When I was in Reeducation I made a new friend who could not understand why I was depressed. “Why?” he would ask. “You have a lovely job, a lovely house in a nice city, interesting activities, insight, and a positive attitude. Why are you depressed?” “Because I have self hatred,” I would answer. That was … More On Getting the Right Answer
I would like to return to a portion of a comment in the CHE thread on tenure: What the faculty lack (and what is helping to erode the academic freedom and tenure system) is collegiality. No, not in the sense used by administrators (and faculty) to deny an outspoken faculty member tenure. Real collegiality — … More On Collegiality
I have referred to parish prison as Abu Ghraib, but really we do not have those conditions. From the windows we can wave to festival revelers. The prettiest women have the most confidence of anyone, and they wave right back. I was even let out to go down the street to my ceramics studio. I … More Bar Zero
This is Professor Zero, and it is the weekend. I am still in parish prison but my trial has gone well so far and the Director is asleep, so we will sing. I am singing Fern Hill. We can also hear Dylan Thomas read from it. “Now as I was young and easy under the … More Fern Hill
PARTIAL TRIAL TRANSCRIPT These are the main two things I disliked about Reeducation (I know I have identified other sets of “main two things” before, but I keep boiling it further down). 1. One was always a suspect, always under suspicion, always on trial. One had to second guess oneself and watch what one said … More Suspected of Not “Feeling”
After returning from a well heeled conference at a well heeled university attended by mostly well heeled professors I returned home refreshed, without a care in the world but the knowledge that I had spent $70 in restaurants that I do not have room for in my budget this month or next, and that this … More Aesthetics of Hunger
Referring ironically to the Romantic tradition that “nature teaches” César Vallejo called a linden tree murmuring in the wind a “professor of sobbing” and a “technician of shouts.” He ends this poem suggesting the tree is actually no such thing. I, however, really am now an engineer of poetry. My introduction to literature is intended … More Poetic Engineering
I Now I have had a fascinating telephone conversation with a friend from college with whom I had lost touch. He is in a different field, so I had not run across him in the “Profession,” but he is also a professor. He has always been very intelligent. What he says about his school: “I … More On Intellect and Arrogance
I People are very critical of women who are being abused physically. Why do they not just leave … why do they then get into another abusive relationship … and on, and on. “They are sick, that is why!” shouts the chorus in glee. The chorus forgets to consider how many predators there are, and … More I Object
To all male faculty: I used to feel sorry for you because of your boorish behavior. Poor guy, ugly and unpopular in school, father just like him, mother didn’t teach him manners, had to become a professor because he wasn’t personable enough for any other kind of job, I would think. I would try to … More Memorandum 7
coldhearted scientist وداد 