Stanford Needs Pirates Again
A recent Stanford Review meeting highlighted the university's defining tension, with one attendee stating:
Stanford shouldn’t be the Navy; it should be the Pirates.
This quote symbolizes the struggle between two opposing ideals: the Navy, representing order, procedure, and safety, and the Pirates, representing openness, disruption, and courage.
The Pirates have suffered a significant blow with the loss of their home, the lake, which led to a decline in their vital energies and ultimately, a decline in piracy.
The draining of the lake, combined with the effects of Covid, has resulted in the Navy's increasing dominance, stripping the Band's independence, shuttering Greek life and theme houses, and taming the last safe haven of piracy that alumni fondly remember.
Author's summary: Stanford's pirate spirit is dwindling.
- The Navy represents order and safety
- The Pirates represent openness and courage
- The loss of the lake has led to a decline in piracy