva- servatism and liberalism. run for governor of Massachusetts, he greatly expanded the campus, recruited top-notch faculty, including two future Nobel Prize winners, and established the University’s long-running oddities and curiosities tives as uncaring and sci- Michael Shepsis partnership with the Chelsea Public School system, which began in 1988 and continued for 20 years. The University he served for so long awarded him an honorary degree at the 1995 Commencement. like cargo cults. Also, by the entifically challenged just (SMG’03) Silber, who came to the University in 1971, was the University’s seventh president, serving for more than three decades, as president until 1996, then as University chancellor from 1996 to 2003. He also was a College of Arts & Sciences way, conservative values continues the divide. Jerusalem, Israel professor of philosophy and of international to greatness that we are steering today. We owe o Silber took an relations, a University Professor, and a School ambitious tack John a tremendous debt of gratitude.” of Law professor of law. when he arrived While his tendency toward blunt speech He died on September 27, 2012, at age 86. The at BU, balancing earned him moments of local and national cause of death was kidney failure. the budget in attention, most memorably during his guberna- do not include not caring Michael H. Bartlett 18 months and “In the seven years I have served this wonder- then launching torial campaign, his friends and supporters ful institution, I have come to appreciate the an aggressive praised him for choosing truth over tact. “I called magnitude of what John Silber accomplished at campaign to hire him the last candid man,” author Boston University,” says University President new faculty, first (Hon.’00) said. “There aren’t many left who say about global warming, the (CGS’72, CAS’75) MIXED FEELINGS ON SILBER Robert A. Brown. “He worked tirelessly to trans- in the human- what they mean, and mean what they say.” ities and social form the University, introducing ever-higher sciences, then in Silber was born in , Tex., to standards in the hiring and promotion of faculty the life sciences. Jewell Silber, a schoolteacher, and Paul Silber, and admission of students. There were some “Back then,” he an architect who immigrated to the United who found fault with his candor and those who said, “running States from Berlin in 1902. He described his exploitation and vilification Davie, Fla. I, too, write to thank Boston Uni ver- disagreed with him on some policy or decision, parents as “strict but loving” people who “gave sity was like try- Boston Globe but nobody can deny John’s legacy. He was ing to fly a 747 no excuses.” In 1989, he told the famously outspoken and unhesitant in decision- without an instru- about his realization at age four that his right arm, making. He left an indelible imprint on Boston ment panel.” shortened by a congenital birth defect, would of immigrants, holding men you for your recent profile University and set the foundation for the course never grow. “My mother always fixed my sleeves and women to different I enjoyed reading of the late John Silber 76 BOSTONIA Winter–Spring 2013 PHOTOGRAPHS BY BU PHOTOGRAPHY 76-79_BostoniaWinter13_01.indd 76 2/1/13 9:50 AM standards of sexual behavior, Catherine Caldwell-Harris’ (“BU President Emeritus is BU included in my estate and dismissing those living article. I strongly dis- John R. Silber Dies at 86,” arrangements. When will I in poverty. Her offhand agree, however, with her Winter–Spring 2013), be ready to donate and put inclusion of that statement understanding of what which made for fascinating the Silber years behind me? as fact is insulting and American conservatives reading. My feelings about I’ve absolutely no idea. Give incorrect. Conservative truly believe. She defined him are mixed, which was me another 30 years, and values include a belief in American conservatives as reflected in the tone of the then, maybe. the founding principles group-thinkers who value many letters you received. Jane A. Berryman of our republic, faith that tradition and conformity On one hand, he was a (CAS’84, COM’84) the Constitution rightly over individuality and brilliant mind, true scholar, Philadelphia, Pa. limits the power of federal self-expression. On the government, and that a free contrary, I think she has WRITE TO US market is the foundation confused the right with Letters are edited for clarity, style, and length. Please include your full name and address. for prosperity. the left. Write to Bostonia, 985 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 You can argue that the Conservatives take great Email letters to [email protected] flip side of a belief in self- pride in individuality, which submit on the web at bu.edu/bostonia/letters

WEB EXTRA Read more letters at bu.edu/bostonia. Winter–Spring 2014 BOSTONIA 3

002-03_BostoniaWinter2014.indd2-03_BostoniaWinter2014.indd 3 11/30/14/30/14 12:2912:29 PMPM