Our hunter in chief is dropping out of fisheries and wildlife and switching into agricultural engineering because he simply can't stand the liberal and so often totally illogical, if not downright wrong, bias of his professors. Having to swallow global warming whole and spit out papers supporting the government lockstep viewpoint has proven to be too much for him. It makes so so sad...I will miss spending the whole evening milking time helping him learn his Latin names and talking about wildlife biology. I don't blame him a bit though.
I can't say I blame him for doing so since he's paying the tuition to have these professors cite bad science as gospel. However, I'd like him to know that there are many in the wildlife field who do not lean so far to the left that they are in danger of falling down. My freshman roommate (from way back in 1967-68) is currently a professor of wildlife biology at Iowa State and, while I can't vouch for all his politics, I can infer some due to his being an avid hunter and fisherman. (That's one of the reasons he got into the field...literally.) I know many other COs (Conservation Officers) who are also avid outdoors men and women.
Take a serious look at the professors fields of study. (I'll assume that even at the small school you attend, they have to do some research.) Are their research projects as biased as their teachings? If so, you've made the right decision to go in to agriculture. If their research projects are not but are, instead, "real" science then you might want to stick around and offer up well thought out and researched arguments to their proselytizing. Hey, you might even succeed in swaying them!
I got my Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science just like my frosh roommate, but didn't have the foresight to go on to grad school like he did. (Besides, I was already in debt and in love. The dirty rat introduced me to my wife our senior year.) So I got a teaching certificate. When I tried to return to grad school for wildlife biology, I was limited as to my options since my wife had a pretty good job--with the USEPA--in NYC. Still, I got my Master's of Science (Ecology) but kept on teaching. I don't regret my decisions, but there were days when I wished I had gotten that degree that would have sent me to work with wildlife and not junior and senior high school students! Bears--even rattle snakes--might have been easier to handle.
What I'm saying is think it over long and hard. I can tell from threecollie's writing that you really enjoy both the farm and the woods. Which do you love more? Which will not be there for you in the future? Yeah, the road forks. There's no telling if they come back together later but they might not and you have to think of that as you make your plans.
2 comments:
Thank you for your well thought out post. We will certainly be discussing this in the future....I know he is really torn, but I think he did the deed today. We will see.
I should have mentioned that his decision to go into agriculture (if that is what he really wants) is a reflection of the fine job you and the Boss have been doing despite the hardships you've frequently chronical. It's obvious that you, the Boss, your girls and the Hunter in Chief (Allen) really love your farm.
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