I think everyone should "claim an outside", regardless of the culture, sub-culture, or institution to which they are committed. That's the only point-of-view from which shared assumptions can be examined, regardless of how complex and variegated they may be.
Academics are justly proud for having "claimed an outside" from American popular culture -- but they also need to claim an outside from the canons of their own institutions, and pay attention to critical outside voices, like Ayn Rand's, without comfortably dismissing her as a Fascist kook.. >Despite all your huffing and puffing, Mr Miller, I am still quite comfortable in my academic home. What, exactly, is your point here? Let us forget Rand for the moment, and ask a substantive question: Why do you insist on claiming an outside? And why is it so difficult for you to see that 'the canon' is an internally complex, variegated notion? How does claiming multiple canons relieve the problems you see with 'the canon'? Why does it not simply multiply the same problem? ____________________________________________________________ Improve your career health. Click now to study nutrition! http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2231/fc/BLSrjnxVIxwkJ8IDecBMMGNhB0Zy7P NuZ1ohac25F3fFJ1whdBZuhqdxUFy/
