5 thoughts on “Oh, The Humanities”

  1. I think that some humanities studies – the truly subjective ones, like womens’ studies or anything that embraces deconstructionism – should be replaced by online forums. If some pointy-headed liberal wants to make money preaching about Marxist interpretations of Victorian literature, why should the would-be prof be hired by a university? Especially a PUBLIC university? Let him or her start a website and try to attract subscribers.

    I have just now spotted the irony of the previous paragraph – prescribing capitalist entrepreneurism as the legitimate vehicle for teaching Marxist perspectives**. It’s an unavoidable irony – there is no honest and legitimate alternative to free trade, especially regarding what I woudl consider an academic luxury item.

    (**Note the terminology. I said “Marxist perspectives” instead of “Marxism” because our hypothetical prof might profess only certain elements of Marxism, and not the whole enchilada.)

  2. Humanities or whatever the subject, I found it refreshing for a professor to admit they’re not teaching much of anything in universities any more.

    It was equally nice to see that some of the Profs are not only complicit in killing education, they’re wallowing in it.
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    It all makes me feel better about all MY barking and carping about HOW my tax dollars get spent at State Schools, given the dolts I encounter post graduation.
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    My younger son is taking a “Humanities Course” as a mandatory part of his Associate Degree in Auto Mechanics. (he’s trying to get ‘paper’ to show that he does know this stuff well enough to get a job)

    He was telling his mother and I that he and three of his mechanic buddies are in the class together. They sit in the back of the class, and make jokes and cut up. It’s four mechanics, and they’re only there for the grades!

    Several of the other students are angry that they make fun of all the ‘liberal’ ideas in there, but they are still passing the class with 4 of the highest grades in the class. I guess several of the hand wringers asked if they could be thrown out of the class, or that they be purposely failed, because [here’s the quote] they should be failed, ” because they won’t learn this stuff and take it serious (her usage not mine ) like the rest of us think they should”.

    My son was actually worried over last weekend that he might not be able to get into the class today. I told him it sounded like a good law suit to me if he was told to leave.

    Of course I can actually see why he and his buddies should be thrown out of class.

    They all think alike, they refuse to consider anything but their own ideas, and it’s all that crazy right-wing, ex-military, self sufficiency, All American kid nut ball stuff.

    They should all be free thinkers like those young future Social Workers and Day Care Worker, liberals in that class.

    (I’m rolling my eyes)

  3. Several of the other students are angry that they make fun of all the ‘liberal’ ideas in there, but they are still passing the class with 4 of the highest grades in the class.

    Naturally. The ability to ‘learn’ and regurgitate most ’social studies’ is trivial compared to the working mental capacity required to be a successful engineer of any flavor. The only genuine obstacle in those courses is boredom.

    1. Actually he says it’s like sitting in the enemy camp, while they strategize. It’s very interesting in his opinion.

      But I have a feeling I’d be be bored to tears or my BP would be off the charts.

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