So NOW you know what I'm talking about
From another campus correspondent, very close to the action:
Although I'm new to (the nearby university), I've followed your column ever since a friend and former student of yours linked me to it. I have read, I have laughed and I have learned from it. Unfortunately, until today, I never had a reason to write in.
Now, don't get me wrong. I enjoy the degree program. I just hate the students. I'm currently enrolled in a course in Free Speech and believe me, I've done my part. I'm the rare over-educated person that you see in the communications program. I'm the one who dominates debates and shreds the other students' ideas to pieces. I like to think I have cut through the ignorance, if even just a bit.
But today, I couldn't take it. Today, the Professor decided to gauge if anyone had their position swayed about free speech thanks to the course. A resounding chorus of "Yes" was issued. That is, save one.
She was a flash of blonde at the very, very far back of the classroom. Before today, she barely ever came to class, let alone talked. Today was her moment to shine. Of course, the Professor had to inquire as to just why she hadn't changed her mind. What she said I'll never forget.
"Uh, like, when people disagree, people get mad. If everyone that wanted to disagree were to remain quiet, we could all be happy."
The room was silent.
My god, I never knew it was this bad. I always thought of you as an honest professor from what I've read; now I think of you as a saint.
Well, hardly that, young grasshopper. But I am a pretty accurate observer, as are you. Thanks for the story!
posted by writer @ 7:19 AM
8 Comments:
Frankly, a member of my cohort in grad school is on a 1 year appointment at SMU. I'm not exactly sad that he's having to deal with exactly this kind of stuff -- he was kind of an asshat.
Someone sure seems to have an awfully inflated sense of self-worth. Sure, the Ashleys are vapid and annoying, but the sense of superiority that non-Ashleys often have to their classmates is just as much of a pain in the ass.
Wow! New to the university, and already so callow and full of oneself. They're young, engage them, help them grow.
That way you'll grow too.
It's depressing to see that this goes on at other universities besides SMU. Part of me knew this, the other half just didn't want to believe it.
As for the writer- eh. Wait until they get to somewhere they really have to think.
"I'm the rare over-educated person that you see in the communications program. I'm the one that dominates debates and shreds the other students' ideas to pieces. I like to think that I have cut through the ignorance, if even just a bit."
Before I started law school, someone said to me: If you can't tell who the asshole in class is, then it's you. Sorry, but it is definetly you and not the dumb blond in the back.
You don't go to class to learn any more than she does. Academic arrogance is a sure sign of ignorance.
Prof, I'm surprised you published this. I would have thought this kind of student would annoy you just as much as the Ashleys.
KCS
She gets. Sometimes the only solution is to put all the unhappy people to death.
The person who wrote the letter is young, and it's normal to be arrogant when you are young and bright. It's not unusual if you're old and bright, either. In this case, I sympathize with him. It's a pain in the ass to pull the rest of the class along and have a moron like that blonde waste valuable class time.
I remember a class where we were discussing psychological defense mechanisms, and the teacher described one as "bird of a feather flock together" only to be interrupted by a guy that wanted to argue that that might not be true of every kind of bird... This went on the whole hour, with him not understanding one point she was trying to make.
I'll bet the s.o.b. got a better grade than I did, because his frat gave him the tests ahead of time.
I've heard that awareness is the first step to recovery.
*Shudder*
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