Disenchanted

<p>@intparent: Lol. I dont have a Reed affiliation, but I agree completely. </p>

<p>Btw, a couple of posts got flipped, so it became unclear that one of mine was a response to @Ghostt. </p>

<p>Ironic that the OP seems Reed-like . . . Maybe he’ll weigh that as he considers whether to transfer. </p>

<p>Ha!</p>

<p>merc81, you are a character and I like you. I knew you were supporting me from the beginning; I only chose to point out that your wording there was offensive and that I heartily disagreed with the label “miasma” given its negative connotations. No matter, since you clarified and I can well enough nod in agreement that your saying its potentiality to lead down that road is at least a much fairer evaluation. </p>

<p>It’s ironic because one of my teachers in a private conference explicitly stated that “I sound like a Reedie” when discussing my concerns, and other than my differing viewpoint on these subjects, I feel pretty well accepted and comfortable here. I am starting to enjoy some of my work here and getting small amounts of freedom with pieces of it-- and as you said, merc81, perspective is key. Learning to adapt the material to a viewpoint other than the traditional one it’s presented makes it instantly more connectable, interesting, and valid to me.</p>

<p>Also, oh, those pesky and typical gender pronouns, but I’m a she. :)</p>

<p>Miasma was the wrong word all-around. I should have looked it up sooner. I never meant noxious.</p>

<p>You seem to be doing better at Reed, even well, so that’s a lot of progress for a few days. So I’m happy for you.</p>

<p>Truly wishing you success, Ms. @inthistogether!</p>

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<p>A pedestal? The pedestal. Declaim religion, and make a religion of one’s prejudices. Most Democratic men today are like parodies of the Nietzschean overman or the Aristotelian “great-souled man,” or perhaps tragicomic doublets of Mr. Bazarov: nihilists and dogmatists in the garb of freethinkers. (One reason to think highly of Plato and Aristotle: they were clear about their assumptions and biases.) It’s all about exceptions, distinctions, specialties, “political correctness.” traipsing on tenterhooks, whatever flimsy notions one can claw together to soothe his cognitive dissonance, while parroting “Freedom of speech! Free inquiry! Tolerance! (The barbarous word.) Equality!” You might be the first person I’ve seen on this forum who points out that hypocrisy. (Bacon, Tocqueville and Foucault have remarked too upon this phenomenon.)</p>

<p>Apologies. This post may be unhelpful and excessively indulgent of my prejudices. I was channeling the ancient Hebrew navi there. (Which is germane to this thread, actually: the ancient Israelite-Judean and Palestinian societies are predicated on “alternative learning,” viz. ecstatic prophecy, apostolicity and what we might call today “mysticism.”)</p>

<p>Honestly… you DO sound like you belong at Reed. Give it into next semester to see how you feel…</p>

@inthistogether‌ I’m wondering how a few more months have affected your perspective on Reed and if you decided whether to transfer out. I know when I was a non-trad transfer, my first semester was a harder transition that I anticipated. But I eventually found my people and began to feel like an actual Reedie rather than an outsider/imposter by the end of my first year. I think most people experience some disillusionment with their college (probably relative to how much it was idealized/hyped up). Rather than feeling disappointed, I’d encourage you to take your education by the horns and stop expecting (any) college to meet all of your needs/expectations, and instead figure out how to do that yourself and fill in whatever gaps you feel are lacking in your education. Self-direction and taking initiative are certainly valued at Reed so don’t let the formal education get in the way of that.

Or rather, they aren’t mutually incompatible…