All of us know the feeling of having students returning years after
finishing our courses to let us know they are doing well, making more
money than we do and got something valuable--perhaps even
life-changing-- from our courses.
Today a student came up to me at said that he wanted to thank me for
the course I gave that it has changed his life. Well I was ready for
a list of skills that he was launched to acquire or new perspectives
and insights that he may have been exposed to or even perhaps a
change in major after exposure to political economy. Instead he just
said that my course had got him laid by a gorgeous woman. He said
that he had been at a company retreat and this woman looked familiar
but he couldn't place her. After a short time turned to what they had
been doing last summer, that they were both in school and then that
they were both in the same economics class. He said that after he
realized where he had seen her, they started discussing economics,
The Fed, imperialism, increasing wealth/income inquality and other
issues and before long they were in the old sack. He said that it
looks like they will hook up for an extended relationship.
I noted to him that I really appreciated the feedback and that
although economics and dry equations and graphs are not normally
considered a good subject for foreplay, well whatever works. I asked
him if he had also picked up on the part of the course dealing with
critical thinking and cause and effect--had he and she employed "safe
sex" and considered not bringing a little future JM Keynes or Joan
Robinson or Karl Marx into the world until or if such was desirable
from the point of view of the little future whatever. He said that
yes, he had indeed picked up on that part of the course as well.
I also noted that I would just love to use this little story--perhaps
even a personal endorsement from the two students involved--for
promotional materials for the course; he said he thought it would be
OK from his point of view but I should ask the other student--he had
indeed learned something in my class. I noted that alas, our administration has
certain Calvinist tendencies such that they might not appreciate it
on public promos ("take Craven's class and get laid with stimulating
and interesting foreplay") and if something happened that they broke
up, I might get blamed for that (e.g. fight erupting in the sack over
Keynesianism versus Marxism) so I'll just share the story with a few
friends.
Jim
James Craven
Dept. of Economics,Clark College
1800 E. McLoughlin Blvd. Vancouver, WA. 98663
[EMAIL PROTECTED]; Tel: (360) 992-2283 Fax: 992-2863
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"The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards Indians; their land and
property shall never be taken from them without their consent."
(Northwest Ordinance, 1787, Ratified by Congress 1789)
Those who take the most from the table,
teach contentment.
Those for whom the taxes are destined,
demand sacrifice.
Those who eat their fill, speak to the hungry,
of wonderful times to come.
Those who lead the country into the abyss,
call ruling difficult,
for ordinary folk.
(Bertolt Brecht)
*My Employer has no association with My Private and Protected Opinion*
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