General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: College Students Refuse To Read Award-Winning Novel Because It Violates Their Christian Beliefs [View all]haele
(12,663 posts)Along with "Persepolis". But I wouldn't expect a 10-year old to enjoy or understand either.
Look I consider Ayn Rand trash, but we still had to read "The Fountainhead". Holder Caulfield in "Catcher in the Rye" was a whiner, and don't get me started on Faulkner. Pilgrim's Progress or Milton? Arrgh!
I think I understand where you're coming from, but I beg to differ. I come from a classical education background; open mindedness in a college class is not two way issue; the instructor intentionally assigns reading assignments that are challenging for a reason.
The student is there to learn how to defend their position in class when they come across a topic or assignment they don't like, not to have their personal opinions and comfort zone re-enforced.
Earlier this year, my ethics instructor actually marked critiques and argument discussion papers down if the student(s) seemed to be using the same logical arguments for every situation.
It didn't matter if she agreed with your position or not, she wanted to see that you understood the situation laid out by either the facts in hand or the author of the argument, and that you were able to address what was presented to you rather than what you believed was the right answer.
College is not supposed to enforce "black and white" thinking, it's supposed to get a student to think outside their experience and understand where the root causes of different situations, whether or not they personally agree with a situation or experience.
It's not a matter of political correctness or "touchy-feely", it's about understanding that there are other cultures. habits and ways to look at things out there in the real world, and it's best to know what you are actually dealing with other than trying to script other people's lives to match your own reality.
To live in your own head and not see other people is not only selfish, it's dangerously limiting.
Haele