I’m currently taking two history classes at night. I’ve been blogging (albeit irregularly) related to this, so feel free to check that out if history floats your boat.
I think part of the reason that I’ve been updating so irregularly is that these classes often border on the ridiculous.
Ridiculous is maybe too strong of a word; both my instructors are well-qualified, well-versed in their subjects, and clearly enthusiastic about the subject of history. But it’s very difficult to hide one’s personal opinions; anyone who reads this blog for a long time will eventually know that I’m a Christian, a conservative, and so forth. So I’m not shocked or apalled that my instructors’ biases come through in their teaching; just occasionally annoyed because it just happens to be the opposite of my own opinions.
My History of Civilization class is not too bad, except for the occasional sweeping generalization, like stating that almost all Christians are Calvinists (which is so inaccurate it borders on absurdity), or that the Bible says the sun goes around the earth (it doesn’t say that, in my opinion), or using Monty Python and the Holy Grail as a reasonable example of interaction between peasants and royalty (!?).
The American History class is another story. Again, I like the instructor; he’s very enthusiastic and knowledgeable of his subject. But I feel like I’m sitting through a weekly anti-American propoganda seminar. At any moment I expect Noam Chomsky to walk in and hold a guest lecture. I like learning the events and how they occurred, and what other causes and effects they had, but the continual pro-union anti-industry subtext gets a little tiring. Maybe it’s not intentional; I don’t know.
I mean, come on: I’m from Canada. You can’t tell me that aggressive social programs, welfare, state funded medical, and more power to the unions, is good for the economy. I’ve lived there; it isn’t. I grew up thinking that 10% unemployment rates were normal, that one industry or another was on strike all the time, and that a large contingent of the population on welfare, probably for life, was simply normal as well. Taxes are way too high; cigarettes were $5 per pack. I saw people who were willing to work hard go on job searches that lasted for months. I moved to Tulsa and found a job the first day I was there.
Alright, that’s my conservative rant of the month. I really do still like Canada, I just don’t like the prevailing political ideology it holds. Anyways, I’m done.
