Category Archives: Modern Culture
Morris Berman: “Why America Failed: The Roots of Imperial Decline”
One of the most influential and inspirational teachers I’ve ever known is the cultural historian, Morris Berman, who taught at the University of Victoria back in the 1980’s. Morris’s view of the world is not for the faint of heart – it’s uncompromising and pessimistic. Nevertheless, he defends his thesis of America’s “negative identity” with […]
Changes in Core Competencies?
The following is my response to the Ministry of Education’s question, What new competencies will students need to prepare them for graduation and the future? The question can be found on the Ministry’s new website, engage.bcedplan.ca/ ______________ The most important competencies are the ones that have existed for millennia. In terms of the basic literacy […]
Questioning Progressive Education’s Sacred Cows
As someone who blogs, tweets, wikis, flickrs and youtubes [and turns nouns into verbs], I suppose I’m a fairly modern teacher. But I’m also very suspicious of “student-centered learning” and the sort of unyielding optimism that its adherents seem to possess. Maybe I’m just an old crank, but modern education seems consumed by a cheery […]
Upward mobility?
Part of the bedrock of “American exceptionalism” is the belief that America is the land of opportunity. Whether you’re pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps (and defying the laws of physics!) or picking yourself up from the ditch, you can accomplish anything you want in America. You’re only limited by your levels of effort […]
Wisdom at the Movies
I watch too many movies. There… I’ve admitted it. While others are reading books or debating the great issues of life at sophisticated dinner parties – or so I imagine – I’m enraptured by the latest Hollywood epic playing on my Blu-Ray and magnified through a large-screen projector and 5.1 surround sound system. As guilty […]
The Decline of the American Empire
A recurring media topic these days is the cultural, economic and political decline of the American Empire. It’s reflected in a large number of books, blogs and mainstream news stories. My former professor, Morris Berman, writes a popular blog, Dark Ages America, almost singularly devoted to the theme. Perhaps you’re skeptical? Well, if you […]
Dogs, Children, Culling…
Don’t get me wrong: I like dogs. But our society’s love for dogs sometimes goes over the top. Is it because they are a substitute for the children we haven’t had for decades? Or the children we will never have, period? Whatever it is, it seems wholly disproportionate to the other challenges we face, especially […]
Schools as Factories? Contrary to Sir Ken
Sir Ken Robinson’s RSA presentation on “Changing Education Paradigms” (see below) is a well-meaning critique of the “factory model” of education. Nevertheless, I think his alternative is much more flawed than the system he attacks. At the core of Robinson’s argument is a familiar counter-Enlightenment, romantic critique of modern education. In a bid to standardize […]
Bloodied But Onbowed
Growing up in suburbia during the late 70’s and early 80’s, I became a big fan of Vancouver’s punk scene. I was never able to attend their concerts at the time – how could a good suburban boy ever get to (or into) the Smilin’ Buddha? – but I bought as many records and cassettes […]
Bill Maher recaps the summer
Bill Maher has returned to work after the summer hiatus, and offers this stinging recap of the past three months in American politics: Posted by Colin Welch at 1:17 PM Edited on: Saturday, September 18, 2010 1:21 PM