Thursday, May 21, 2009

An Experiment in Democracy: Mills College

Truly men hate the truth; they’d liefer meet a tiger on the road. Therefore the poets honey their truth with lying...
—Robinson Jeffers

From: George Slone To: five80split@gmail.com; cyns@mills.edu; moses@mills.edu; dcady@mills.edu; amach@mills.edu; xango@mills.edu; jchen@mills.edu; yli@mills.edu; amance@mills.edu; mehta@mills.edu; cnixon@mills.edu; pollock@mills.edu; sratclif@mills.edu; kreiss@mills.edu; ktsaxton@mills.edu; rsaxton@mills.edu; jspahr@mills.edu; toms@mills.edu; kwalk@mills.eduSent: Thursday, May 21, 2009 10:38:31 AMSubject: Mills College English Dept.


Dear English Department faculty and students, Mills College:
An anonymous student on your website mentions how you have helped her think out of her box. (www.mills.edu/academics/faculty/eng/index_grad_core.php). Perhaps you ought not to be encouraging anonymity? In any case, will you allow me to help you think out of yours? Please check out and comment on the two cartoons I sketched on your English Department and literary journal, 580 Split (http://wwwtheamericandissidentorg.blogspot.com/).

This email communication is part of an on-going experiment on testing the waters of democracy in academe. Are those waters murky? Sadly, evidence supports that hypothesis (i.e., vigorous debate is the cornerstone of democracy, but not of academe). Please do respond. Your response will counter the growing evidence. Other institutions tested include the University of Massachusetts (all campuses), Tufts University, and Middlebury College (my alma mater).
Sincerely,

G. Tod Slone, Founding Editor, 1998
The American Dissident, a Journal of Literature, Democracy & Dissidence
A 501 c3 nonprofit organization providing a unique forum for vigorous debate, cornerstone of democracy
www.theamericandissident.org
1837 Main St.
Concord, MA 01742
at

9 comments:

  1. matherMay 21, 2009 at 9:24 AM

    When they say "think outside the box" what they really mean is: "Say these words 'think outside the box' because that is the current trendy thing to say". To actually think outside the box is considered an option only a fool or a crazy person would choose. I imagine a person standing on the median of the road begging for money with a sign that says: "I thought outside the box."

    I liked the last three cartoons a lot. Especially the beaver one. She needs some buck teeth.

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  2. matherMay 21, 2009 at 9:48 AM

    I love how Julianna Spahr says she teaches writing "full of community discord". Sure! Her idea of rebellion is casting her eyes downward when they take her photo! Community discord, por favor! How did she end up with this position? She is teaching "Write about community discord because it is a good theme but don't really think community discord is a valid lifestyle." In other words, "write what you don't know."

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  3. G. Tod SloneMay 21, 2009 at 3:59 PM

    Hey, now that makes a good toon idea: A bum with a sign: I thought outside the box." Well, I sort of did that one recently and it's in the next AD. Christ, did Spahr really say that? Actually, I did her toon a couple years ago. When I was doing the sign toon, I looked up the profs in the dept. and there she was. So I put that up too. Do you think any of them will respond? HaHaHa!

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  4. G. Tod SloneMay 21, 2009 at 4:01 PM

    You know, I spent all day yesterday on that 580 Split toon. I must definitely be a fruitloop. I could here the traffic going to work, then coming back from work, while I was farting around with the toon. How to explain people who think in the box? Are they basic automatons with diplomas?

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  5. matherMay 22, 2009 at 6:32 AM

    I followed your link to the teacher page and this is what it says:

    "Juliana Spahr teaches exploratory forms, ones full of juxtaposed noises, clashing contexts, and community discord..."

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  6. G. Tod SloneMay 22, 2009 at 11:14 AM

    How do these so-called educated people come up with such inanity?

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  7. AnonymousMay 23, 2009 at 5:21 AM

    More good loaded toons. I see a book of Slone Toons on the horizon.

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  8. G. Tod SloneMay 23, 2009 at 7:46 AM

    Thanks Charlotte. But the only way that's going to happen is if I self publish.

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownAugust 8, 2009 at 2:42 AM

    Thats very beautiful water Democracy enjoy it thanks...
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    ReplyDelete