Generation Bubble

Et in Academia Ego: The Humanities, Consilience and the Cash Nexus

Students’ professed love of art, literature or language does not oblige instructors to limit themselves to only the sort of teaching that leaves this love undiminished (whatever sort of teaching that might be). After all, this seeming innocence conceals within it all kinds of assumptions — perhaps consciously made, perhaps not — which betray privilege, security, affluence and other similar advantages necessary for the cultivation of this love. To call students’ attention to these implications is not to murder love, but is simply to establish the fact that their love does not really proceed from any ineffable affinity or oogy vibe. This is what humanities instructors mean when they talk about “challenging students’ assumptions” — an incredibly valuable service by any measure.