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To: PhiKapMom

Yes, confidence is not a problem, but that's not to say there aren't problems!

One thing I say about many of the young adults in our best colleges and universities, as well as our law schools (of course, our Best & Brightest) is that they have a strange combination of exagerated self esteem, misplaced self confidence, and almost no genuine self assurance.

This is compounded by the fact that most of them 'don't know what they don't know.' That is, they will be cavalier and confrontational about matters of constitutional rights, for example, and yet show an almost profound ignorance of history, relevant historical documents (like the Federalist Papers), and in many cases even the text itself. This doesn't stop them from having a very loud and strong opinion.

What they lack in actual knowledge, they are very quick & willing to replace with things that they think they know but in fact, don't know. In fact, they seem to think that things they make up (sloppily) should have equal (or more) impact and weight than more established things.

The saddest part about this is, of course, that I think I can remember a time when I resembled those remarks. ;-)


188 posted on 03/28/2005 6:09:52 PM PST by HitmanLV
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To: HitmanNY

My son is a Graduate Assistant in the English Deparment at OU and teaches Comp I and II. He gave a "C" on one of the papers and the student came in his office furious because he had been in English Honors in High School and no teacher had given him a "C" before on a paper. He demanded to meet with the professor that is the mentor to several of the grad students. My son took the student and his paper to the professor who reviewed the paper, looked at the student, and told him he thinks my son could have given him a "D" and still been right. He then proceeded to tell the student that the corrections my son had made were proper.

The professor gave the student a book on English Grammar and told him to read the Rules, print out his paper again, make the corrections, and then tell my son that he was still wrong. The student came in and apologized the next day to my son and told him that none of his English Honors teacher's in High School had bothered to correct his work, just gave him an "A." He also asked him to please print out the English Grammar tips my son had handed out the first day of class he didn't think he needed and trashed.

Been interesting to hear my son talk compared to when he was a student -- totally different perspective and he tells me if he ever forgets what he was like as a student to remind him.


191 posted on 03/28/2005 6:21:01 PM PST by PhiKapMom (AOII Mom -- Increase Republicans in Congress in 2006!)
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To: HitmanNY
"This is compounded by the fact that most of them 'don't know what they don't know.' That is, they will be cavalier and confrontational about matters of constitutional rights, for example, and yet show an almost profound ignorance of history, relevant historical documents (like the Federalist Papers), and in many cases even the text itself. This doesn't stop them from having a very loud and strong opinion."

There is a movie called "The Human Stain" (which I don't recommend) in which the punch-line is this:

"People are just getting dumber, but more opinionated."

199 posted on 03/29/2005 12:21:22 AM PST by Ronzo (God ALONE is enough.)
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