LongReads Round-Up Volume Three

#Education

The issue with teaching self-expression in place of the mechanics of writing to children:

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/09/how-self-expression-damaged-my-students/262656/

A series of articles on the supposed fall of the Liberal Arts in America:

The reflection of liberal arts in the pop culture mirror: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/09/pop-culture-has-turned-against-the-liberal-arts/262955/ #LiberalArts #Media

The case for Entrepreneurship as the new Liberal Arts Degree: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/09/how-liberal-arts-colleges-are-failing-america/262711/ #LiberalArts #College

I was really into the following article until this paragraph:

Soon [professors], in their hunger for relevance and their penchant for self-indulgence, began teaching books for reasons external to their intrinsic beauty or importance, and attempted to explain history before discovering what actually happened. They politicized psychology and sociology, and allowed African-American studies an even higher standing than Greek and Roman classics. They decided that the multicultural was of greater import than Western culture. They put popular culture on the same intellectual footing as high culture (Conrad or graphic novels, three hours credit either way). And, finally, they determined that race, gender, and social class were at the heart of all humanities and most social science subjects. With that finishing touch, the game was up for the liberal arts.”

http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/who-killed-liberal-arts_652007.html

Epstein’s apparent inflexibility to the diversifying of the cultural canon to make accords for those who have been historically marginalized and oppressed is just pathetic. He lauds himself as a defender of the liberal arts, but only as far as it extends to the brethren of Dead White Men of the Western World.

#Essay

What are ethics in the age of instant communication and constant change? http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/reinventing-ethics/ #Ethics

Bereavement Advice: http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/six-pieces-of-highly-autobiographical-bereavement-advice #Mourning #Humor

The similarities between “extinction” sleep techniques and political torture: http://nplusonemag.com/torture-and-parenting  #Parenting 

The Left needs to get it together: http://www.thenation.com/article/170202/letter-my-liberal-allies# #Politics

You're Average, I'm Average, We're All Average. http://therumpus.net/2012/10/on-being-average/

#Feminism

One feminist is swearing off anymore books about the author's "naughty bits": http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the-f-word

Fawzia Koofi is Afghanistan's first woman parliamentary speaker and a serious contender for presidency:  http://womennewsnetwork.net/2012/08/27/afghanistan-woman-parliamentarian-dreams/ (this article is informative but almost frustratingly poorly written/edited.)

Article and accompanying photoset on women priests: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/30/opinion/sunday/women-as-priests.html?ref=world&_r=0 #Religion

Most Recommended Read about women in the workplace by feminist/mother/foreign policy expert Anne-Marie Slaughter: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/07/why-women-still-cant-have-it-all/309020/?single_page=true

(and a follow up piece) http://www.salon.com/2012/09/27/anne_marie_slaughter_im_a_card_carrying_feminist/

“Men Explain Things to Me” http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175584/

#Film

Casablanca still has its swagger after all this time:

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/09/happy-70th-anniversary-casablanca/263040/

Five lesser-known horror films to give you the willies: http://www.themorningnews.org/article/secret-horror

 

#Food

Brooklyn’s Foodie Historian, Sarah Lohman: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/09/sarah-lohman-foodie-historian.html

Sarah Lohman’s blog: www.fourpoundsflour.com

#Health

New research from Washington University in St. Louis shows dramatic dip in abortion rates among  participants in a free contraceptive program

Summary from Mother Jones: http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/10/free-contraception-fewer-abortions-pregnancies-study

Summary from Scientific American: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/10/04/free-birth-control-access-can-reduce-abortion-rate-by-more-than-half/

Link to primary source: http://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/publishahead/Preventing_Unintended_Pregnancies_by_Providing.99945.aspx

Gonorrhea is evolving for the modern day hook up culture: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/10/01/121001fa_fact_groopman?currentPage=all&pink=GjJ6ve&mobify=0  #Sexuality

Cats Are Not To Be Trusted:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/03/how-your-cat-is-making-you-crazy/308873/

TB should probably have its own horror film franchise: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2003/03/patient-predator

We should fear rabies: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/07/ff_rabies/

#Literature #Poetry #Comics

Art of Fiction interview with David Mitchell, author of soon-to-be-motion-picture-adapted Cloud Atlas:

http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/6034/the-art-of-fiction-no-204-david-mitchell

Art of Comics interview with R. Crumb:

http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/6017/the-art-of-comics-no-1-r-crumb #Comics

"October" by Charles Wright:

http://apoetreflects.tumblr.com/post/32654992480/october-the-leaves-fall-from-my-fingers #Poetry

Short story by Etgar Keret, the most popular author in Israel:
http://www.granta.com/New-Writing/Accident #ShortFiction

#Music

Rappers putting pen to paper for memoirs and autobiographies: http://nplusonemag.com/it-was-written #Rap

The lead singer of Against Me! recently began touring after her transition, becoming one of the most mainstream trans performers in America: http://prospect.org/article/laura-punk-rocker  #Sexuality #Trans

New CD coming from eternally cantankerous Mountain Goats frontman, John Darnielle: http://entertainment.time.com/2012/09/25/mountain-goats-john-darnielle-on-songwriting-for-tormented-souls/

#Religion

Cargo Cults and other incidental deifications: http://killingthebuddha.com/mag/dogma/accidental-gods/  

Religion, politics, and intrigue surrounds the volcano of Mt. Merapi in Central Java: http://killingthebuddha.com/mag/dispatch/burning-faith/ #Indonesia