HunkyDory

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

I mean, presumably the people in this forum are going to get their degrees and become part of a generation of academics, correct? It has no effect on anyone personally, but the idea that an anti-intellectual atmosphere is being fostered among people that will eventually be heads of their fields is absurd, non?

I'm not trying to be a jerk--I think there are some salient aspects of academia to be discussed here. The philosophy of education and what we value as academics is a major part of the scholarly process.

I only mean to inspire conversation, and the fact that my screen says "8 new messages" since I started typing this means I'm doing just that. But if you just want to circlejerk all over each other, please be my guest, I won't stop you

EDIT: ImWantHazPHD's gif sums this up really well

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

Oh stop overreacting. I don't even care about the "canon", but there is not a single possible framework you can use to justify Eggers and Rowling over Joyce and Pynchon. All a statement like that says (and especially the criticisms of Joyce that show a complete unfamiliarity with his work) is that this person has no business in an English department--they can't think critically, and their intellectual comprehension is nonexistent.

I'm just stating the facts--if you want to get into academia, the holistic holding hands approach is pointless. I like Pound's notes on the Wasteland manuscript--forceful and not putting up with bullshit.

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

I mean, presumably the people in this forum are going to get their degrees and become part of a generation of academics, correct? It has no effect on anyone personally, but the idea that an anti-intellectual atmosphere is being fostered among people that will eventually be heads of their fields is absurd, non?

I'm not trying to be a jerk--I think there are some salient aspects of academia to be discussed here. The philosophy of education and what we value as academics is a major part of the scholarly process.

I only mean to inspire conversation, and the fact that my screen says "8 new messages" since I started typing this means I'm doing just that. But if you just want to circlejerk all over each other, please be my guest, I won't stop you

EDIT: ImWantHazPHD's gif sums this up really well

Oh stop overreacting. I don't even care about the "canon", but there is not a single possible framework you can use to justify Eggers and Rowling over Joyce and Pynchon. All a statement like that says (and especially the criticisms of Joyce that show a complete unfamiliarity with his work) is that this person has no business in an English department--they can't think critically, and their intellectual comprehension is nonexistent.

I'm just stating the facts--if you want to get into academia, the holistic holding hands approach is pointless. I like Pound's notes on the Wasteland manuscript--forceful and not putting up with bullshit.

Oh stop overreacting. I don't even care about the "canon", but there is not a single possible framework you can use to justify Eggers and Rowling over Joyce and Pynchon. All a statement like that says (and especially the criticisms of Joyce that show a complete unfamiliarity with his work) is that this person has no business in an English department--they can't think critically, and their intellectual comprehension is nonexistent.

I'm just stating the facts--if you want to get into academia, the holistic holding hands approach is pointless. I like Pound's notes on the Wasteland manuscript--forceful and not putting up with bullshit.

Oh stop overreacting. I don't even care about the "canon", but there is not a single possible framework you can use to justify Eggers and Rowling over Joyce and Pynchon. All a statement like that says (and especially the criticisms of Joyce that show a complete unfamiliarity with his work) is that this person has no business in an English department--they can't think critically, and their intellectual comprehension is nonexistent.

I'm just stating the facts--if you want to get into academia, the holistic holding hands approach is pointless. I like Pound's notes on the Wasteland manuscript--forceful and not putting up with bullshit.

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

What's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?

Oooh, a hater on YA fiction *and* a defender of Joyce! What if I told you Harry Potter deserves priority in the canon over Joyce?

To be more precise, Joyce is a writer's write, imho. His ability to put words on page is absolutely amazing -- but in terms of plot, theme, characters, I would rank him very low. It's a criticism I would level against much of the modernists.

@Eggers,

I'm half in, half out on this one. What is the What and Where the Wild Things are masterpieces. A Heartbreaking work I just couldn't stomach. Writers really need to stay away from postmodernist tendencies.

Speaking of which. . . .

My candidates:

Giles Goat-boy by John Barth
Anything by Thomas Pynchon.

Oh em gee, how do I loath Thomas Pynchon.

Is "Cool story, bro" passive-aggressive? Sometimes I speak too much in memes (coincidentally part of what I want to study), the statement is mostly devoid of meaning at this point, more of a nonchalant attitude akin to Condescending Wonka: http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/35qn5n/

On a similar note, I hope I'm not the only one interested in internet culture as an academic topic...

Cool story, bro. I'm curious, which professor? And I don't get why you're being so outrageously hostile.

Just got accepted to UT-Austin for English!

First acceptance of the season, still waiting on all of my other schools. Flipping out right now.

Just got accepted to UT-Austin for English!

First acceptance of the season, still waiting on all of my other schools. Flipping out right now.

As someone who just fabricated an entire paper on The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, I cannot agree strongly enough with this statement. The woman should be purged from the collective consciousness and never spoken of again.

*shudder*

Anything written by Gertrude Stein. Tender Buttons is worth little more than pleasant bathroom reading. DH Lawrence is pretty horrible too. My angst might be from having to read Women in Love in one weekend in a grad seminar though.