William Cronon Only Connect Analysis

Wallace concludes his speech by claiming the real value of education is not knowledge, but being aware of what is real. Wallace’s main claim about a liberal arts education, that it exists to teach students how to think, is incorrect; however, he is correct to say that the same experience can mean two different things to two different people, and that learning how to think is being aware of how to exercise control over how you

Therefore, people believe that these college students should focus on something more reasonable and profitable. Ungar states that this thinking is condescending and a form of discrimination. He believes that people should respect what others can contribute and encourages people from every cross-section of American society to aid in constructing civil discourse. Ungar goes on to explain how a liberal arts education opens up numerous possibilities for

For instance Ungar has this to say about students receiving a liberal arts education, “They come to terms with complexity and diversity, and otherwise devise means to solve problems-rather than just complaining about them. They develop patterns to help them understand how to keep learning for the rest of their days” (232). Although I agree a liberal arts education can accomplish that, a person can also learn that through a job, in Mike Rose’s “Blue Collar Brilliance” he speaks of his mother, who dropped out of school in 7th grade (275). Without having an education Rose’s mother became a waitress, though her job seems simple it is not, she had to assess her duties at the restaurant and determine what order would help her accomplish her tasks in a timely fashion. Rose’s mother also had to deduce the moods and needs of each and every customer, according to Rose “her tip depended on how well she responded to these needs, and so she became adept at reading social cues and managing feelings, both the customers’ and her own” (275).

In Gerald Graff’s article “Hidden Intellectualism,” from the 2003 copy of They Say I Say, the author explores the idea of what true intellectualism is by recalling pieces of his childhood. The way schools and society view intellectualism comes in to questions as being one sided or false altogether . There remain several sides to the argument regarding education and include anything regarding what should be taught, how it should be taught, and what marks the mastering of a subject. With true education as well as the proper way to teach being a heavily debated topic of controversy, the question of the right way to teach is heavily sought after. Public education has always been a topic of intense controversy in the United States since its early founding years.

Things like that is what student these days see and find unappealing. So let's take Adam Chapnicks’ advice and conceive and developed more way to appeal students to think about the liberal arts. Teacher should learn how to make it fun to learn. One thing Adam does not mention, which seem to be a great idea is that students should not be required to take intensive classes of liberal art. Once you enter high school you start to think about your career.

When one hears the word hero he or she would most likely think of the fictional, comic book superheroes. However, heroes are not limited to just comic books and actually do exist in real life. They may not have laser-vision or shape-shifting abilities; but instead they possess valuable assets that label them as both inspirational and influential. Yet, overall, there is no clear-cut definition of a hero and, the definition varies for each individual. In actuality, heroes come in countless forms and generally speaking, have a positive impact in either one or numerous lives, and, A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines, demonstrates how everyone has the opportunity to be a hero.

3, “The liberal arts are particularly irrelevant for low-income and first-generation students” (228). Sanford J. Ungar, President of Goucher College, which is a small liberal arts school, believes the reasoning behind this statement is that they feel like students from low-income families should pursue a major that’s practical rather than attempting to pursue something that maybe is not as guaranteed to get you a good paying job, like literature or physics. He points out that this is prejudice, and that it’s making the insinuation that people in the lower class are merely bodies that carry out the ideas of the wealthier, upper class. Ungar says, “It is condescending to imply that those who have less cannot understand and appreciate the finer elements of knowledge” (228). He proceeds to let the audience know that in his experience, he has found that “people who are the newest to certain ideas and concepts, are usually the people who approach the job with a more open and creative mind”; we should respect what everyone has to offer.

When detailing the value of a Liberal Arts education to his audience, Wallace uses pathos and explicit langue’s to extract emotion and attention: “this is what the real no bullshit value of your Liberal arts education is supposed to be about” (203). He is very blunt in talking about the Liberal Arts degree. He is basically saying critical thinking is the way to life. If you pursue Liberal Arts you will have a more meaningful life. Wallace states, “Liberal arts cliché about teaching you how to think is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea: learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think.

“Why, then, do we educate our children in the liberal studies? It is not because they can bestow virtue, but because they prepare the soul for the reception of virtue” in the text “liberal studies and education” by Seneca, this quote illustrates Seneca’s beliefs in that liberal studies are not the path to virtue in fact he believes that the path to virtue is seen through wisdom. The effects of virtue through wisdom are illustrated in the text through the characteristics of loyalty, kindliness and temperance. Seneca believes an individual achieves virtue when one shows true wisdom he believes that this is not achieved through the studies of liberal studies. Seneca illustrates this through the use of several key points throughout the text.

s a child, perhaps you thought highly of quintessential heroes and heroines such as, Superwoman, Captain America, Iron Man or any other symbolic icon that seems to always do good. You endeavoured to be exactly like them. But could you really, could you really be so supreme? As a society you have grown up with these caped figures being all that you know. However these characters are far too predictable, optimistic and perfect to ever be relatable.

David Foster Wallace is an American writer. He spoke at the Kenyon Commencement Address in 2005, where he gave a speech to the graduating class of the year. David tells the graduates of Kenyon College what the true meaning of a liberal arts degree is, and how they should go about finding it. David Foster Wallace’s appeals to credibility, emotion and logical reasoning in his speech – “This Is Water” – to strengthen the idea that the meaning of education is learning how and what to think, independently.

Gerald Graff and Mike Rose both share the important trait of “the value of non academic intelligence” because they both talking about gaining knowledge, satisfying intellectual thirst and education not taking non academic knowledge into account. Author Gerald Graff’s talks about how colleges and schools are not taking into consideration the importance of “street smarts.” We may not see this type of intellectuals as important but they are. One and all know one person who is not that bright but can solve a difficult challenge and has useful knowledge about our environment.

In the article “America Needs its Nerds” by Leonid Friedman; Fridman argues that “intellectually curious and academic serious people” are not as respected as they should be. Instead of the more intellectual people being praised for their intelligence, they are ignored by society. Fridman builds this argument by using logic and facts, creative word choice, and comparisons. Leonid Fridman uses interesting facts to develop his argument "nerds ".in the American society.

In the article titled “Only Connect”, William Cronon describes the qualities he believes a liberal arts student should possess during or at the end of their education. Some of these qualities can also be seen in students before their education begins. Although I have only just begun my journey as a liberal arts student, I believe I have already acquired some of these qualities, starting with the first trait “they listen and they hear” (p. 7). This trait is described as being able to listen to the emotions, and being able to understand the issue, whether it’s right or wrong. I think that this is one of my traits because of how I view the world.

He further vocalizes that economic status does not imply knowledge or level of “smartness” on holds; in fact, he says students with fresh eyes and less experience are quick learners and are often more original and creative in their thinking skills. Misconception four argues that trashing Liberal Arts education shows no proof of increasing student’s success in STEM fields. Furthermore, misconception five highlights simply because the word “liberal” is in the name of the degree, does not mean it has any political affiliation or party identification. Liberal Arts education focuses on all approaches to argumentation and creates an environment to intellectually integrate them together (which is what America should