To the editor:
I am a cognitive scientist and long-term resident of Nahant. The latest threat by Northeastern threatening to sue the Town of Nahant for construction delays was the last straw for me.
It’s a consistent behavior that I have personally experienced. They will not change. Let me explain.
A few years ago, I taught at Northeastern and got to know them quite a bit. I taught one class and had students coming up to me at the end of the class to personally thank me for the knowledge that I shared.
But I decided to immediately end my relationship with Northeastern University for the following reason.
During the course, I shared a few useful, practical, and empowering ideas with the students —“otherish, not selfish concepts” — and was censured by the University. They were very amiable but also quite firm: “We don’t allow those words to be used in a class at Northeastern.”
I was stunned. My only response was to blurt out, “They are words in the dictionary.” I don’t understand.
In the dialogue that followed, it was explained to me that Northeastern is a “secular” university with no spiritual basis. During their explanations, their position meant to me that Northeastern teaches students to “look out for their own self-interest regardless of the impact upon society at large.”
I chose a long time ago to not work with selfish people or companies. As a cognitive scientist, I can say with certainty that a society does not work if all people are always operating to get what they can personally get away with.
It appears as if Northeastern in Nahant has been following their selfish and secular playbook.
In short, in my humble opinion, Northeastern is not a powerful entity that we want to allow into Nahant. They will be nothing but problems. They will not pay their fair share. They will always try to get the best of you. They will operate in a way that is antithetical to what we now have in Nahant.
If you want to live next to an industrial complex, that will grow as much as they can, then move next to Northeastern in Boston. If you feel, like many of us, that Nahant is a special place worth keeping (kept special by a long line of very good and caring people), then do not invite a well-funded serpent into your environment.
These are my ideas, based upon my personal observations, experiences, and reflections, on this issue.
Gary Deines
Nahant
