I say this tongue in cheek, but how many students identify themselves as students? Are you insulting the scholars? Would you take away the rights of those that are not serious enough in their studies to meet the definition of students? (And what about learners, pupils, disciples, collegians, novices, docents, apprentices, etc?) Think of how the definition of student has changed from the 17th century to the present day. Perhaps X would be a good pronoun to use in the constitution and around campus since it is encoded in DNA and thus the least word subject to change. Actually does not sound very awkward in normal speech. Of course, then you have to have a DNA test to have rights under the constitution. (Of course you could always say one is innocent until proven guilty.) * I agree with what you are saying about literature, but it sounded like you were saying exactly the opposite. Literature should be about the exploration of the universal themes that the works evoke, and exploring the nooks and crannies in such works that have not been explored. I would be much more interested in a student making an intelligent argument about what the author was trying to get across than dissecting the work on an operating table. * Should we have stepped in and prevented the Cuban people from sweeping Castro into power? Should we rescue them because they made a bad decision? If they keep making bad decisions, should we keep bailing them out? Should aliens, seeing the course we are on as a planet, step in and dictate to us how we should live because they know better? I am a great believer in human rights and do all I can as an individual to ensure protection of those rights. But I do recognize that my view of human rights is only my own view no matter how horrible I find practices in other cultures, societies, and countries.
One of the things that I think most people agree is horrible is ritual female genital mutilation (or circumcision). A female photographer won a Pulitzer for her photos of a circumcision. Did the photographer have a right to take those photos or to try to intervene and change the culture of the tribe? How many cultures have been wiped out because their practices were wrong?
Human rights groups should exist and should push their agenda. But they should push their agenda carefully. As always I believe the best place to start is with the way I as an individual treat the people around me, and I think that is the best place for others to start.
(I hope you know me well enough that I am being serious in my questions and mean everything respectfully. I agree with the essence of what you are saying, and I am less disagreeing than questioning.)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2003-05-07 01:54 pm (UTC)Think of how the definition of student has changed from the 17th century to the present day. Perhaps X would be a good pronoun to use in the constitution and around campus since it is encoded in DNA and thus the least word subject to change. Actually does not sound very awkward in normal speech. Of course, then you have to have a DNA test to have rights under the constitution. (Of course you could always say one is innocent until proven guilty.)
*
I agree with what you are saying about literature, but it sounded like you were saying exactly the opposite. Literature should be about the exploration of the universal themes that the works evoke, and exploring the nooks and crannies in such works that have not been explored. I would be much more interested in a student making an intelligent argument about what the author was trying to get across than dissecting the work on an operating table.
*
Should we have stepped in and prevented the Cuban people from sweeping Castro into power? Should we rescue them because they made a bad decision? If they keep making bad decisions, should we keep bailing them out? Should aliens, seeing the course we are on as a planet, step in and dictate to us how we should live because they know better? I am a great believer in human rights and do all I can as an individual to ensure protection of those rights. But I do recognize that my view of human rights is only my own view no matter how horrible I find practices in other cultures, societies, and countries.
One of the things that I think most people agree is horrible is ritual female genital mutilation (or circumcision). A female photographer won a Pulitzer for her photos of a circumcision. Did the photographer have a right to take those photos or to try to intervene and change the culture of the tribe? How many cultures have been wiped out because their practices were wrong?
Human rights groups should exist and should push their agenda. But they should push their agenda carefully. As always I believe the best place to start is with the way I as an individual treat the people around me, and I think that is the best place for others to start.
(I hope you know me well enough that I am being serious in my questions and mean everything respectfully. I agree with the essence of what you are saying, and I am less disagreeing than questioning.)