"On the Uses of a Liberal Education" -Ideas critique

Edmundson’s essay is intriguing because of the many arguments and ideas he brings up.  He discusses a topic that, I think, many people do not want to face, so they choose not to talk about it.  I have to agree with his overall argument that education is changing due to the leak of consumerism into universities.  One of his supporting arguments, to this is that students think a good class is one where professors are enjoyable and also make the subject matter enjoyable.  This idea is something he does not like about the changing education system.  I believe a good class is one that is enjoyable.  Enjoyable to me does not mean easy though.  I find I like the teachers who are passionate about what they are teaching, which makes them enjoyable and in return the subject more enjoyable.

             Edmundson also argues that students lack passion; meaning they do not study subjects they are interested in.  Instead, they choose what will be best for their future and financial success.  One article also states the same thing as Edmundson, but in a statistical form.  “Evidence of Student Consumerism” states that in a survey they did with 195 sociology majors in four different schools, “75 percent report that they want to go to college so that they can make more money.”  This is a tough fact to believe, but I have to agree with it.  I chose my major, nursing, because it really is something that I am strongly interested in.  But, if I were to think about my friends and others I would believe that many of them are in a major because they hope to get a good job with it after college.  Lack of passion is also shown in the classes student choose to take.  Everyone asks other people if they have taken a certain class and whom their professor was to get the easy way out.  And once we get a chance to make our schedule what is the first think a majority of students do?  Jump on rate my professor.  This apparently is not an uncommon thing though, because according to the article, “Evidence of Student Consumerism,” 73 percent of students “would take a course in which [they] would learn little or nothing but would receive and A.”

            It seems that even though this is a tough topic to discuss for many people, more and more are beginning to explore it.  After reading trough a couple articles, Edmundson makes points that many people agree with.  And I must say I agree with his overall argument.  It’s not something we all want to fess up to, but we do all care about our future and financial success.  If that means we study something we don’t truly enjoy in college, many are willing to take that risk.