Getting offended too easily
Will Ehrenfeld
Published: Tuesday, February 24, 2009
This is a column that I’m really excited to write. On Friday, if you didn’t see it, senior Kevin Dillon (no, not Johnny Drama) wrote an op-ed in the Daily called “Things Tufts’ Campus Needs,” which basically criticized me and my column, specifically the one titled “Unnecessary activism.” As an apparent necessary activist, I am not surprised Kevin took issue with some of the ideas from my column.
But that’s not (directly) what this column is about. With Dillon’s passionate and somewhat jumbled response piece as exhibit A, I’m hoping to discuss that characteristic of Tufts that everyone surely is intimately aware of: the proclivity to get offended. I can’t imagine how those at Tufts who commonly get offended — so offended, in fact, that they may write an angry letter to the Daily — will fare in the future. I really worry about people like Dillon who seem to get worked up very quickly and often, even about things that really aren’t a big deal. This column? Not a big deal. The Jumbo Janitor Alliance, of which Mr. Dillon is the founder, is not the biggest deal in the world, either — although, after mentioning them in a column, several people have defended them, both in person and in print, so I’ll leave that alone.
I don’t want to focus on one person, though. Dillon isn’t the only one who gets irrationally offended by irrelevant things. Ben Silver, author of the infamous Feb. 5 op-ed attacking the Primary Source for their cover featuring President Obama as the messiah, also appears to be offended very easily. I worked with Silver on the Obama campaign, so I realize this is an issue close to his heart, but ... really? Of all the offensive things the Source does, this is what you pick out to criticize? And then the editors of the Primary Source, not to be outdone in the easily offended department, were eager to respond in similar fashion, nitpicking and attacking Silver’s letter. Is that what the Daily’s op-ed section has become — a forum for silly flame wars?
Why do people do this? Think of the boy who cried wolf. But I suppose this is more like the upper-middle-class white kid who cried, “That’s offensive!” What will happen if I start saying truly inflammatory things? It could happen. The activists who would lead an uprising have already used their primary weapon, the sanctimonious letter to the editor — so what next? After my next “offensive” column, will there be rallies and demonstrations on the quad, replete with signs featuring creative slogans?
It actually seems like people at Tufts enjoy getting worked up and offended, so much so that they invent things to get upset about. Why? Illogically, Tufts people often seem to seek out things that are unrelated to themselves to get offended by. Take the Primary Source, for example. One would think that the primary offend-ees of the Source would be the groups it tends to attack — Muslims, African Americans, peace and justice studies students — the list goes on and on. But who do we see writing angry letters to the editor about the offenses the Source commits? Self-righteous liberals — a sad trend, especially because I am a proud liberal, although apparently my level of self-righteousness is not quite up to par.
While I work on that, I have an assignment for the (surely myriad) readers of this column. I want this column to be participatory. I know I’m not the only one with ideas about stuff Tufts people like; in fact, this column was partially inspired by a suggestion from a reader. So e-mail me your ideas! Or, better yet, write an indignant op-ed in the Daily. Even if it’s not always complimentary, I want to hear from you.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Column 4
Will Ehrenfeld | Stuff Tufts People Like
Trying, and failing, to change the world
Published: Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Following last week’s column about unnecessary activism, I want to focus more directly on activism and its role on campus and in a Tufts education. “Civic engagement” is one of the big buzzwords that admissions and public relations spout relentlessly; the university depicts itself as a socially active institution that is heavily involved in community issues and service. Tufts people especially like working with poor or disadvantaged people who “need our help,” and this becomes more central to our time at Tufts than any other ideas about education that might follow a more traditional path.
Those of us (I include myself here) who came to Tufts expecting to change the world immediately upon arrival in Medford have likely been disappointed in the progress so far. You (we) have almost certainly failed rather miserably in your (our) attempts to change the world and impact humanity in a positive way. And, sorry to burst your bubble, but your immediate prospects don’t look too good, either. I’m not chastising you for your idealistic beliefs and outlandish ambition — I have those things, too — but I think you’re confused.
Matthew Arnold, a 19th century English writer, once suggested that “poetry can save us.” In this time of relatively deep unrest and growing economic turmoil, every prescription for salvation must be reviewed, so let’s examine Arnold’s idea in a larger context. Everyone need not read copious amounts of poetry, although Robert Frost never hurt anyone. Instead, poetry here is a metaphor for the humanities in general and education in its purest form, which is sadly lacking at our potentially great institution.
I believe that Tufts students are some of the smartest people I have ever met, and the potential here for deep engagement with education and learning is great, yet what many of us have been doing here is wasting our time. Stanley Fish, a professor and occasional blogger at the New York Times Web site, calls his column “The Last Professor” in a not-so-subtle jab at current academics that focus on changing the world instead of learning. One of his books on higher education, “Save the World on Your Own Time” (2008), pretty well describes his opinion on civic engagement and its role inside the classroom.
In multiple columns, Fish has argued that higher education, understood properly, can be distinguished by the lack of a relationship between its activities and measurable effects in the world around us. I can only bemoan the absence of this type of learning and engagement here. Tufts people seem more interested in appearing compassionate and involved than focusing on their own education. We are missing out on schooling for schooling’s sake — poetry, philosophy and literature for example — where the goal is specially focused on understanding, comprehension and enlarging the mind; it is individual rather than instrumental.
You can spend hours, days or even weeks volunteering at a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen or, if you’re lucky, traveling to Africa to help refugees. In fact, you ought to, if you have the opportunity — but that’s not really an education. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you are getting educated and learning how to create change as you do it. You might be helping a few people, but you are missing out on something wonderful if you avoid learning for your — and its — own sake.
Trying, and failing, to change the world
Published: Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Following last week’s column about unnecessary activism, I want to focus more directly on activism and its role on campus and in a Tufts education. “Civic engagement” is one of the big buzzwords that admissions and public relations spout relentlessly; the university depicts itself as a socially active institution that is heavily involved in community issues and service. Tufts people especially like working with poor or disadvantaged people who “need our help,” and this becomes more central to our time at Tufts than any other ideas about education that might follow a more traditional path.
Those of us (I include myself here) who came to Tufts expecting to change the world immediately upon arrival in Medford have likely been disappointed in the progress so far. You (we) have almost certainly failed rather miserably in your (our) attempts to change the world and impact humanity in a positive way. And, sorry to burst your bubble, but your immediate prospects don’t look too good, either. I’m not chastising you for your idealistic beliefs and outlandish ambition — I have those things, too — but I think you’re confused.
Matthew Arnold, a 19th century English writer, once suggested that “poetry can save us.” In this time of relatively deep unrest and growing economic turmoil, every prescription for salvation must be reviewed, so let’s examine Arnold’s idea in a larger context. Everyone need not read copious amounts of poetry, although Robert Frost never hurt anyone. Instead, poetry here is a metaphor for the humanities in general and education in its purest form, which is sadly lacking at our potentially great institution.
I believe that Tufts students are some of the smartest people I have ever met, and the potential here for deep engagement with education and learning is great, yet what many of us have been doing here is wasting our time. Stanley Fish, a professor and occasional blogger at the New York Times Web site, calls his column “The Last Professor” in a not-so-subtle jab at current academics that focus on changing the world instead of learning. One of his books on higher education, “Save the World on Your Own Time” (2008), pretty well describes his opinion on civic engagement and its role inside the classroom.
In multiple columns, Fish has argued that higher education, understood properly, can be distinguished by the lack of a relationship between its activities and measurable effects in the world around us. I can only bemoan the absence of this type of learning and engagement here. Tufts people seem more interested in appearing compassionate and involved than focusing on their own education. We are missing out on schooling for schooling’s sake — poetry, philosophy and literature for example — where the goal is specially focused on understanding, comprehension and enlarging the mind; it is individual rather than instrumental.
You can spend hours, days or even weeks volunteering at a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen or, if you’re lucky, traveling to Africa to help refugees. In fact, you ought to, if you have the opportunity — but that’s not really an education. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you are getting educated and learning how to create change as you do it. You might be helping a few people, but you are missing out on something wonderful if you avoid learning for your — and its — own sake.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
New Column...on newsstands now
Unnecessary activism
Will Ehrenfeld
Published: Tuesday, February 10, 2009
How many times have you been walking into or out of Dewick when some overly aggressive freshman shoves a pamphlet in your face or asks you to complete a survey on the merits and/or drawbacks of bottled water, for instance? At Tufts, we are all simply unable to steer clear of nervy volunteers looking for signatures for a petition, more volunteers or, worst of all, donations. This campus is absolutely saturated with volunteerism and activism, which isn’t a bad thing in a vacuum.
The problem at Tufts isn’t the energetic and vehement spirit of activism coursing through campus, but rather the target of that activism. The campus and our world face huge, seemingly insurmountable issues that need just this energy and activism. Poverty, hunger, safe and affordable housing, public safety in general, especially around the Tufts campus: All of these are significant issues deserving of the voluminous energy that has recently been targeted at “problems” like bottled water and the Primary Source.
Now don’t get me wrong; I’m no defender of the Source. I actually hate it, but I have better things to do than get all worked up about something that, if I choose not to read, has absolutely no effect on my life. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they make fun of me personally sometimes — I’m a peace activist, a pretty staunch liberal, and I’m not afraid to speak my mind — but who cares? My mom always used to tell me that the best way to deal with something (or someone) that upsets you is to just ignore it. I think it’s good advice, particularly when that thing doesn’t really affect you … or anyone else.
Also, when it comes down to it, I tend to agree with the Think Outside the Bottle campaign that was all the craze at Tufts last year. I realize that bottled water contributes to fossil fuel use and pollution, empowers the corporate elite, blah blah blah. But when it comes down to it, I think I speak for a rather large majority of students here when I say that I don’t really care.
In the interest of constructive criticism, let me offer the Think Outside the Bottle folks some advice: A campaign against bottled water when millions of people have no access to clean water, from the tap or a bottle, really isn’t good for your image. It isn’t particularly useful, either. If people do in fact drink a little bit less bottled water, is that the glorious endpoint of your campaign? Will you celebrate, I mean really rejoice at, a moderate reduction in plastic usage? Get real.
You might be wondering if what I’m complaining about is all that prevalent at Tufts. Let’s look at TuftsLife.com for supporting evidence. A cursory review of this week’s event listings is especially revelatory on this topic. There are daily encouragements to “Find Out More About Vaginas,” something I’ve always meant to do, really; a meeting of the Friends of Israel group, which is obviously gratuitous at a campus as saturated with Jews as Tufts is; and the Jumbo Janitor Alliance, which I support in principle but similarly don’t care about.
Am I just apathetic? Perhaps, but I maintain that the activism we see at Tufts is, for the most part, poorly designed and ultimately misguided. If I’ve convinced you, and you want to reform, it’s very easy. Work on real problems; there’s a real litany of options to choose from. Against the Primary Source? Join the Tufts Democrats or write for its magazine, The Forum. Against bottled water? Advocate for clean water for all and improvements to international infrastructure. Work on real problems, don’t construct new ones.
Will Ehrenfeld
Published: Tuesday, February 10, 2009
How many times have you been walking into or out of Dewick when some overly aggressive freshman shoves a pamphlet in your face or asks you to complete a survey on the merits and/or drawbacks of bottled water, for instance? At Tufts, we are all simply unable to steer clear of nervy volunteers looking for signatures for a petition, more volunteers or, worst of all, donations. This campus is absolutely saturated with volunteerism and activism, which isn’t a bad thing in a vacuum.
The problem at Tufts isn’t the energetic and vehement spirit of activism coursing through campus, but rather the target of that activism. The campus and our world face huge, seemingly insurmountable issues that need just this energy and activism. Poverty, hunger, safe and affordable housing, public safety in general, especially around the Tufts campus: All of these are significant issues deserving of the voluminous energy that has recently been targeted at “problems” like bottled water and the Primary Source.
Now don’t get me wrong; I’m no defender of the Source. I actually hate it, but I have better things to do than get all worked up about something that, if I choose not to read, has absolutely no effect on my life. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they make fun of me personally sometimes — I’m a peace activist, a pretty staunch liberal, and I’m not afraid to speak my mind — but who cares? My mom always used to tell me that the best way to deal with something (or someone) that upsets you is to just ignore it. I think it’s good advice, particularly when that thing doesn’t really affect you … or anyone else.
Also, when it comes down to it, I tend to agree with the Think Outside the Bottle campaign that was all the craze at Tufts last year. I realize that bottled water contributes to fossil fuel use and pollution, empowers the corporate elite, blah blah blah. But when it comes down to it, I think I speak for a rather large majority of students here when I say that I don’t really care.
In the interest of constructive criticism, let me offer the Think Outside the Bottle folks some advice: A campaign against bottled water when millions of people have no access to clean water, from the tap or a bottle, really isn’t good for your image. It isn’t particularly useful, either. If people do in fact drink a little bit less bottled water, is that the glorious endpoint of your campaign? Will you celebrate, I mean really rejoice at, a moderate reduction in plastic usage? Get real.
You might be wondering if what I’m complaining about is all that prevalent at Tufts. Let’s look at TuftsLife.com for supporting evidence. A cursory review of this week’s event listings is especially revelatory on this topic. There are daily encouragements to “Find Out More About Vaginas,” something I’ve always meant to do, really; a meeting of the Friends of Israel group, which is obviously gratuitous at a campus as saturated with Jews as Tufts is; and the Jumbo Janitor Alliance, which I support in principle but similarly don’t care about.
Am I just apathetic? Perhaps, but I maintain that the activism we see at Tufts is, for the most part, poorly designed and ultimately misguided. If I’ve convinced you, and you want to reform, it’s very easy. Work on real problems; there’s a real litany of options to choose from. Against the Primary Source? Join the Tufts Democrats or write for its magazine, The Forum. Against bottled water? Advocate for clean water for all and improvements to international infrastructure. Work on real problems, don’t construct new ones.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Column 2
Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for, my second column in the Tufts Daily (link).
Seeing their names in print
Will Ehrenfeld
Published: Tuesday, February 3, 2009
This week’s topic is one close to my heart. As a freshly minted columnist in this fine paper, it should be obvious that I, as much as anybody, really enjoy seeing my name in print. And I’m especially lucky: My beautiful picture also gets printed every Tuesday along with this column. I am not alone, though, in my enthusiastic support of, well ... myself.
Tufts students, more so than students from other schools, appreciate seeing their names in print — be it in The New York Times, The Tufts Daily, or even The New Bedford Standard Times. A friend of mine at Tufts recently sent an e-mail to a large number of friends, asking us to read an article his local newspaper at home wrote about his internship at the White House. “It looks at the experience in a more comprehensive way, not just focusing on my time in the office, but the complete Washington experience,” he wrote, taking himself far too seriously. “I hope you will take the time to read the article.”
That’s one example; I’m sure most Tufts people could add similar anecdotes from their social circles. This e-mail wasn’t particularly off-putting, and the article was moderately interesting — but it’s indicative of a broader issue. Tufts people urgently self-promote like few others. Any publication that has even a very narrow readership (see Source, Primary) attracts many writers, photographers and people with no interest in journalism, so long as they are assured of seeing their name somewhere in print. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a largely ignored magazine or newspaper or if it’s only for serving as assistant copy editor for The Public Journal.
By my count, Tufts has more than ten separate, (relatively) regularly produced publications, ranging from this paragon of journalism, The Tufts Daily, to the lowly, rarely published Forum, a project of the Tufts Democrats (and for which I occasionally write). The vast majority of these projects are funded by the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate through the student activities fund, and I suppose the publications are fulfilling the purpose of this fund that the Senate, in its unrivaled wisdom, allots to various student groups. One of the greatest desires of Tufts students is to see their names in print, so maximizing the outlets for this desire is really the ideal use for the money.
Speaking of the TCU Senate ... I’m convinced that the only reason people run for Senate is so that they can enjoy excessive publicity from the Daily. The notoriety attached to such glorious, glorious coverage is not only a big ego boost, but it gives the person being interviewed — let’s say TCU Treasurer Matt Shapanka — the pleasure of feeling superior to the lowly Daily staff writer who has to call Matt on a Sunday night to ask him about the latest development in the saga over the recovered funds. By the way, I’m looking forward to a lengthy thank-you note from Shapanka for the excellent publicity I’m giving him. Don’t forget the little people, Matt.
With this interviewer-interviewee dynamic factored in, I’m a relative bottom-feeder in the publicity scheme, but at least my notoriety is guaranteed. I can write whatever I want in this column, really, and my ugly mug will keep showing up at the top of the page once a week. And here you are, slaving away in the MAB lab to perfect the photo layout in the forthcoming issue of Tufts Traveler. I almost feel bad.
Want to see your name right here in this very column? Contact me with something that you think Tufts people like, and you could provide the topic of an upcoming column.
Seeing their names in print
Will Ehrenfeld
Published: Tuesday, February 3, 2009
This week’s topic is one close to my heart. As a freshly minted columnist in this fine paper, it should be obvious that I, as much as anybody, really enjoy seeing my name in print. And I’m especially lucky: My beautiful picture also gets printed every Tuesday along with this column. I am not alone, though, in my enthusiastic support of, well ... myself.
Tufts students, more so than students from other schools, appreciate seeing their names in print — be it in The New York Times, The Tufts Daily, or even The New Bedford Standard Times. A friend of mine at Tufts recently sent an e-mail to a large number of friends, asking us to read an article his local newspaper at home wrote about his internship at the White House. “It looks at the experience in a more comprehensive way, not just focusing on my time in the office, but the complete Washington experience,” he wrote, taking himself far too seriously. “I hope you will take the time to read the article.”
That’s one example; I’m sure most Tufts people could add similar anecdotes from their social circles. This e-mail wasn’t particularly off-putting, and the article was moderately interesting — but it’s indicative of a broader issue. Tufts people urgently self-promote like few others. Any publication that has even a very narrow readership (see Source, Primary) attracts many writers, photographers and people with no interest in journalism, so long as they are assured of seeing their name somewhere in print. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a largely ignored magazine or newspaper or if it’s only for serving as assistant copy editor for The Public Journal.
By my count, Tufts has more than ten separate, (relatively) regularly produced publications, ranging from this paragon of journalism, The Tufts Daily, to the lowly, rarely published Forum, a project of the Tufts Democrats (and for which I occasionally write). The vast majority of these projects are funded by the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate through the student activities fund, and I suppose the publications are fulfilling the purpose of this fund that the Senate, in its unrivaled wisdom, allots to various student groups. One of the greatest desires of Tufts students is to see their names in print, so maximizing the outlets for this desire is really the ideal use for the money.
Speaking of the TCU Senate ... I’m convinced that the only reason people run for Senate is so that they can enjoy excessive publicity from the Daily. The notoriety attached to such glorious, glorious coverage is not only a big ego boost, but it gives the person being interviewed — let’s say TCU Treasurer Matt Shapanka — the pleasure of feeling superior to the lowly Daily staff writer who has to call Matt on a Sunday night to ask him about the latest development in the saga over the recovered funds. By the way, I’m looking forward to a lengthy thank-you note from Shapanka for the excellent publicity I’m giving him. Don’t forget the little people, Matt.
With this interviewer-interviewee dynamic factored in, I’m a relative bottom-feeder in the publicity scheme, but at least my notoriety is guaranteed. I can write whatever I want in this column, really, and my ugly mug will keep showing up at the top of the page once a week. And here you are, slaving away in the MAB lab to perfect the photo layout in the forthcoming issue of Tufts Traveler. I almost feel bad.
Want to see your name right here in this very column? Contact me with something that you think Tufts people like, and you could provide the topic of an upcoming column.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)