With all the recent outrage on these pages about university funds being spent on shows that present women as sex objects, there’s one thing that we’re all missing here.
We’re the problem.
The university provides events that it thinks will attract large numbers of students. And events such as “Talk Sex with Sue Johanson”, “The Vagina Monologues” and “I Heart Female Orgasm” have drawn thousands of students. Students camp out overnight for tickets, which sell out in minutes. Students pack the auditoriums. Students give gushing reviews in the DTH.
The university just does what makes sense in a market of willing customers. When there is demand, there is going to be supply.
This isn’t going to change unless the demand changes. And demand will change only if students change their values. If students stop replacing love with lust, respect with exploitation and purity with licentiousness, then demand for events which do likewise will diminish.
We, the students, are the cause of all this. This is a disease that can’t be fought from the top. It must be fought from the bottom. Perceptions must be changed. Values must be changed. That’s the only way to reverse this sort of disease of society.
You go Mr. Jones. It is time we demand change. Hope and change everyone!
Hmmm…but there is also seems to be large demand for alcohol and smoking…but they squash are dreams there…but I see what you are saying
I’m trying to figure out where you get the idea that our university squashes student’s dreams about alcohol…seems to me like they do their best to not enforce the law.
I suspect you are correct, however my point was that the administration does have the power to keep these people from coming….I am not one that believes that college is to be a thriving “market place of ideas;” neither does the administration. They have policies, they have rules of procedure. They should allow for some sort of decency when it comes to bringing distinguished speakers and producing plays.
I suppose mine is a dream world, but I like the world of ideals.
I fundamentally agree with you, however, don’t get me wrong.
what I meant by “market place of ideas” is “market place of every idea.” there are obvioulsy limits to what is deemed acceptable and a point at which the administration would stop someone from coming to speak.
How can you expect a university to not accede to the wishes of large numbers of its students?
Universities are businesses, even state universities. As such, they have to attract and retain customers. A business that doesn’t give its customers what they want is soon out of business.
I actually thought those shows were not necessarily about the sex itself, but about exploring the idea of it and getting it out into the open- instead of it being a taboo subject. When sex is made a taboo subject that no one is allowed to talk about I feel like there are more problems- like more rape that isn’t reported and such…
Plus isn’t vagina monologues speaking out against the rape and abuse of women? And it’s used to raise money for that cause…
Who knows. I’m just a stupid student.
I do think that some parts of the Vagina monologues is inappropriate though.. don’t get me wrong. But I don’t think it should be abolished either.
The money does happen to go to a good cause many times, but, in my opinion, not in other times. And, yes, it’s true that the point of “V-week” is, according to it’s creator, to fight the abuse of women. But, a play that venerates prostitution (and it does, I saw it) and unlawful sex with a minor (again, it’s unbelievable, but it does) I think it is hurting the cause more than helping it.
Thanks for your comments, you’re not stupid