I have stumbled across a series of rabble-rousing blog posts ranging from gays in the NFL to the non-literary, non-enriching unartistic nature of the AWP conference--scheduled to begin in my dear city next week. Here's the list of tonight's rebels:
Domonique Foxworth, President of NFL Player's Association and matriculated student at Harvard Business School, calling for an embrace of diversity in the NFL: It's Time for All Jocks to Embrace Diversity
"Surviving and thriving while enduring [rigorous workouts] requires toughness, but truly being tough and strong is when you persevere while being ridiculed, ostracized or rejected -- just for being yourself. Any person that flourishes in those conditions would be a great asset..."
Amanda Palmer on being a musician in today's music business, "... if you wanted to be in rock and roll and you wanted to be a musician, the idea was you get famous. You get on the radio, you get a record contract, you get on MTV. And now, that’s sort of no longer an option – I mean, it’s an option for a minuscule number of people. And instead, being a musician has sort of become – if possible and if you want the job – a working class job. It’s a regular job.”
http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2013/02/27/amanda-palmer-ted
Sugata Mitra "We Need Schools...Not Factories"
"Schools today are the product of an expired age; standardized curricula, outdated pedagogy, and cookie cutter assessments are relics of an earlier time. Schools still operate as if all knowledge is contained in books, and as if the salient points in books must be stored in each human brain -- to be used when needed. The political and financial powers controlling schools decide what these salient points are. Schools ensure their storage and retrieval. Students are rewarded for memorization, not imagination or resourcefulness."
Seth Oelbaum The AWP Should Stand For Something Very Vulgar Because It Is Very Vulgar
My comment was: Some salient points, though the ascerbic tone isn't going to get your detractors to pay much attention to them. I agree, though, not much of AWP is inspiring, creative or literary. Very much a schmoozfest, rather than a revitalizing experience with a community of artists. Hopefully the offsite readings and gatherings will be fun. Glad I live in Boston for that part of things. Keep preaching, Seth.
Domonique Foxworth, President of NFL Player's Association and matriculated student at Harvard Business School, calling for an embrace of diversity in the NFL: It's Time for All Jocks to Embrace Diversity
"Surviving and thriving while enduring [rigorous workouts] requires toughness, but truly being tough and strong is when you persevere while being ridiculed, ostracized or rejected -- just for being yourself. Any person that flourishes in those conditions would be a great asset..."
Amanda Palmer on being a musician in today's music business, "... if you wanted to be in rock and roll and you wanted to be a musician, the idea was you get famous. You get on the radio, you get a record contract, you get on MTV. And now, that’s sort of no longer an option – I mean, it’s an option for a minuscule number of people. And instead, being a musician has sort of become – if possible and if you want the job – a working class job. It’s a regular job.”
http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2013/02/27/amanda-palmer-ted
Sugata Mitra "We Need Schools...Not Factories"
"Schools today are the product of an expired age; standardized curricula, outdated pedagogy, and cookie cutter assessments are relics of an earlier time. Schools still operate as if all knowledge is contained in books, and as if the salient points in books must be stored in each human brain -- to be used when needed. The political and financial powers controlling schools decide what these salient points are. Schools ensure their storage and retrieval. Students are rewarded for memorization, not imagination or resourcefulness."
Seth Oelbaum The AWP Should Stand For Something Very Vulgar Because It Is Very Vulgar
My comment was: Some salient points, though the ascerbic tone isn't going to get your detractors to pay much attention to them. I agree, though, not much of AWP is inspiring, creative or literary. Very much a schmoozfest, rather than a revitalizing experience with a community of artists. Hopefully the offsite readings and gatherings will be fun. Glad I live in Boston for that part of things. Keep preaching, Seth.