Posted under Education
I love “grumpy old man” commentaries (no ofense to Dr. Gottfried) talking about the “good ol’ days” and how things “ain’t like they used to be.” Here’s one from Dr. Gottfried at AmConMag decrying the sorry state of “higher education.”
I used to get dirty looks toward the end of my teaching career when I asked students in Western Civilization courses what books they had read. These students didn’t open books, perhaps on principle. I’ve no idea why they’re in college, except to meet significant others and to enjoy leisure time at the expense of their parents or of American taxpayers. As I like to point out, such college residents are students in the same sense I would be a player in the national hockey league, if I signed up in a program that allowed me to imagine I was something I was not. Of course, since these kids, or their enablers, are paying at least one hundred times more than I did for my education, they get their illusions and sybaritic tastes indulged.
Preach on Dr. G.! Preach on!
JD Salyer on 03 Jul 2012 at 7:56 pm #
Naturally I’m a little biased as I too have a taste for such commentaries, but I think such a predisposition probably relates to a respect for the past and a sense of history — in contrast to those who invariably dismiss grumpy-old-men.
Having taught at the college level myself I know exactly what Gottfried is talking about. A great many students think themselves too good to work with their hands while simultaneously resenting the elitist suggestion that they should work with their minds.
thaddeus on 03 Jul 2012 at 7:59 pm #
In most cases, though, such commentaries are accurate. Things truly aren’t what they used to be, and have steadily gotten worse.
The leftward drift of society, and all the rot that it entails, is empirically true.
T. Chan on 03 Jul 2012 at 8:19 pm #
Yes, often much wisdom is to be found in the reflections of GOM on their experiences.
Feltan on 04 Jul 2012 at 6:36 pm #
I predict we are going to see an education crash much like the housing crash. Too many people indebting themselves too far for diplomas that aren’t worth very much.
The kids entering law, engineering, computer science, medicine will have careers (medicine, however, isn’t going to be the cash cow it once was) and be able to thrive. The time of going into $25,000 debt for a degree in Midevail Slovakian Literature has passed.
Regards,
Feltan
Chris Hewlett on 04 Jul 2012 at 7:50 pm #
Yes, but is not anything medieval that is causing the problem. It is Women’s Studies, Black Studies, LGBT Studies, etc.
Feltan on 05 Jul 2012 at 5:29 pm #
Chris,
Hey! There are lots of job possibilities for “Diversity Coordinators” and those academic majors are key feeders to these highly prized positions of non-productivity.
Regards,
Feltan