The hippies retire

With the aging baby boomer professors reaching retirement, some academic departments are losing their activist edge: "When it comes to those who consider themselves 'liberal activists,' 17.2 percent of the 50-64 age group take up the banner compared with only 1.3 percent of professors 35 and younger."

Turns out, professors under 35 do not feel like fighting the culture wars fought by previous generations, as they are too busy trying to pay the bills, raise their kids, and get tenure. But they are happy to have the old folks around:

[Goldrick-Rab, 31] considers herself the “intellectual heir” of her senior colleagues — “It’s like working with your grandparents,” she said fondly. . .

. . . in that you have to smile patiently while they tell you long stories about their heroic protests in the 1960s, and how kids today are selfish little shits.