Five Days to Go

Posted on November 3, 2022 by admin

One of the oldest political adages is that politics is personal. Those who run for an office–any office, from historian of the Philosophy Club to President of the United States–understand that adage more fully than others. Candidates might begin days with a strong sense of purpose and end them with spilled coffee, closed doors, and self-doubt. These people keep working because they believe in their vision and they’re drawn to public service. A tip of the cap to all of you who have run for office, and all of you who will.

The recent invasion of Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s home absolutely reinforces the idea that politics is personal, and in the worst possible way. Rep. Pelosi, of course, was among those the January 6 rioters wanted to execute, and her center-left politics continue to make her the object of intense dislike from those on the right. However, our democracy lives and dies by the idea that we get rid of disliked politicians at the ballot box, not by stringing them up outside the Capitol. Political violence, whether it involves a riot or a shooting at a Congressional baseball game or a home invasion, should not be tolerated by any party. Rhetoric that escalates the likelihood of such violence should not be condoned, either.

Express your ideas and political convictions peacefully at the ballot box on Tuesday. If your candidate falters, think about throwing your hat in the ring. The best way to lead is to act.

Posted in Politics | 13 Comments

Flyover

Posted on October 21, 2022 by admin

At the beginning of each school year, I ask juniors how many of them plan to stay in state for college. The majority say–emphatically–that they plan to leave, particularly those who consider themselves part of “forgotten” communities. The Dramatic Performance’s first one act of the semester, Flyover, dramatizes the motivations young people feel as they contemplate their futures. Tell me what you think of the play’s ending.

I’m also curious: what will it take for young people to choose Mississippi rather than flee it?

Posted in Arts, Pop Culture | 13 Comments

Another Cost of Climate Change

Posted on October 3, 2022 by admin

Dozens of people died during Hurricane Ian last month. Estimates for the repairing the damage the storm did to Florida and South Carolina range from $30 to $65 billion. As Mississippi’s coastal residents know, it will take years for Floridians to put their homes and their lives back together.

Unfortunately, Ian is probably just the first punch Mother Nature throws during the 2022 storm season. This comes on the heels of a string of tough years for property owners and the insurance companies that protect them. Insurance payouts from 2017 totaled over $300 billion. Even though the financial hits in intervening years haven’t been as heavy, the number of named storm systems has increased, which suggests that people who live in coastal areas will, ultimately, experience more and more difficulty in living there safely.

This means insurance premiums for coastal housing will continue to rise, probably steeply, which will make it difficult for middle class home owners to afford staying where they are. Should the government try to mitigate these costs to make it possible for families to live on the coast? Or should we allow the market to take over–even if it means middle class families move farther and farther away from their roots and their workplaces? Are there other options to consider?

Posted in Ethics, Science | 20 Comments

Banned Books Week

Posted on September 19, 2022 by admin

I read banned books. From the Epic of Gilgamesh to Huckleberry Finn, from Song of Solomon to The Things They Carried, I find something valuable in wresting with ideas and depictions that other people find dangerous.

Library systems across the country have been asked to remove more books from circulation than ever before. Are some books too dangerous for young people to read? At what point should people be free to read whatever they want?

Posted in Books, Education, Ethics | 32 Comments

Seeking Organizational Advice

Posted on September 16, 2022 by admin

Next week, I plan to order 15 new podcasting mics for students in the podcasting course to use. This will address the biggest criticism of the course from last year: that I had way too few mics to accommodate the students who needed to use them. The new mics will bring the total available to 20.

What will be the best way to manage access to this equipment? The sign-out/sign-in system I’ve used has not been efficient. Imposing deadlines on groups so that other groups have access hasn’t worked, either. Your input here will shape how this gets done in the not-too-distant future.

Posted in Education, Social Media | 19 Comments

One Sentence Conundrums

Posted on September 7, 2022 by admin

Respond to a couple of these. Consider applying them to contemporary events.

Can a person make a conscious decision to deal with problems by relegating them to the subconscious?

When leaders say equitable, do they really mean redistribution of wealth?

Do you agree with the premise that the best way to prepare people for a specific profession lies in educating them broadly?

How can a show of force actually induce a meaningful peace?

How should institutions balance morality and efficacy?

Which seems more true: that discussions of controversial subjects should be avoided, or that most things worth discussing involve controversy?

Posted in Education, Ethics, Politics | 10 Comments

Rah, Rah, Sis-Boom-Bah

Posted on August 26, 2022 by admin

Most MSMS students have friends back home who will miss class time for pep rallies today. MSMS cannot field a football team for obvious reasons. We don’t have enough students to field a competitive team. Students do not have enough time to practice or work on strength and conditioning. Participating in too many team sports cuts against the history and culture of the school.

The list could go on.

I did not play football past seventh grade. I chose to attend LSMSA in part because I wanted to focus on academics more than athletics. But my sons played the game, if you count being a kicker as being a football player, and they loved it.

Do MSMS students miss the spectacle of football? Is there something we can or should do to replace it here, given the mission and history of the school?

If you’re interested, here’s the link to the greatest poem ever written about football, James Wright’s 1963 classic, “Autumn Begins in Martin’s Ferry, Ohio.”

Posted in MSMS Stuff, Sports | 29 Comments

The First Fortnight

Posted on August 22, 2022 by admin

Now that MSMS has been in session a couple of weeks, it might be a good idea to reflect on things that really worked well during this orientation and indoctrination period, and which things still need improvement. Praise and criticize constructively. Reflect on both the academic and residence life aspects of our program. Note as well that admin read suggestions from last year and incorporated them into this year’s orientation.

Posted in Education, MSMS Stuff | 28 Comments

Welcome to the 2022-23 Blog

Posted on August 15, 2022 by admin

This morning’s New York Times dished up a piece on how employers monitor the productivity of their employees. Amazon, if you didn’t know, is one of the most notorious punishers of idleness in any workplace. Other firms count the number of keystrokes per hour. One medical outfit compares the number of scans reviewed by radiologists and rewards those who complete the highest number.

Such employers argue that by improving efficiency, they improve their bottom line, which in turn will enrich employees and shareholders alike. However, I wonder if it’s that simple? Might there be such a thing as productive idleness? What would that look like? Does it seem noxious to equate what we’re worth with what we produce–or is that really just good business?

By the way, if your response to these questions marks your first time on the blog, here are some ground rules and other information:

  1. Your first blog entry won’t appear until I approve it; I only approve posts with email addresses issued by the school. I also encourage you to make your username the same as your real name, as I believe this encourages civility.
  2. Speaking of civility, make sure you conduct arguments in a civil tone.
  3. Speaking of arguments, please argue. Blogs where everyone agrees are boring.
  4. Post often! You can earn up to 25% the total number of quiz points per quarter.
  5. Point grabbing at the end of the quarter is discouraged. You can only post twice the final week of the quarter.
Posted in Ethics | 28 Comments

Housekeeping

Posted on May 13, 2022 by admin

One of the things I like to ask students at the end of the school year involves a bit of self-reflection: are you the same person in May that you were in August? If you haven’t changed, I’m not sure whether to admire your backbone or deride your stubbornness–or bemoan my failures as well as the school’s. Knowledge changes people, and if you haven’t changed, I fear that you might not have learned.

This isn’t to say that I want the devoutly religious to become atheists, for Republicans to become Democrats, for Democrats to become Libertarians, for biologists to become chemists. Rather, I hope that learning more prepares your against your vocation so that you can enter it with your eyes wide open. Keep an open mind as a student. You’ll spend more waking hours as an adult at your place of work than at your home. You better love what you do.

Have you changed? Have you learned? Let me know by Wednesday at 4:00, which is when the blog closes for the summer.

Posted in Education | 25 Comments