Every year, Beloit publishes a "Mindset List." The ostensible purpose of the list is to make professors aware of the common experiences the incoming class has shared. The real purpose seems to be an annual reminder that I'm getting old while my students stay exactly the same age. (The authors of the list say that's not the point . . . yeah, right!)
The list is published here, and as always, it has a lot of thought-provoking items.
"50. Everyone has always known what the evening news was before the Evening News came on."
-- I remember watching the evening news with my family and being genuinely surprised to hear about what had happened that day. Now, I don't even consider watching any of the networks. By that hour of the day, I've not only heard about the day's events, but also formed an opinion about them. I can't say that the 24-hour news cycle has improved policy-making . . . or even made the public better informed -- death panels, indeed! Maybe we should return to the days of Walter Cronkite.
"56. The status of gays in the military has always been a topic of political debate."
-- Yeah, wow!! This has been such a huge change, and there's more ahead. The fascinating thing to me is how the political differences on the issue of lgbt rights are entirely generational. My most socially conservative students -- who oppose abortion and affirmative action, for example -- simply don't understand the point of allowing discrimination against gays and lesbians. When they take over, all this sturm und drang will just get wiped away.
"28. Bobby Cox has always managed the Atlanta Braves."
-- Okay, I think this has always been true. I'm pretty sure he was the manager when I was 18 years old.
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