From a reader about the Hipublicans G-File:
Jonah –
There is an important aspect of the conservative/liberal relationship at colleges that you did not address: young college guys are at a stage in their life where they’ll do ANYTHING to attract the attention of college women. At most colleges (where women are getting their first taste of leftism), that means guys end up saying things like “Of course I’m a feminist,” “I love the environment – it’s so spiritual,” or “You hate George Bush too? Wanna smoke some pot and listen to Pink Floyd?” It’s a supply and demand issue. Guys are just giving women what they want. If you recall, even the clown on the stairs with the guitar in Animal House was surrounded by women before Bluto smashed his guitar to bits.
Later in life, as these women start looking for a more long term and stable relationship, or even marriage, many guys will then throw out their Bob Marley posters and start looking for a consulting job.
At least that’s my excuse why women didn’t like me much during my first two years at college.
My response I’d phrase some of this differently, but I think this reader identifies one of the issues always underplayed in analysis of campus politics: social life is very important. Personally, I think the desire to get chicks and not get in the way of drinking and drug use is one of the main explanations for the popularity of libertarianism on college campuses. There are other factors of course, the fetishization of individuality being a major one, but the desire not to seem like a drag is a big part of the story.