Like a Horse on Whiskey

"On The Uses of A Liberal Education" strikes me as an interesting piece. Few people stick their neck out so much as to publish an article that criticizes, with such fervor, the institution they work for and the consumers, or in this case the students who make their job possible. I find it interesting, however, that the author opens the article up by admitting to the reader that he is guilty of teaching in a manner that doesn't engage the students as much as he would like. In fact, he says he is embarrassed to see how his students evaluate him for fear of reading things like, "he presented the material in a funny way" or, "he is nice and relates well with the students." He points the finger of disappointment at himself and says that he teaches in such a kind a lukewarm way because he is obligated to. He can't ask the tough questions to his students or grade in a tough way for fear of offending the students and ending up with few to no students in his class next semester.

The author has a point, however. There are many students in the college institutions that are cop-outs. There are many people who are "lukewarm" about their education. There are many who are just gliding by in order to get that degree 4 years down the road. As sad as that is, I find it to be equally as depressing that there are instructors in the very same institutions that are perpetuating this pathetic cycle. The article came off as "whiny" after some time as it seemed like that author had a complete grasp of what was wrong with the system, but seemed to admit to the reader that he was helpless to do anything about it, or paralyzed by his very own students and unable to engage them in such a manner that might actually start some critical thinking, or (gasp!) offend someone. Is it not ironic that the person that the author teaches on (Freud) stuck his neck way out there with radical ideas yet, ended up offending many, and the author lacks the courage to do the same?