Inferiority complex
Did anyone else happen to see this article in the Washington Post?
I can't say I was surprised to find out that Stephenie Meyer is still a bestselling author among college kids, or that many of the bestselling nonfiction titles on campuses are about President Obama. I was surprised that the article seemed to be calling us stupid for not reading books about sex, drugs, and/or obscure philosophies that originated in uninhabited islands of Indonesia. And maybe I'm slightly retarded due to the young adult and fantasy novels I've been reading, but...did they just talk about contentment and conservatism in college students like that's a bad thing?
I'm a little confused. Stephenie Meyer's Breaking Dawn is banned from a middle school for mentioning that two characters had sex on their honeymoon, but a few years later when those middle school students move on to college they are expected to start riots and join book clubs based entirely on erotic fiction.
Middle school = not conservative enough. Ban the books.
College = too conservative. Toss them some sex and drugs. Teach them how to be REAL ADULTS.
Um...Okay.
But maybe I'm not well-read enough to interpret this correctly. Maybe the Washington Post is simply pointing out that it's a shame college students are not maturing, that they are not choosing to read literature that challenges their minds and souls. If this is the point they are trying to make, then I heartily agree. But why do they assume that "inferior texts" like young adult or fantasy novels are not helping us mature? I am challenged each time I re-read To Kill a Mockingbird. I see something new whenever I pick up The Chronicles of Narnia or The Tale of Despereaux. This is why I love books with fantastic elements, books for children - because once you peel back the layers, they are full of beautiful, MATURE themes. Love. Sacrifice. Friendship. Integrity. Discernment. Fear. Self-doubt. Freedom. Loyalty...I could go on.
If you believe I'm immature because I can relate to Scout Finch and Lucy Pevensie, fine. I'm content to be a conservative, inferior, ill-read college student with a very large collection of YA and children's novels sitting next to my textbooks.
I can't say I was surprised to find out that Stephenie Meyer is still a bestselling author among college kids, or that many of the bestselling nonfiction titles on campuses are about President Obama. I was surprised that the article seemed to be calling us stupid for not reading books about sex, drugs, and/or obscure philosophies that originated in uninhabited islands of Indonesia. And maybe I'm slightly retarded due to the young adult and fantasy novels I've been reading, but...did they just talk about contentment and conservatism in college students like that's a bad thing?
I'm a little confused. Stephenie Meyer's Breaking Dawn is banned from a middle school for mentioning that two characters had sex on their honeymoon, but a few years later when those middle school students move on to college they are expected to start riots and join book clubs based entirely on erotic fiction.
Middle school = not conservative enough. Ban the books.
College = too conservative. Toss them some sex and drugs. Teach them how to be REAL ADULTS.
Um...Okay.
But maybe I'm not well-read enough to interpret this correctly. Maybe the Washington Post is simply pointing out that it's a shame college students are not maturing, that they are not choosing to read literature that challenges their minds and souls. If this is the point they are trying to make, then I heartily agree. But why do they assume that "inferior texts" like young adult or fantasy novels are not helping us mature? I am challenged each time I re-read To Kill a Mockingbird. I see something new whenever I pick up The Chronicles of Narnia or The Tale of Despereaux. This is why I love books with fantastic elements, books for children - because once you peel back the layers, they are full of beautiful, MATURE themes. Love. Sacrifice. Friendship. Integrity. Discernment. Fear. Self-doubt. Freedom. Loyalty...I could go on.
If you believe I'm immature because I can relate to Scout Finch and Lucy Pevensie, fine. I'm content to be a conservative, inferior, ill-read college student with a very large collection of YA and children's novels sitting next to my textbooks.