Thanks

I’m on my way out the door of this very fine hotel, for the airport and several blissful days at home.  I want to thank everyone for their conversation on the need for college.  My time in college was a uniquely formative experience.  I got introduced to a broader world of possibilities, and changed my major about a dozen times.  I think that all of those “useless” courses made me a better social studies teacher.

Still, college must adapt to a changing time.  But, as was mentioned by John Brandt, teaching is a aboration of this phenomena.  Teachers are expected to remain teachers for their career.  Most teachers enter the profession, expecting to teach.  It is a process and a word environment that is static, and many aspects of it should remain static — human.  But we are so isolated from the conditions of the broader world, where innovation has become our mantra, and this is good.  But there is a dark side to innovation.  When was the last time you went shopping for toothpaste.  What a decision.  Do you want tartar control, teeth whitening, minty-fresh, new extra formula, blah blah blah.  Innovation has become the competitive edge and it just results in too many decisions — too much information.

Boy, do I sound whinny.  The ability to innovate is an essential skill and it is something that our children should be leaving school with.  At what point are we going to reach a saturation, or worse yet, a singularity, where we just lose contact with what’s real and what’s old, for the sake of always looking for what’s new? 

I’m I really getting to be that crotchety?

Thanks also for the info on exfoliating cleansers.  One more question though.  Is it supposed to make your skin tingle?  Kinda nice! 😉