Quote:
Originally Posted by frogger
Imagine that ~200 days / year, you teach four or five classes, with a few people in each class challenging you daily. And this goes on for years. You might want to b!tch slap a student or two, don't you think? You're dealing with real people with real feelings, shortcomings, etc. Just like the real world after college.
Your other major reason to attend college is to learn from others (professors, fellow students, the RA that babysits you and the other kids in the dorms, etc.). Maybe you ignored this part of getting an education.  |
College is not the real world. Things happen there that would not be sustainable outside of the protection of academia. A student can write a scathing review of their own school in the school newspaper. The can claim they have the right to do this under the guise of academic freedom, the need for an independent student press, the first Amendment...there are probably dozens of justifications. Do you think the NY Times would let its own reporters exercise such unbridled honesty about its own operation?
No, the illusion that is sold is one of total academic freedom. I know that it is an illusion--such a thing could never possibly exist, but that doesn't mean I won't challenge things that don't meet that standard.
The media has a similar role with our government. The illusion is of a perfect government--free of corruption and dishonesty. Clearly this does not exist (nor ever will), but that does not mean it is pointless for the media to challenge the government on its shortcomings.