Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Episode 16: Fast Track Education
Play now!Episode 16: Fast Track Education is mostly a rant from an old man witnessing changes to the campus where he received his post-high school formal instruction. Against a backdrop of an old man ranting from his rocking chair against those kids on his lawn, we do have some interesting coincidences that tie the whole thing together with a focus on how sponsorship and egalitarianism might coincide in the field of higher education. Hint: It's just like the pressures that advertisers use on their sponsored media outlets; but it's more permanent.Other than the Pomp and Circumstance March, we hear from Jahzzar's "The Wrong Way"–a perfect title to back the sentiments expressed— and et's "Kopeika".
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Reminds me of my alma mater. Franklin W. Olin has that college and a lot of schools of engineering and business on various college campuses named after him, not because of how he earned his fortune but because of how he spent it. IMO, nothing wrong with leaving a legacy and being recognized for it, not even saints are generally expected to be anonymous saints. But there's something to be said for expressing that recognition in a way that's classy and/or subtle. The comparison to modern architecture is right on, it's not just about getting the thing built.
ReplyDelete(There's also a big difference between "wanting to be remembered favorably by future generations so you can take some comfort in the face of the inevitability of death" and "wanting to be remembered favorably the next time someone is at the grocery store so that your profits slightly increase".)
Not that I think Olin is immune to the threat of this sort of thing (especially after the crash of 2008, their finances have not been the same since). Olin has two dorms, generically named "West Hall" and "East Hall". I hope that these will never be "Coke Hall" and "Pepsi Hall" (or the like), but I suspect if enough money were on the table, classiness would be no object. I shudder to think of it.
In a few weeks, I should have some pics up on this entry of some of the stuff mentioned. I don't want to publish them as is, though—that would be giving them the recognition I do not feel they deserve for vandalizing a campus. Work is ramping up a bit, so give it a week before I get them up on the comments here.
ReplyDeleteI plan to have some fun with the names on the Donor Wall. . . .