Freaks and Geeks (Part I)
As an exercise in audience awareness for my class on critical thinking, I have students write out a draft of their credo--statements that represent their interests, values, and beliefs. In 10-15 minutes, they are asked to make a list of statements beginning with the words "I believe" or "I do not believe."
The following is a sample of some of the statements. (All credos are submitted anonymously by freshmen-level students and are presented here as I received them.)
I believe that there is a God and that he is aware of me and my life.
I believe that family is the most important thing in people’s lives.
I believe men & women are inherently greedy and selfish.
I believe going to the moon and other planets is a waste of our government’s money.
I do not believe that reading fantasy novels makes me a weird little geek that is plotting to kill everyone.
I do not believe that celebrities should be treated like gods.
I believe that killing other people just to get some money out of it is wrong. (Statement is then used as subject for short unsolicited essay.)
I do not believe sex offenders should ever get out of jail.
I believe that Friends is the greatest TV series ever.
I believe all women should take a class in self-defense.
I believe the world is going to have a huge war.
I believe that all women should dress modestly.
I believe faith in a supreme being is essential to one’s happiness.
I believe that R-rated movies are bad.
I believe everyone needs a pet.
I believe the way a man treats his mother is the way he’ll treat you.
I do not believe we should have to pay to use or drive through national parks.
I believe cops have too much power.
Of course, I believe in Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ.
I believe in leprechauns.
I believe that vegans are slowly killing themselves.
I believe that dogs under a foot tall should not be considered dogs.
I believe drinking, smoking, drug use, and pre-marital sex are all horrible things.
I believe the word “mature” should be replaced by the word “boring.”
I do not believe that people should play with the power of creation.
I believe in Jesus Christ, but I do not believe in the Virgin birth. It’s just not scientifically possible.
I do not believe there is such a thing as a good dad.
I believe Tom Welling (aka Clark Kent on Smallville) is HOT.
I believe you should always sing loud in your car.
I believe Socrates wasn’t that intelligent.
I believe that atheists are squashing freedom of religion for everyone else.
I believe 80’s music is the best (Bon Jovi in particular).
I believe in the four standard works. (Reference to the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine & Covenants of the LDS Church)
I believe that computer technology is going way too far, too fast, and one day we’ll just make the world blow up from thinking too much about it.
I believe speed limits are the stupidest things, and the enforcers of them are even more stupid.
I believe that the kid in the back of the room talks too much about dumb and pointless things.
I believe this is boring.
The following is a sample of some of the statements. (All credos are submitted anonymously by freshmen-level students and are presented here as I received them.)
I believe that there is a God and that he is aware of me and my life.
I believe that family is the most important thing in people’s lives.
I believe men & women are inherently greedy and selfish.
I believe going to the moon and other planets is a waste of our government’s money.
I do not believe that reading fantasy novels makes me a weird little geek that is plotting to kill everyone.
I do not believe that celebrities should be treated like gods.
I believe that killing other people just to get some money out of it is wrong. (Statement is then used as subject for short unsolicited essay.)
I do not believe sex offenders should ever get out of jail.
I believe that Friends is the greatest TV series ever.
I believe all women should take a class in self-defense.
I believe the world is going to have a huge war.
I believe that all women should dress modestly.
I believe faith in a supreme being is essential to one’s happiness.
I believe that R-rated movies are bad.
I believe everyone needs a pet.
I believe the way a man treats his mother is the way he’ll treat you.
I do not believe we should have to pay to use or drive through national parks.
I believe cops have too much power.
Of course, I believe in Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ.
I believe in leprechauns.
I believe that vegans are slowly killing themselves.
I believe that dogs under a foot tall should not be considered dogs.
I believe drinking, smoking, drug use, and pre-marital sex are all horrible things.
I believe the word “mature” should be replaced by the word “boring.”
I do not believe that people should play with the power of creation.
I believe in Jesus Christ, but I do not believe in the Virgin birth. It’s just not scientifically possible.
I do not believe there is such a thing as a good dad.
I believe Tom Welling (aka Clark Kent on Smallville) is HOT.
I believe you should always sing loud in your car.
I believe Socrates wasn’t that intelligent.
I believe that atheists are squashing freedom of religion for everyone else.
I believe 80’s music is the best (Bon Jovi in particular).
I believe in the four standard works. (Reference to the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine & Covenants of the LDS Church)
I believe that computer technology is going way too far, too fast, and one day we’ll just make the world blow up from thinking too much about it.
I believe speed limits are the stupidest things, and the enforcers of them are even more stupid.
I believe that the kid in the back of the room talks too much about dumb and pointless things.
I believe this is boring.
posted by Chazzbot at 2:45 PM
8 Comments:
From a plaque on my parents' wall: "Everybody should believe in something. I believe I'll have another drink." And screw that kid who says it's horrible.
This is a fantastic idea, something that I'd love to try with students--not only to get them thinkng, but for the sheer entertainment of it all on my end.
And, as we all know, the word thinking has a second "i" in it. Argh.
I must confess--at least half of the reason I do this is to spend a few hilarious minutes in my office reading them. Although the humour is occasionally tempered by fear and cold shivers at the future of our small world, left in the hands of this lot.
This could be my most popular post ever (and least in terms of immediate feedback). Note to self: exploit more student writing for the blog!
Sorry. That should read "AT least in terms of immediate feedback."
DOH!
Chaz, just how religiously inclined is your employer? To get responses that skewed towards God-botherers in .au you would have to be at some sort of christian bunker school.
It's not my employer, it's the location. I'm deep in the heart of old-school Mormonism here, with at least three polygamist towns within a 50-mile radius. It's like living on the edge of the world.
The other day in class, one of my students argued that the introduction of Christianity reduced the level of sin in the world. I'm guessing the history of religious persecution was not a big topic of discussion in his Sunday school.
Yes, I'm thinking of the Inquisition, the old Crusades, and the Holocaust as three of the top 5 answers on the religious persecution board, Richard! Then, of course, we have the current sins of our current crusader-in-chief. (War's not a sin if God sez it's okay, right?) My father quotes Nietzsche whenever Christianity is brought up: "The last Christian died on the cross." Throw that one out to your students, Chazz, and watch their brains implode. Fun for all, really.
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