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May. 17th, 2004 03:21 pmTwo interesting classes today.
In my writing class, we were discussing our Molly Ivins imitations. Like almost everyone else, I wrote something parodying the place I come from. The difference: I come from Marin County. I didn't have to use hyperbole to make it seem morally reprehensible and absurd, and I probably even muted it. The prof's comment to me: "Emily, your problem is that you have too much shame." He's probably right.
In my religion class, we were supposed to discuss an article from the 1960s by Robert Bellah about America's civil religion. Post 9-11, and particularly now that we're at war and led by Bush, American civil religion looks a whole lot different, particularly to a group of Carleton students. The difference between civil religion in the 1960s, as that article would have it, and civil religion right now is that in the 1960s, there was the sense that we as Americans were accountable to God. Now, the predominant political rhetoric would have it that we are God's instrument.
Every time I discuss the current political situation, I have this sinking feeling, usually accompanied by the sensation that I'm suffocating. The things that are being done around the world in our name! And, for once, I very soon won't have any academic (or any other, for that matter) commitments to block getting involved in political action.
In my writing class, we were discussing our Molly Ivins imitations. Like almost everyone else, I wrote something parodying the place I come from. The difference: I come from Marin County. I didn't have to use hyperbole to make it seem morally reprehensible and absurd, and I probably even muted it. The prof's comment to me: "Emily, your problem is that you have too much shame." He's probably right.
In my religion class, we were supposed to discuss an article from the 1960s by Robert Bellah about America's civil religion. Post 9-11, and particularly now that we're at war and led by Bush, American civil religion looks a whole lot different, particularly to a group of Carleton students. The difference between civil religion in the 1960s, as that article would have it, and civil religion right now is that in the 1960s, there was the sense that we as Americans were accountable to God. Now, the predominant political rhetoric would have it that we are God's instrument.
Every time I discuss the current political situation, I have this sinking feeling, usually accompanied by the sensation that I'm suffocating. The things that are being done around the world in our name! And, for once, I very soon won't have any academic (or any other, for that matter) commitments to block getting involved in political action.
