I saw this article posted by a handful of friends today: (I lost my dad to Fox News) salon/2014/02/27/i_lost_my_dad_to_fox_news_how_a_generation_was_captured_by_thrashing_hysteria/ Then, I read the article linked. Its in response to this op-ed by Nicholas Kristof: nytimes/2014/02/16/opinion/sunday/kristof-professors-we-need-you.html?_r=1 The article linked makes its primary focus defending why academic writing is... academic. I understand that, and it is that way for reasons good and sometimes regrettable. But its criticizing a small point that is not the main thrust of Kristofs piece. I am not an academic, nor a journalist, although I have had aspirations and dabbled with both - indeed, I have friends in all levels of both fields. But, my reading of Kristofs piece is not that all academic writing need be accessible to the masses, but that the scholar, the academic, the one who has devoted his life to becoming knowledgeable and an expert in fields that relate to public life and policy is missing from the public scene. Take for example (Canadian born) Seth Rogens testimony in front of congress regarding Alzheimers this week: theatlantic/health/archive/2014/02/seth-rogen-on-dementia-at-55/284133/ As a PR event, it makes sense. But as impassioned as Rogen may be... Where is the testimony of academics and researchers in the field? And, maybe more importantly, why arent they receiving the media attention? Lets circle back to the I lost my dad to Fox News article. The popular media - TV, still, primarily - has ignored academics in lieu of celebrities and think tank talking heads. And MSNBC is just as bad in the other direction. Kristof, I think, is not lamenting the fact academic writing is dense so much as that the academic voice is missing from the popular discussion. And many academics are trying to enter it - through blogs, electronic publications, personal interactions on social media. Maybe, Kristofs argument wasnt so much aimed at criticizing academics, but popular culture and mainstream media. Professors, we need you - push to make your voice heard. Professors, we need you - media moguls, lets put them on the air. Professors, we need you - audiences, lets listen to someone who has devoted their life to becoming an expert and a teacher.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Mar 2014 03:25:59 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015