Is "living on small sarcasms" descriptive of the current generation of students at MTSU? Is there a general fear of being perceived as too serious or solemn? That was briefly discussed in class Thursday, among many other interesting topics and two fine presentations by Flynn and Matt that I wish more of us had been present for.
"Confronting what he considered reactionary arguments that shortening the college’s course would “lower the standard of its degree” and lead to “a general degradation of the higher education in America,” James argued the opposite case, that speeding up college was a way to combat the “listlessness, apathy, dawdling, sauntering, the smoking of cigarettes and living on small sarcasms, the ‘Harvard indifference,’ in short, of which outsiders have so frequently complained.” James thought this apathetic attitude was “the direct fruit of keeping these men too long from contact with the world of affairs.”"
"William James: In the Maelstrom of American Modernism" by Robert D. Richardson: https://a.co/77ZUk1p
I think there is a general fear of being perceived as too serious or solemn, especially for people of college age, and I think this idea of "living on small sarcasm" helps to mask this fear. Like we discussed on Thursday, not many people want to wear their heart on their sleeve. We are in such a partisan and diverse climate if feels like if anyone wants to speak up, then they are just going to get shot down or berated by the masses. It is an intimidating time; however, that is when leaders need to step up. We need people to speak up and start to build the bridge again, and this is not a small group of people. We need a generation to stand up and break the cycle. I really have hope for Generation Z, and the conversation we had Thursday has done nothing but affirm my faith!
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