Older students and the liberal arts

[Scholar Interrupted]

The history books are always being rewritten, which is as it should be. We're still learning things about the past, and may that process never stop.

It is disheartening how much of the younger generation have an entitlement mentality. There are plenty of exceptions to that rule, though, and many of them are right here among us on the IC forums. I find their intelligence and determination very reassuring. Also, I think the tough times we're experiencing now will bring a lot more young people around to the reality of what it takes to succeed, and many of them will adjust their attitudes. Most of them probably have the framework of what it takes but have been coddled so much it's kind of buried deep within them ... for now.

As someone who is approaching 60, I have to agree with what you have said but also can add that the history books are being rewritten. I also have read things in texts that did not jive with what I had learned and/or lived through, made that mental note you refer to and gone back to research the specific occurrent. I often found that the facts being taught were NOT correct or presented in a slanted view point and, rarely, when the information available at the time perhaps did not tell the whole story and those facts can now be seen in a broader view - but, overall, that was extremely rare. Perhaps once or twice at the most.

Since I work in a school, I hear many younger people talking and realize that they see our country through different eyes than my generation di, and I suspect it may not lead them or our country on a good path. They are more inclined to think in an "entitlement" view point. Someone (government) owes them something. I have had to remind them that we are the people who will be paying for this, the government only taxes us and redistributes what we have worked so very hard to earn.

Glad to know others have noticed some of these changes.

That's so interesting about CLEP Sociology. You have me wondering if I just forgot what it was like or was too dense at the time for it to sink in! In the historiography course I took in 2009, I did learn a good bit about the origins of the "science" of sociology, and they do square with your experience of the CLEP. So I don't doubt what you say at all. Maybe I just had a more reasonable instructor than most, in my sleepy little Arkansas community college in 1988.

I don't think there's any vast conspiracy, though. I don't give most of the activists credit for being that smart, determined, or well-organized; only a few are. The overwhelming majority of them are just useful idiots and don't understand the implications of what they're taking part in. With that in mind, I'm optimistic that we will see a backlash and a turn in a saner direction. We might even be on the front edge of one now.

One other thing: We atheists can be quite patriotic. A significant minority of us are classic liberals -- as opposed to the Nancy Pelosi variety. We believe you should be free to worship even if we don't, and we generally don't get uptight over public nativity scenes and such. We think people should do as they please as long as they aren't hurting other people.

I passed CLEP Sociology yesterday. I've never studied so little for an exam. After taking a few practice tests and finally the exam, I'm sick of the subject:puke: . That has to be the sickest subject I've ever studied. I know woman want to achieve more, and I'm not totally against that, but come on when everything is pro female this and that, and negative males on this, that, and that, it gets annoying.

[...]

We must work to rebuild the heritage and freedom that our forefathers and GOD gave us :patriot: .

I hope I didn't get too off topic:o .

Like another poster in this thread, you've interpreted my words rather creatively. I'm not sure who it is you're arguing with, but it's not me.

I think by exposing this bias you're being biased yourself. Who's to say what you learnt 20 years ago, or through your own limited personal experience, is right? I mean, I hate when teachers indoctrinate, but there are also people who try to indoctrinate a conflicting viewpoint. I was kind of an ass in class, I loved to disagree with teachers, from grade 3 onwards. Sometimes I was right, sometimes I was wrong, most of the time we had differing opinions on that. However I don't like the implication...are you saying we can't criticize America? America's NEVER done anything wrong? If you wanna impose ideas like that on professors I think we may as well adorn the swastika as our flag.

This is the free world, buddy. If you disagree with your professor, go right ahead, present your sources, make your argument, let your opinion be heard. If your prof is an educator worthy of any respect, he/she will appreciate your analysis, and perhaps you can engage each other and have a little debate. That's what being free is all about.

We all know History is written by the winners, and I'm sure there's bias in every section of every History book, it's impossible to be truly objective. In my opinion History is not about memorizing facts, it's about analysis, providing evidence in support of an argument about it. Otherwise I think it's a waste of time to learn dates/names.

**edit: Upon reading the article, I know what you mean, but it's also possible this was taken out of context. In sociology you're often analyzing the works of some authors, the teacher isn't necessarily presenting these opinions on her own, but the questions could have merely been a reading comprehension of the text, not necessarily a statement of some fact or figure
As well, it might be a little unfair, but who's to say this information is even true? There's no confirmation, as far as I'm concerned it could be hearsay. I hate when information is presented without evidence. Just exploring the possibilities we perhaps haven't thought about