Cultural Learnings
PSA: Read ABA President Gayle Shanks' open letter on the recent controversy over publisher Chelsea Green's upcoming release. But that's not this week's topic.
Instead, it's time to take a look at the worldview of kids today. The occasion? Beloit College has released its latest mindset list, a document it puts out each year to help professors understand how the typical eighteen-year-old sees the world. Aside from the obvious (computer-literate, not used to sharing a bedroom), the list points out that for the class of 2012:
- Clarence Thomas has always been a Supreme Court justice
- The Tonight Show has always been hosted by Jay Leno
- People have always quoted "All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"
- Michael Milken has always been a philanthropist
- That city in Russia has always been called St. Petersburg
Aside from a passing reference to Harry Potter (he could have been a classmate), the list doesn't take note of the book-related culture that's been part of their lives. So let's take a look:
- They were born in the same year as Jurassic Park and The Things They Carried (which has probably been a staple of their high school English classes)
- Robert Ludlum was still writing the Bourne books (The Bourne Ultimatum was released in 1990)
- Although they may have grown up on Roald Dahl's books, he wasn't around to see it.
- John Grisham has always been a best-selling author. Madonna has always been an author.
- Salman Rushdie's fatwa was issued before most of them were born.
- Lois Lowry, Possession, Maniac Magee, and Toni Morrison have always been known for winning major awards.
- Men have always been from Mars (and women from Venus).
- They're younger than The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, The Alchemist, and A Brief History of Time.
There's a lot they've missed out on, or taken for granted. (My suggestion, if they're looking to fill in the gaps, is Doonesbury. Seriously. The archives are a pop culture gold mine.) So have pity on them when they pick up Dark Dude this fall and think that Oscar Hijuelos is a newcomer - and tell them he won the Pulitzer the year they were born.
Posted at 12:47PM Aug 22, 2008 by Sarah Rettger in General |
