Death to the Magical
By Roy Oltmann
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About this ebook
Excerpt from More of the Same, College essay
... For we must admit that the Universities of America are not free. It costs a great deal of money to attend college, e.g., Stanford costs over $9,000 per year. And it is precisely the respected universities, the Ivy league, Stanford or say Claremont college that set the example for all universities. These schools in their constant quest for funds have completely prostituted themselves to the major corporations, Military contractors, foundations, and to the wealthy alumni on whom they rely on for support. And in America every student, except the very wealthy, must constantly worry about money, about scholarships, student loans, grants, work-study programs, and the debt to their parents. Often, in fact, students must even grovel for admittance to these ‘Citadels of higher learning.’ Thus the materialistic attitude is fostered and reinforced by the very institutions which should be equipping students with the ability to understand and criticize society.
Don’t look to these universities of the rich for social change, it won’t happen. The affluent interests they serve are quite content with education as it is. And to expect professors to speak out, to rock the boat, to jeopardize their sinecures which they have literally had to fight for? Might as well look for the Pentagon to recommend defense cuts or Wall Street to propose new taxes to help feed the poor. Anyway the next time someone asks the question again, why are the youth of America so materialistic, why has interest in the humanities declined. We know where the problem lies. The students in America are being lied to, the faculty and administration of the universities are clearly at fault. When the professors are sheep what chance do the students have? The universities themselves are the cancer in our society that have compromised their values and sold their students down the river. Physician heal thyself!
Final note on Universities and Sports
It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the major universities of America e.g., UCLA, Notre Dame, Michigan, Alabama are actually professional sports franchises, which run courses and grant degrees on the side. That the values of professional sports, the aggressive all-out competition, the us against them mentality, the thrills-of-victory agonies-of-defeat clichés are the basic values these universities stand for and serve to pass onto their students and society as a whole. Sports in America are like drugs and every bit as mind-deadening. These bozo student athletes, these prospective millionaires, what purpose do they serve? Get sports out of the colleges now.
... They’d say what do you mean the universities aren’t free? Oh you mean financially free? NO, no, no, no you can’t have one kind of freedom without the other. What do you mean? Everyone knows that we are free in America, we’re free, free. We are the freest nation in the world. Free to impose our freedom on the entire world, we are free, free, free, it’s been drummed into us, we’ve been brainwashed into believing that we are free, free, free, free, the strongest democracy in the world. Isn’t it curious that we only have two political parties? It’s because we’re so free, free, free, free, free that we all think exactly alike. We are free to build the most awesome military force in world history, free to threaten with nuclear destruction anyone who says they are free, free, free, free, free, free, without asking us first. We have free speech, because Americans don’t take ideas seriously, free speech can’t harm anything, the only thing Americans take seriously is money. But money’s not free, free, free, free, free, free, free, like we are. It’s just a free-for-all and money talks bullshit walks to the store like me. And thank god that I am free, free, free, free, free, free, free, free to go out and buy all the beer I think I need to drink so I’ll forget how free I’m not.
Roy Oltmann
Born in San Jose, CA. Raised in Campbell, CA Moved to Germany in 1978, then to NYC in 1980. Currently lives in New Jersey, works in NYC
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