Over my many years teaching composition, I've always emphasized persuasive/argumentative projects. Those are really the only types of essays that have any pertinence for the real world. Trust me, you're never going to have to write a Definition or Descriptive essay in your life outside of your basic English course. But whether in business, law, science, or any academic field, you will always have to persuade people and provide evidence for your argument. So that is what I choose to teach.
However, I've discovered an alarming trend as of late. In the last five years especially, I've noticed a greater number of students using their persuasion techniques for force and their arguments for mandates. More and more I see student essays that want to create new laws that force people to do certain things or aim to ban people from doing other things. I always wonder, "Why do you feel the need to tell people what to do?"
The goal of persuasion and argumentation is to convince people of your position. But for so many, that position is one that must use force to accomplish its intent.
I once asked a class, with complete honesty and without agenda--I sincerely wanted to know--"how come so many young people today resort to force to make arguments?" Their answers were admirably forthright, and most centered on this alarming reply: "It's just easier." Taken aback, I asked the class what they meant by "easier." They responded, "There are so many disagreements today, arguing about it rarely leads anywhere, so it's just easier to create a rule that everyone has to follow. It's a faster way of getting to your position." They almost sounded like parents, weary of having their three-year-old incessantly ask why, just declaring, "Because I said so."
And most of their demands are by way of government. There's nothing necessarily wrong with this, as sometimes government is a reasonable option. But so many thesis statements begin, "The government needs to..." or "Politicians should..." or "We need a new law that requires...". Personal action or relational accountability doesn't exist for them, it seems. If it's a business-related topic, for example, I may inquire why they don't just write directly to the business and convince them of their idea. Again, in order to avoid the confrontation and having to defend a position personally, you guessed it...it's just easier.
This is the voice of the current generation. Rather than have legitimate debates and investigate real issues, many young people today would rather cast down a mandate like a dictator. I jokingly followed up with them, "I'm supposed to be the grumpy, old guy, but I'm way more relaxed about letting people live their own lives than you are." They laughed and retorted with, "That may be true, but you're still the old guy." I always thought college kids were supposed to be rebellious, declaring their independence, driven by angst to tell their parents to stay out of their business and fight against "the man." Not so much today, it seems. Today's college students have become "the man." In fact, they have become the senior citizen in the neighborhood not only yelling at you to get off his lawn, but would sentence you to 20 years for trespassing.
For a generation that claims to embrace buzzwords like "tolerance" and "diversity," I'm constantly wondering how they reconcile their desires to impose their "my way or else" approach to the world.
How did we get here? Did parents cause this? Teachers? Media? How did young people take healthy social activism and turn it into finger wagging and hostile legalism? Or has it always been this way, and I just wasn't around to see it in previous decades? If you teachers out there have noticed similar attitudes, I'd love to hear about it. Or if you're a student and can provide some rationale for this trend, I'd love to hear your side too.
Have a great weekend! But you may need to get permission from a young person first.
However, I've discovered an alarming trend as of late. In the last five years especially, I've noticed a greater number of students using their persuasion techniques for force and their arguments for mandates. More and more I see student essays that want to create new laws that force people to do certain things or aim to ban people from doing other things. I always wonder, "Why do you feel the need to tell people what to do?"
The goal of persuasion and argumentation is to convince people of your position. But for so many, that position is one that must use force to accomplish its intent.
I once asked a class, with complete honesty and without agenda--I sincerely wanted to know--"how come so many young people today resort to force to make arguments?" Their answers were admirably forthright, and most centered on this alarming reply: "It's just easier." Taken aback, I asked the class what they meant by "easier." They responded, "There are so many disagreements today, arguing about it rarely leads anywhere, so it's just easier to create a rule that everyone has to follow. It's a faster way of getting to your position." They almost sounded like parents, weary of having their three-year-old incessantly ask why, just declaring, "Because I said so."
And most of their demands are by way of government. There's nothing necessarily wrong with this, as sometimes government is a reasonable option. But so many thesis statements begin, "The government needs to..." or "Politicians should..." or "We need a new law that requires...". Personal action or relational accountability doesn't exist for them, it seems. If it's a business-related topic, for example, I may inquire why they don't just write directly to the business and convince them of their idea. Again, in order to avoid the confrontation and having to defend a position personally, you guessed it...it's just easier.
This is the voice of the current generation. Rather than have legitimate debates and investigate real issues, many young people today would rather cast down a mandate like a dictator. I jokingly followed up with them, "I'm supposed to be the grumpy, old guy, but I'm way more relaxed about letting people live their own lives than you are." They laughed and retorted with, "That may be true, but you're still the old guy." I always thought college kids were supposed to be rebellious, declaring their independence, driven by angst to tell their parents to stay out of their business and fight against "the man." Not so much today, it seems. Today's college students have become "the man." In fact, they have become the senior citizen in the neighborhood not only yelling at you to get off his lawn, but would sentence you to 20 years for trespassing.
For a generation that claims to embrace buzzwords like "tolerance" and "diversity," I'm constantly wondering how they reconcile their desires to impose their "my way or else" approach to the world.
How did we get here? Did parents cause this? Teachers? Media? How did young people take healthy social activism and turn it into finger wagging and hostile legalism? Or has it always been this way, and I just wasn't around to see it in previous decades? If you teachers out there have noticed similar attitudes, I'd love to hear about it. Or if you're a student and can provide some rationale for this trend, I'd love to hear your side too.
Have a great weekend! But you may need to get permission from a young person first.