Interesting scholarship topic

[creekland]

This is the scholarship topic one of my son's colleges is using this year:

 

In his book, Consumed, Benjamin Barber writes of our "radical consumerist society," in which spending and conspicuous consumption are virtues, and brand identity manages to meld with personal identity. Barber paints a dire picture of a consumer culture out of control. He outlines the infantilizing effects of this culture, pointing to adults playing video games, the popularity of cartoons for adults, and the general denial of aging, but there is more to it than that. For Barber, infantilization plays out in the dogmatic dualism of politics, in "age without dignity... work without discipline, play without spontaneity, acquisition without purpose," and so on. He reduces all these nuances to "three archetypal dualisms that capture infantilization: EASY over HARD, SIMPLE over COMPLEX, and FAST over SLOW."

 

In an essay of no less than two, but no more than four double-spaced pages (12-point font), indicate to what extent you agree or disagree with Barber's assessment and provide concrete examples illustrating which way you see Barber's, "archetypal dualisms" tipping in the culture in which you live. Then, identify and explain the challenges that the culture you describe has for leaders in general and Christian leaders in particular.

 

I think it would be very interesting to read what these students have to say. We're off to the library today to get the book... Working in our local public high school I can identify with the trend and will be curious to skim the book myself, though I can tell you already I'll basically agree with him. The key is what to do about it - or do 'leaders' even want to do anything about it? My thought is more along the the Roman Republic days thinking the leadership just wants to keep the masses happy.

[Nan in Mass]

Sidestepping the whole challenges for leadership topic:

If throughout the rest of his book Barber uses examples like the ones given here to prove his point, I don't think much of the book. Adults have played games in their spare time throughout the ages. Computers allow them to play with other people far away or by themselves, and offer a great selection of games. A computer is a very superior pack of cards. Then there are the cartoons. At a guess, I'd say he doesn't know much about Manga, which is a pretty adult art form. It can be very sophisticated. And people have been obsessed with staying young throughout the ages, so I'm not sure where that comes in. I don't think we are very different in that respect.

As for his archetypes, when haven't people prefered these things when they had the option? I think the difference is that more people have the option now.

He lost me when he mentioned the adult computer games and the manga.

Wasn't it Calvin and Hobbs's author's father who complained that the Sunday funnies have been shrinking and shrinking?

-Nan

[Nan in Mass]

Oh - and I agree that it would be very interesting to read some of those essays GRIN, and that the majority of the leaders don't want to do anything about it. Something does need to be done about our consumer culture because it is ecologically unsustainable, but I'm not sure elected officials are in any position to produce a quick fix, unfortunately. There are slow things they can do and I hope they do them. I am unsure of how much power Christian leaders have, so I don't want to comment on that part. I know our own minister is trying hard both to reach his congregation and to extend his reach beyond his congregation, but I don't think the writers of the essay question have him in mind when they refer to Christian leadership.

-Nan

Edited October 31, 2009 by Nan in Mass

[creekland]

The book gets mixed reviews on Amazon... and hubby and I have been discussing the topic in general this morning. I agree with your thoughts that people haven't changed through the ages - hence my comparison to the Roman Republic. An overload of 'fun' though, can - and has - certainly led to disaster for a country.

 

Some fun is needed... and I kind of like cartoons... esp Chicken Run (claymation, but similar).

 

When my oldest is finished I'll probably skim the book. I'm very interested in seeing his 'take' on it - and would love to see that of other writers...

[Nan in Mass]

Yup - too bad we're not better at learning from the past.

 

I think the choosers of that essay question did a good job. The students' essays will certainly say something about their writers.

-Nan

[dkholland]

My son and I have not read the book, but ths is the first essay for colleges that he is excited about writing! He hopes to BE a writer someday...although I think he already IS a writer! When he finishes this application (the one with this essay question), I'll let you know how it goes. Are your dc applying to Covenant?

[creekland]

My son and I have not read the book, but ths is the first essay for colleges that he is excited about writing! He hopes to BE a writer someday...although I think he already IS a writer! When he finishes this application (the one with this essay question), I'll let you know how it goes. Are your dc applying to Covenant?

 

My oldest has applied to and been accepted to Covenant. I believe it's going to be his first choice since they appear to have a great Community Development major. He's also applied to Union (TN) and Calvin (MI). Union doesn't have his major directly. Calvin does, but is in the cold white north... not a plus for him.

 

I wish he were as excited about writing... we've had good discussions in general on the topic the past couple of days... but his forte is math and strategy - not writing. (It might be inherited!)

 

Maybe we'll see you there in Jan? Time will tell.

[dkholland]

My ds also got accepted to Covenant!! I think it is his first choice for now...yes, time will tell....and the financial package they offer;)

 

Maybe we'll see you there in Jan.!

[Saille]

Wow, that's a really interesting prompt! Thanks for posting it. I'd love to read some essays on that topic.

[creekland]

The topic is good, but I have to say I'm not as fond of the book itself... but I'm only hearing 'about' it secondhand from my son. I haven't read it - and at this point, I don't intend to.

 

I'm glad they pulled the topic as they did from it as I still think that has some valid points to discuss. It's easy to relate from a WTM homeschool perspective too (taking the hard, slow, complex, but ultimately BETTER way to educate IMO).

[Nan in Mass]

There are distractors in the question that should help them to assess writing ability. I suspect some students' essays will be a defense of computer games or a defense of manga while ignoring the assigned topic. Or the student could be distracted by the bad examples and write an essay along the lines of my first post (which also doesn't address the topic specified).

 

What is your son saying about the book? I'm curious now.

-Nan

Edited November 3, 2009 by Nan in Mass

[creekland]

There are distractors in the question that should help them to assess writing ability. I suspect some students' essays will be a defense of computer games or a defense of manga while ignoring the assigned topic. Or the student could be distracted by the bad examples and write an essay along the lines of my first post (which also doesn't address the topic specified).

 

What is your son saying about the book? I'm curious now.

-Nan

 

To give a quick summary, capitalism is bad, Karl Marx is good/was right and we need a gov't nanny state to protect us from ourselves as we tend to make bad choices for ourselves and the planet. Capitalists are purposely turning adults into children to benefit themselves and it will lead to ruin.

 

So... I'm going to have to do some searching to see if this is the philosophy of this college in general or if they merely want to see how students react to the topic.

 

I still really like the essay topic - just wondering about their thoughts concerning the book behind it. While I admit capitalism has its problems that need addressing, I still feel it is far better than other solutions out there, so it just might not be the best college for my younguns.

 

Should add that I'm ok with professors that have their own thoughts. My son's cc English professor now is a self-described Socialist Marxist Liberal - and I PICKED her for my son (since I know her teaching abilities and want him to be exposed to other points of view). I'm not sure I'm ok with a whole college leaning that way - and we've eliminated many due to it.

 

That said, I don't KNOW that this college leans this way, but I need to find out somehow.

[Nan in Mass]

That wasn't at all what I had guessed. I suppose I should have seen it heading that way, but I didn't. That makes the essay question even more interesting. And I, too, am now more interested in the choosers of the question. Maybe someone read it because it is a new book, and then realized that it would make a smashing essay question because the essays would probably show whether the writer had actually gotten hold of the book and read it before answering the question, or didn't bother, or got distracted and didn't even answer the question. Or someone read it and realized that they could use a question about the book to eliminate students who agree with its politics. Or someone read it and realized that they could use a question about the book to eliminate students who disagreed with its politics. It would work equally well either way. How clever.

 

You only need to eliminate the college if it is one of those three. How do you figure something like that out? My older two chose their college because it was the only accredited one near us with their major, so I haven't had to think about such things.

 

-Nan

[creekland]

That wasn't at all what I had guessed. I suppose I should have seen it heading that way, but I didn't. That makes the essay question even more interesting. And I, too, am now more interested in the choosers of the question. Maybe someone read it because it is a new book, and then realized that it would make a smashing essay question because the essays would probably show whether the writer had actually gotten hold of the book and read it before answering the question, or didn't bother, or got distracted and didn't even answer the question. Or someone read it and realized that they could use a question about the book to eliminate students who agree with its politics. Or someone read it and realized that they could use a question about the book to eliminate students who disagreed with its politics. It would work equally well either way. How clever.

 

You only need to eliminate the college if it is one of those three. How do you figure something like that out? My older two chose their college because it was the only accredited one near us with their major, so I haven't had to think about such things.

 

-Nan

 

My thoughts exactly. I never guessed the book was going to go in that sort of direction, so I really wonder why they used it as the base for their topic. (Should note my summary came via conversations from my son, not from my reading the book myself, but I've no reason to doubt him. He also has not finished the book yet... so maybe the conclusion is different, but that's a hard concept to imagine at this point.)

 

I've been trying online to see what sort of things show up regarding the college and I still can't find anything negative about Covenant at all (other than that they are less strict about Calvinism than some people would like - a plus for my Arminian family). The continual positive reviews are what drew me to the school to start with (besides the obvious that they have the major my son wants - most schools do not - and that they aren't legalistic about rules, etc.). I'm going to have to guess that it's one of the other two possibilities - then try to stay really tuned in when we make a return visit there - talk with more students spontaneously - that sort of thing.

 

When searching for negative things about Covenant I've actually found more 'not so great' comments about the other two schools he's applied to... so I'm trying to figure out exactly what God is trying to tell me! (I do know no place is perfect.) I wish we lived closer to the schools he's considering... or that more schools offered his major.

[creekland]

My ds also got accepted to Covenant!! I think it is his first choice for now...yes, time will tell....and the financial package they offer;)

 

Maybe we'll see you there in Jan.!

 

Bringing this back up to see if you're going there? We're looking forward to it! I'm pretty sure Covenant is going to be my son's top choice - if we can afford it. Everything I've researched has said this school is a perfect fit for him.