Student Podcast Series: American Romantics Conversations
Writing by BethRitterguth on Friday, 1 of June , 2007 at 12:50 am
Anonymous Student Post
Transcendentalism grew out of a realization that the world was changing, and not always for the better. Nowadays many people spend hours discussing the questions of our time, philosophizing over a cup of coffee. I decided to place the discussion of our writers in the modern era. What would they have said about our modern issues?
Thoreau (T) and Margaret Fuller (F) are sitting in a local Starburcks. It is evening and getting late when Ralph Emerson walks in. He grabs a coffee and sits down with T and F.
F: Welcome home – another long day at school?
E: Yes, though I sometimes feel like I am back at the Pulpit when I deliver a long lecture. Especially when some of the students are falling asleep on me. It seems like many of them have no interest in Natural Poetry 101” anymore, instead it seems many of them are simply enrolled to meet their graduation criteria, just to go on to their major classes in computer technology.
T: I agree completely, I cannot tell you how ridiculous it is that the Government has stepped in and decided what topics one must study. Why do all the computer people get stuck in Nature Poetry 101 every year?
F: Well, that’s the state run schools anyway. There is an awful lot mandated these days.
T: Is that why you turned down that position at Cedar Crest? I though you would have made an excellent dean. Then again Cedar Crest is a private institution; you may have had more flexibility.
F:No, I turned that down because though I agree equal education has been provided for the most part for women, I feel I cannot wholly agree with the idea o a woman’s only school. I mean, what kind of equality is it that we have reached? Women may acquire an education, but they must do so alone.
E: I agree, the flow of ideas must be passed along all peoples, not be confined to one sex. Both sexes together create such a wonderful exchange of thoughts.
F: Well, Emerson, you know I have often believed that only when together do men and women create a kind of harmony.
T: Well, at least you aren’t in my position in the public high schools. What a nightmare the government has made then, especially with the introduction of the No Child Left Behind Act. I mean, what are they thinking, stepping into educational studies like that, I mean, what do politicians understand about teaching. They should keep their noses in their pocketbooks where they belong.
E: I don’t know about that Thoreau. I firmly believe that all people, including students are individuals, and that being said they should learn according to their individual abilities. Now there are so many wonderful advances in teaching theory that accompanies that thought – the different types of learning. By knowing those you can tailor your learning to the students so they can all achieve.
F: I agree, I think that modern teaching has made great strides in recognizing the individual light in each person.
T: Well, that may be true but I still believe there is too much government involvement. I have never believed in corporal punishment, but some of these kids….
F: Now Thoreau…education has led to such wonderful ideas and inventions in the past few years. Why, it is even beginning to help the environment, which I know you must appreciate.
E: Yes Thoreau, even you must appreciate the sudden push in government for cleaner fuels, more green space and a cleaner world.
T: Well, I never could argue that, but I think more needs to be done, especially here in the valley. I mean, look at all the green space lost to home development in the last few years, it is just atrocious. All the cars, pollution must be up. I tell you the minute that hydrogen car comes out, I am buying one!
E: Now there is an idea I agree with. The less reliant America is to foreign oil and all the problems that come with it the better off we will be.
F: Hear, hear. The need for oil will only embroil us in conflicts. I can tell you one thing, conflicts only turn us away from our ability to know God as we should. I mean, how can one speak to him over all the volume of the world.
T: That reminds me, if you would like I would love to invite you all up to Walden for the weekend for some R&R. Oh, and I will be inviting Chapman too! We can eat the fresh vegetables and talk all night. Maybe we can even do some writing!
E: That sounds wonderful!
F: That sounds lovely.
Category: BethRitterguth
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