Appendix - Teachers of the ‘Young’ People
To clarify a couple things…
Introduction
To begin with a bit of somewhat personal and very recent history, this piece was initially intended to be a stand alone essay and not a somewhat informal attachment to my discussion of Dana Villa’s Teachers of the People (2017). This proposed essay was going to look at--and contest--the argument of a different book, one that I had a bit of a strained relationship with. While that other book had some points that would be worth considering in light of rampant misinformation on social media, I found a large chunk of the argument to be faulty, specifically when it came to a discussion on the university system in the United States, its role in society, and its value.
Quite obviously this plan was then changed, and I would say that it was changed out of necessity. In the course of re-reading that book to solidify my thoughts, three things occurred to me:
There is a point in which the critique of an argument diverges so far from the original thesis that it can and likely should stand as its own argument.
The unnamed author of the unspecified book seems to be the type--according to other sources I stumbled upon while trying to clarify some details--to not handle criticism well and would consequently drop an ‘ummm, actually’ in my inbox. That interaction and those that are sure to follow it are things I would quite obviously want to avoid if avoidance is an option. (And it is in this instance. See point 1.)
(Less relevant of all of the points.) While the matter of ‘thanking one’s teachers’ is as impossible as it is cliched, unprompted shilling of some of a professor’s books is not a bad attempt at that, even if it is on a fledgling blog with limited appeal. So, commence shilling: I would recommend buying Professor Villa’s books instead of the book that I can’t even bother to name out of annoyance. While Villa’s books are from academic presses and tend to be a bit more expensive and are far more dense than average, I would say that they are worth the additional expense and effort because of that density and their relevance today. See purchase links here for Teacher’s of the People, Public Freedom (2008), and Socratic Citizenship (2001) (and double check the disclosure on the bottom of the page if you have a question about the links).
To explain the first point, the argument of this unspecified book that I took so much issue with was also not even the main argument. Rather, it serves as an underlying premise or the equivalent of a support pillar for the central thesis. However, its flaws made it a relatively weak support and--in fact--an irritant. In short, the author earnestly believed that--in the United States, at least and especially--attending university or any form of higher education is largely a waste of time and money. While it does serve as a sort of ‘employment accreditation,’ ultimately, most people would be perfectly fine going without it if there was some sort of alternative service. Insofar as there is an ‘alternative service,’ technical schools and apprenticeships can begin to fill this gap, but because these are highly specialized training courses, they do not completely fill in the employment gap a mass exodus of US universities would leave behind.
Now, it may not be fair to present this argument as I have: to just assert that there is a book with an argument that relies on this premise without giving said author any chance of even indirectly defending their point. By that, I mean, it would be more fair if I named the book and gave any reader of this piece the chance to investigate my interpretation for themselves. This is especially true when one of the reasons why I am electing to not mention the title and author is simply for my own convenience of not having clutter in my inbox. However, I would point out that this attitude exists outside of that book and is worryingly entrenched in our shared consciousness.
A pessimism surrounding the value of higher education has been born out of the student debt crisis and all the related issues. Students were told they needed to obtain a college degree in order to get worthwhile jobs, only to graduate and find that the salaries they were able to get--assuming they were fortunate enough to find employment upon graduation--are not sufficient to cover their student debt and other living expenses. This has led to very public regrets and a lambasting of this so-called ‘right way of doing things.’ As further evidence, so-called ‘alternatives’ have sprung up to meet the pessimists’ demands. Online spaces are full of advertisements for ‘entrepreneurial seminars’ or ‘be your own boss webinars’ leading with the premise that the traditional method of getting a degree to obtain worthwhile employment just doesn’t work anymore. This belief drives sales in lieu of any testimonial or substantive selling point for that particular ‘course.’ The--infamous and controversial--YouTuber Jake Paul recently launched a ‘Financial Freedom Movement’ that is perhaps the perfect example of this as it came after one earlier failed attempt on Paul’s part to offer the same thing. However, despite frequent criticism that he allegedly ‘scammed’ his fans, this new course was still marketed with the same premise I have outlined.
Nothing I will say in this piece dismisses the real criticisms of the current university model as a debt-production factory. Those grievances don’t need to be argued for or against but addressed with what are apparently seen as ‘drastic’ measures. However, as portions of my previous essay might have suggested, I don’t see colleges and universities as ‘degree mills’ or ‘certification factories.’ As a product of my own experiences, I see attending college as a unique opportunity for young people. To put it simply and bluntly, this is the first chance for young adults to get out of their proverbial Dodge in a way that’s socially acceptable. To put it more eloquently, time at university is time to gather alternative perspectives and new information about the world at a time in your life when you are still receptive, are able to handle whatever crisis of identity or faith may come from it, and are about to lay down a critical foundation. This is possible through these ‘moments of defamilization,’ to borrow Villa’s term.
To map out my intellectual journey, I arrived at my university of choice and applied myself diligently, only to learn not just about political science--which was the major I was more dedicated to--but also about the various options before me. I realized that I did not need to be bound by a perceived world schema that was predicated on two potential ways for my destruction to manifest. Rather, not only were there an infinite amount of options out there, there was also an option available to me in which I could actually thrive authentically and as myself. It was only at university that I fully came to terms with who I was and what I wanted from my life. This realization happened, in part, through a ‘moment of defamilization’ that happened in a class I took with Professor Villa in which I actually saw at least one other option out there for me, which--to take it further--proved a concept: that there were things out there I could claim as my own that no one had ever told me about.
By making this an add-on to my discussion of Teachers of the People, I recognize that I have unintentionally framed this piece in such a way that a reader is inclined to focus on and consider my remarks in light of a ‘political education.’ I understand all that the context implies, and as we often hear pundits lament, college can be a time for young people to try new political ideologies on for size, although I would also point out that those same pundits also lament the potential for the ‘hedonistic’ campus to be a prime site for ‘corruption’ otherwise unspecified. As that lamentation might begin to imply, the potential for change goes beyond political beliefs. To that end, my remarks are meant to be more broad than that. This re-introduction to the world is far more encompassing. Or it may not be. This is an individualized journey, but the themes of it are both significant and often overlooked.
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The Opportunity: It Just Worked Out
I do admit that this--and large portions of the previous two essays--are a product of my own experiences, which creates a certain weakness. Contrary to my story, it is fully possible for an eighteen-year-old to be or to perceive themselves as comfortably formed and developed, to the point that this so-called opportunity doesn’t exist. While this is a possibility, I feel fairly confident in saying this is not the norm and that the true norm more mirrors my experiences than the one that negates my argument.
This is due to my own premise, one that you may find as faulty as I find the one I’m addressing. Regardless, I believe that there is an aspect of learning or being educated, in this case, that is a choice, though it is not easily recognized as such. The phrase ‘keep an open mind’ might sound a bit cliched, but there is some accuracy to it as perspectives can dictate interactions. One can decide how a lesson, viewpoint, or contrary view lands. If a reader looks at a text and has preemptively decided that it is wrong, all the reader will see are the weaknesses in the argument. They see a framework with structural flaws that can be discovered as if it were a game. A similar thing occurs when meeting people who have different life experiences, perspectives, or identities. When they present their story, the listener can either decide that this other person is an actual person worth listening to and knows what they are saying or someone--more likely ‘something’--lesser than the listener that can be ignored. Active listening and disregarding are options one always can choose to take, but it is a choice based on how one first appraises that which is in front of them.
In other words, a confirmation bias will kick in when it is welcomed, but the student has the option to not invoke it. This choice may seem like an obvious or easy one to make. We can trust that we do not know everything and should learn as much as possible to ease our way in life. After all, knowledge and the ability to wield it are the best tools we can hope to have. Consequently, we should always default to ‘openness’ or a willingness to withhold judging a source until we can properly evaluate it.
And yet, choosing to be insulated and ignoring that which stands as an alternative to or in opposition of your personal beliefs might seem like the safer option, at least in the moment. There is something appealing about being able to avoid the discomfort that comes from ‘moments of defamiliarization.’ Simply put, avoiding that moment means avoiding the fall out: a fall out that stands as a very compelling reason why we go against what might be considered our better interests. While a moment of discomfort would otherwise be an outright miniscule price to pay for self-betterment, bundled with that moment is potentially a personal reckoning as one finds themselves inclined to ask, “How could I have gotten this so wrong?” or “How could my parents/friends/former teachers/entire community have gotten something so wrong?” or “What does it say about me/us?”
Now, there should be a distinction between one’s sense of self and the beliefs they hold or once held, but as the developer or holder of belief, undoubtedly this small action does reflect some aspect of ourselves. We developed this belief or were shaped by those who held this belief, and we likely hold that person or people dearly. This investment makes a clean break next to impossible. On the other hand, it may have been a belief that we acted upon in some way. There are moments when belief peeked through the facade and entered the real world. Those moments are data points to an argument against us and as proof of failures that we may want to otherwise hide.
Now this collection of vignettes may not be a complete picture of who someone actually is, but even the slightest blemish on an otherwise perfect complexion can be disconcerting, even for those who are not vain. For one, we are taught to seek perfection, and that perfection can come with social and professional benefits. On the other hand, there is a chance that this blemish could be indicative of a greater problem. This could very well not just be a lapse in judgment but a sign that the person themselves is a collection of related failures. Whether or not it is justified, the recognition of a single error in judgment stokes the fear that there is more, potentially enough to shatter one’s sense of self or the life they were building for themselves, in the form of their family and career. Such high stakes can dictate someone’s choices rather than reason or any virtue like intellectual integrity, in what could be seen as a Pascal’s Wager situation. To paraphrase the philosopher's argument, damnation is more threatening than a few hours lost to the pews every Sunday, so it is in your best interest to go through the motions of a religious service. Complete destruction is more threatening than maintaining a sort of status quo.
That being said, in this case, the ‘stakes,’ vary; they will not be as high for some as they are for others because some are not entrenched in themselves or have less to risk. By extension, that would mean that there are some less likely to depend on that confirmation bias for protection. There are individuals who can be more flexible and more willing to learn.
Various factors play into this flexibility. Age, I would argue, is one of the most predictable variables because it represents how much time one has spent developing that ego. To borrow from a previous (and flawed) metaphor, the raw material does not set immediately upon being formed or sculpted. While the process can be rushed, time is often critical. It takes time for clay to set just as it takes time for one to get comfortable with their beliefs and their identity past the point of losing any sense of acceptable losses. On the other hand, there has hardly been any costs put forth in creating or maintaining that persona: no debates have been had, no relationships strained if not lost, and no actions to be regretted. After all, the sunk cost fallacy can only kick in when there has been an actual cost or when someone has actually invested themselves into cultivating who they perceive themselves to be.
With this in mind, a college education comes at just the right time. The typical student enters college at about eighteen, which in the United States at least--the context the unnamed book grounds itself in--is the threshold to adulthood. At eighteen, the young person becomes the bearer of their own autonomy, taking it away from the guardians who were wielding it on their behalf. It is only now that they can start constructing their lives and themselves. They have the right to do it and the cognitive ability--for the most part--to handle the task, and because these are things they have only recently acquired, a mistake in this process or a crack in the foundation can be addressed easily and without taking the entire metaphorical structure down to the studs.
This flexibility, in another light, could be seen as a vulnerability, and if this bothers you, I would like to point out what else is meant here. The usage of the term ‘vulnerable’ is meant to portray the recipient as weak and in need of protection, which would be reason to rescind the independence that is rightfully theirs. However, it could also be a reason to structure the adult’s emergence in a padded and protected way.
For all the faults of the current college system, herein lies an unexpected benefit. The expectation that all who are able to attend college will do so as part of their quest for better employment opportunities has led to a pseudo-adulthood: in which one has the rights and movements of an adult without the commitments and responsibilities. A college student is an adult legally--with all the rights therein--and they are free to exercise those rights, but they are still--clearly and explicitly--in the process of bettering themselves and building up their future. Expectations are somewhat reduced in many circumstances, particularly from parents or other authority-type figures that had governed the student’s life and had molded them up to that point. This happens because the emphasis is put on the final result: the degree or ‘employment certificate,’ as the pessimist might want to call it. With the emphasis being what it is, the space between entering university and graduating is undefined with minimal supervision.
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The Departure: Leaving the Familiar
This ‘minimal supervision’ is built into the system not intentionally, per say, but as a consequence of the way we have devised it. The ‘typical’ college student relocates, often to a new city or state outright but at the bare minimum might move into college housing with other students and few if any authority figures. Now, many colleges and universities require first year students to live on campus, which some might say is a cash-grab on the college’s part. Reasons aside, the unintended consequence remains. Young people are plucked or lifted out of the social milieu that has shaped them up to that point and are put into a new environment with new people and influences.
Particularly for major universities, while they may want to maintain an overall image or stated goal, having a diverse student body--in terms of experiences, race, gender or sexual identity, hobbies, socio-economic class, etc.,--has its advantages when it comes to the sort of optics that serve as tools for recruitment and fundraising (related endeavors, I believe). And to that end, universities make their incoming student selections with these optics in mind. Once again, quite obviously, this decision may not be done with the students’ best interest at heart, but divorcing intention from effect, students who are physically removed from the familiar are now figuratively removed from it as well. Even beyond the classroom, one’s collegiate life is ripe with encounters with the unfamiliar, creating the need to adapt and adjust to something different.
This is what it means to gain an ‘education’ according to my understanding of the term. College--a formal education--can be less about the degree and more about the opportunities baked into the system by expectations and perceived necessities. This sewn-together beasts of different interests brings with it the unexpected gift of self-betterment. To borrow Villa’s language, for us to have a real education, “we have to come up against something different, something that departs from our everyday presuppositions and automatic patterns of response, if we want to learn anything” (Villa, 2017, p. 275). In this situation, there is a chance that all aspects of students’ lives will be encounters with the unfamiliar if students elect to see them that way, and there is a chance they will, even if they lack the motivation I, personally, had that came of being deeply unhappy with their lives and the prospects they were told they had.
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The Point: Otherwise Known as the Conclusion
Ultimately, emphasizing my experience is not just self-indulgent, but it can serve to remind others of the stakes of the situation. A real education is a chance to correct the proverbial record. It is a chance to redirect a ship from the rocks or salvage what had previously been destroyed. One can discover the pieces they need to make sense of themselves and their larger life journey. This is not just a case of labels for one’s sexual or gender identity from peers who had more freedom to explore these issues. It can also be about learning better coping mechanisms for problems or what healthy boundaries actually are. The ‘defamiliarization’ is an opportunity to check and critique the only normal you have ever known. It is a chance to evaluate and readjust everything that held you down or lifted you up in pursuit of a goal you have the ability to choose.
For all the discussions on education out there, they are often centered in the narrative of those who were ‘alright’ seeking to be more ‘alright’ or better in some other way. That is the dominant perspective, yes, and so thinking with that lens makes a great deal of sense. But there are gaps in that narrative, as there are in all narratives. Here, the gap is readily apparent in the way we--or e-course peddlers--discuss the merits of college life. It goes far beyond the accreditation one bears at the end of it. College represents a chance for real, authentic development as education, which no presented alternative thus far has been able to offer.
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The Question: Is it Still an Opportunity in the Year(s) of CoVid - 19
At this point, I don’t need to clarify my thoughts on universities opening for in-person instruction despite the CoVid - 19 pandemic. It might be interesting or good for Search Engine Optimization if I do, but there’s certainly no demand for it. This blog is only just starting, and I am not promoting it ahead of its launch. In addition, while I had aimed for a September launch, which would have made the subject more relevant, the delays that pushed this project back to November somewhat worked in my favor as they made the subject largely irrelevant, and this essay and its accompaniment are not coming out until December. In December, rising case numbers seemed to have proven how bad of an idea in-person instruction was. And yet, my argument that the greatest thing about a college education is that it takes you away from the social milieu that bore you would suggest that I fall on the other side of the debate. With that in mind, I feel the need to make some brief remarks on the matter.
At the risk of sounding arrogant or ‘holier than thou,’ I have had no interest in that discourse partially because I think I am stuck in the discourse that was happening in March when students were taking to Twitter not just to complain about how poorly their university administrations were communicating with them--which they were--but about more pressing grievances. There were students who were going to lose their campus jobs and only source of income, there were students who were going to be homeless without university housing, there were students afraid to go home to abusive or destructive families, and there were international students who were unsure how to get home when their home countries had to close borders in an attempt to protect the citizens who were there. Insert a half-hearted apology if this sounds snippy, but did we all just forget those were problems or did we all just assume those got fixed somehow? I personally doubt the $1200 economic stimulus check did anything for a population that was largely excluded from the stimulus bill. Never mind how much time has gone by since then.
In addition, I didn’t see anyone mentioning that university counselling centers--as flawed as they are--were the only resource some students have access to in order to get to the mental health services they need, but if my university experience is anything to go by, that is true for a segment of the student population. I knew fellow students in that position who would then connect other students to that resource in a ‘paying forward chain’ that has undoubtedly continued to this very day. And what about the food service, grounds staff, and/or similar workers who would not have a job if the university is closed. That unemployment boost didn’t last long, did it? Never mind that the system of the state in which I attended university--from what I was hearing--had a terrible claims system, meaning your eligibility meant nothing because the methods through which you would communicate such simply didn’t work.
When it comes to the conversation--now largely over--about university reopenings, I don’t have any patience for moral grandstanding. Perhaps I should, but I don’t because it misses the point. Covid - 19’s greatest weapon against humanity isn’t that it can be spread by asymptomatic people for up to two weeks before symptoms develop nor is it pneumonia or anything of the sort; rather, it’s the way it takes the cracks of our social fabric and bashes our heads against them. That’s how it has taken hold like it has.
To be clear, my unnamed--for the sake of my privacy--alma mater was one of the many American universities that opened for the semester and the next, and while my heart goes out to any of the students who needed this to happen--be it for the mental health resources or a roof over their heads--I absolutely hate what this has become. I have lost a great deal of sleep worrying about the safety of the faculty and staff on campus who made my university experience so worthwhile and productive, who often serve as advocates for the most vulnerable of the student population: the same students who earnestly needed the university to reopen. While I don’t know anyone’s exact situation, I can play the odds, and it would be tragic if any of them were infected. And it’s to the point that I spend a solid ten minutes every morning searching the online version of our campus newspaper and the newspapers around that university for obituaries I don’t want to see.
To be clearer, it should have been easier for students, faculty, and staff who weren’t comfortable coming back to in-person instruction to stay online, but even that is not without its logistical challenges. There wasn’t a good answer to this. I hate that the situation at my university has come to this, and I fully recognize how bad it is, perhaps even more so than those who want to criticize me for not agreeing with them. My anxious brain regularly shows me things beyond the responsible worst case scenarios. However, those who were tweeting ‘gathering together is bad’ back in July as if that’s the magic fix have worn down the rest of my frayed nerves. It wasn’t a magic fix. There were no magic fixes, but dropping the moral grandstanding makes for a good step one.
Work Cited:
Leskin, P. (2020, February 18). YouTuber Jake Paul is trying to cash in on teaching fans how to become influencers - two years after his first project failed. Retrieved December 1, 2020, from https://www.businessinsider.com/jake-paul-financial-freedom-movement-influencer-school-edfluence-team-1000-2020-2
Villa, D. R. (2017). Teachers of the people: Political education in Rousseau, Hegel, Tocqueville, and Mill. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press. Purchase Link (for the paperback edition)