Stanford Needs Pirates Again
The university's defining tension is captured in the line:
Stanford shouldn’t be the Navy; it should be the Pirates.
This struggle represents the contrast between order and openness, procedure and disruption, safety and courage.
- The Navy stands for order, procedure, and safety.
- The Pirates represent openness, disruption, and courage.
The Pirates have been dealt a symbolic blow with the loss of their home, the lake, leading to a decline in piracy, exacerbated by the Covid pandemic.
The Navy's increasing dominance has resulted in the loss of independence for the Band, the shuttering of Greek life and theme houses, taming the last safe haven of piracy.
Author's summary: Stanford loses its pirate spirit.