Verbal pollution undermines public discourse
How many times have you read an article or watched a video online and then scrolled down to see countless uninformed or offensive comments posted below? If you’re like me, then the answer is too many.
I’m a major proponent of self-expression. I don’t have any problem with a scathing critique that is rooted in substantiated fact. What bothers me is the unintelligent drivel and bile that pollute the comments section(s) of countless websites. Here I’m referring to the baseless claims, conspiracy theories, racist and sexist remarks, profanity, lies, insults, and misinformation that you often find.
It might sound harsh to say this, but not all opinions are equal. While everyone is entitled to his or her own thoughts, there is always a wide range on any issue. Unfortunately, some opinions have the capacity to cause great harm to others.
Allowing people to share their thoughts in a comments section fosters civic engagement. Moreover, these kinds of forums further democratize information by way of discussion. However, I fail to see the value in airing the drivel and bile because none of it advances the general will. Only meaningful public discourse provides us with the opportunity to debate, reflect, learn, and grow. Those who misuse this opportunity are doing us all a great disservice.
My life right now
Well, I haven’t updated my blog for a while. In recent months I’ve been so consumed by writing my dissertation and applying for jobs that I found myself exhausted at the end of every day and in need of time to relax. At this point I have some great news. First, I have a draft of the dissertation finished and I’m looking forward to my defense (whenever that can be scheduled). Yes, I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. Secondly, I presented some of my research at the Midwest Political Science Association’s annual conference in Chicago weeks back. Thirdly, I will be joining the faculty at Mohave Community College’s Lake Havasu City Campus this August. The people I’ve encountered there are incredibly friendly and I’m more than excited about this amazing opportunity. Tom Petty says it best: “I’m running down a dream…going wherever it leads.” Arizona desert, here I come!
Yes, we need quantitative analysis
Honestly, I didn’t think much about the research methods that are popular in the discipline of political science when I began my preparation to return to graduate school. This might have something to do with the fact that I had only minored in the subject as an undergraduate, and therefore, had not encountered any of the heavier quantitative analysis that is common in the social sciences (e.g. sociology, economics, and psychology).
Once admitted to my program the daunting reality set in during the first semester that I needed to complete a minimum of two statistics courses for the degree. While I have always performed well in math, I knew that statistics is more than math and I felt anxious about the classes because I didn’t know what to expect. Thankfully, the combination of a quality instructor and comprehensible books translated into success. I completed the assignments and grasped many of the concepts (e.g. chi square, t-test, linear regression) in my effort to achieve a functioning level of literacy. Having to do some of the computations by hand really helped me when I think back.
Since my dissertation employs mixed methods and the survey I administered has a number of different questions, I had to learn about even more concepts (e.g. factor analysis) on my own so that I can analyze the data I collected. This has been challenging for me, but it’s an experience I’ve grown to appreciate – especially those moments when concepts click in my head. As my understanding of statistics continues to grow, not only does the methodological approach become less intimidating, but I also see the important role it plays in the advancement of knowledge.
Many people scoff at statistics because they think all numbers are subject to manipulation in furtherance of an agenda. When a trained political scientist tests a hypothesis by measuring the association of two or more variables, he or she is supposed to be executing a research design that is value free. Furthermore, his or her work will eventually be assessed by peers who study the same phenomenon. The point is that while I pick the variables I want to examine and measure the relationship between them, I can’t (nor do I want to) dictate the end results. This is what credible academics do – they report on, not manipulate, their findings.
We all have a favorite teacher…
In August of 1992, I began my life as a full time college student at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, Illinois. That fall I had a schedule that included a U.S. history course which started bright and early at 8am. Many people loathe the subject, but for some reason I didn’t feel that way back then – even at that time of the morning.
From the first class meeting, I sensed it would be a good semester because the instructor, Mr. Hill, had the amazing ability to maintain your interest with lectures that blended content, humor, and personal anecdotes that made you look forward to coming back. He also challenged us with all essay exams. This meant that you really needed to work hard if you intended to succeed.
I remember spending hours reading and studying in my bedroom at home, and I recall the morning of the very first exam I ever took in there. Unfortunately, no matter how much I prepared, it seemed like I could not not earn a grade any higher than a high C or a low B. In the end, I earned a C for the class, but I felt proud of it because of the effort I had made.
The following year I decided to enroll in another one of Mr. Hill’s courses because I knew I liked his teaching style and learned so much from him the first time around. That fall I fine-tuned my study skills and managed to earn an A.
While I didn’t fully realize it at the time, I felt drawn to history because Mr. Hill had the distinctive ability to inspire people. Today, he stands out as one of the best instructors I have ever had in all of my years in higher education. It’s not enough for a teacher to possess knowledge – he or she must also be able to communicate it in such a way that makes the subject matter appealing to students. Yes, the packaging matters, and it matters just as much as the rigor.
Several months ago I felt compelled to write him a letter telling him how much he influenced my academic interests as well as my career choices. I also mentioned how I am an adjunct at MCC as I make my way through my doctoral program. When I didn’t hear back from him, I figured that he might be preoccupied in his retirement. If that were the case, I could totally understand since he spent decades teaching at the college.
Then, much to my surprise, he visited my room before class started last night. It’s hard for me to describe how happy I felt to see him again. We chatted about our lives for 20 minutes or so, and he thanked me for the letter I sent. Wow, I’m so glad he stopped by. Moreover, I’m glad to see he is still the same person all of these years later. Looking back at a time that is now half of my life ago, I am forever thankful I enrolled in his class because he profoundly affected me in a way that I will never forget.
Film Review: “An Unreasonable Man”
Few people have influenced public policy the way Ralph Nader has in a career that spans more than four decades. The documentary, An Unreasonable Man, is a powerful, inspirational, and yes – sometimes critical, examination of his life that catalogs a number of his accomplishments working on behalf of the public interest in pursuit of social justice.
It begins with a discussion of his efforts on automobile safety in the 1960s and details how General Motors investigated him in an attempt to destroy his character. Not only did federal officials expose this effort in a congressional hearing (of which there is actual footage), but Nader also won a lawsuit against the company that provided “seed money” for him to found some of his organizations.
From there, the film briefly explores his childhood. Nader grew up in Winsted, Connecticut where he learned some invaluable lessons during his formative years. At home, his parents encouraged political debates at the dinner table. Also, he recalls coming home from school one day and his father asking him: “Did you learn how to believe or did you learn how to think?” All of this is important because his early life is reflected in the thoughtful, outspoken advocate he evolved into.
Among the film’s strengths are the interviews with former employees. Some of their accounts reveal how committed, i.e. rigid, he can be on both a political and a personal level. For example, when an employee of his, Joan Claybrook, accepted a position in the Carter Administration and did not seek to advance his agenda, this greatly angered him and resulted in them not speaking for a year or two.
While coverage is devoted to how Nader felt betrayed by President Carter (on the matter of consumer protection) and how President Reagan sought to undermine a series of regulations Nader had fought so hard for in years prior, the film could have focused more on his experience in the 1990s during the Clinton years leading up to the 2000 Election.
Much to the dismay of some on the left, Nader ran for president in 2000. While his candidacy did not receive the attention or respect it deserved (e.g. media coverage; the denial to partake in, or even attend, a debate at University of Massachusetts, Boston), Democrats blamed him when Al Gore lost by a slim margin. A political analyst points out this contradiction. Interestingly, the directors also interview Barry Burden, a political scientist at Harvard University (he now teaches at University of Wisconsin, Madison) whose statistical analysis does not find any evidence that Nader is the “spoiler” Democrats claim that he is.
The greatest message this film communicates is that Nader’s level of commitment is a model of advanced citizenship for others to follow, and that people can make a contribution if they engage the democratic process. Many of his contributions have affected our everyday lives. That said, it is also a strong indictment of a two-party system that must be opened to alternative voices.
Another semester of teaching begins
Three years ago when I pulled out of the high school parking lot and drove my thirty minute commute home for the last time, I felt a sense of catharsis and anticipation. I loved teaching social studies, but I can’t honestly say I felt the same about other aspects of my job at the time. When I began working in the archives that summer and shortly thereafter found myself immersed in my coursework, I appreciated the change in my daily routine, but I really missed being in front of a classroom.
During the following winter, I thought it would be a good idea to contact one of my former instructors from the community college I attended to see if they needed a political science instructor for the summer semester. Initially he informed me they did not, but a month or so later he called to offer me an adjunct position and immediately I accepted.
Last night I began my third summer of teaching U.S. Government at the college, and it appears that I have another solid group of engaged, intelligent, and articulate students to work with (perhaps the best group ever). My informal assessment is based upon our introductory activities that included a lengthy discussion of the many responsibilities that governments and citizens have. As one might imagine, there were some divergent viewpoints expressed, but everyone shared their thoughts in a respectful manner.
I think one of the many reasons I really enjoy teaching this class is because it will be the only political science course most of my students take. So, it’s important to teach them to analyze different arguments surrounding controversial political issues as well as the function and accessibility of governing institutions. Much of the time it appears the body politic is disengaged from the process, but education is one way to challenge such harmful normative behavior.
Service learning should be mandatory
During my career as a high school teacher I advised a community service student group for three years. We organized food and clothing drives, visited residents of a nursing home, served dinner at a homeless shelter, and painted the inside of a house for Habitat for Humanity among the many activities we undertook. I’m very proud of the students who committed themselves to the group because there is so much that distracts teenagers. More importantly, I know our efforts really helped people in need.
Last week I heard a talk radio host discussing a newspaper article regarding how the district I taught in may adopt a policy making service hours a necessary requirement to graduate. So, I immediately called into the station to voice my support. As I continued to listen to the program, I heard many other callers reject the proposal outright. Oddly, some of them even sounded a bit upset. They kept saying that such work should be voluntary, not mandatory.
For as much as people talk about the importance of community here in the United States, it appears that self-interest pervades so much of our everyday lives – so much that “community” often (not always) becomes the distant afterthought. Now, the one major exception to this is when a major tragedy occurs, whether it be a natural disaster or a human act of violence. Then people feel compelled to come together. Otherwise, many spend much of their time solely focused on themselves and / or their family members.
This doesn’t have to be the case. We have the power to change social norms to ensure that helping others becomes a much higher priority than it currently is, and what better way than through our public school system. After all, teaching young people to consider the interests of the less fortunate among us through experiential learning can be an invaluable tool we can utilize to alter normative behavior.
With regards to those who reject this idea altogether, I wonder about their underlying motivations. Our communities are interconnected. Moreover, social problems are ever-present. As much as someone might like to only think about him or herself, it’s impossible to escape the collective.
As an educator, I taught my students the history of our nation as well as the function of our governing institutions (most of which occurred inside a classroom) to make them better citizens. To me, it’s just as socially redeemable and responsible to teach them the importance of community beyond the walls of the school itself, and service learning makes that possible. It would mold a number of them into better human beings.
So, when I hear people complain that a total of 40 hours of work spread-out across four years of high school would be an major inconvenience for kids, parents, and administrators, I think they’re further demonstrating the rampant self-interest I find so unsettling. From where I stand, that’s not something to be proud of.
