"Culture" is far broader than "politics" and not equivalent to "race" Culture is everything to do with family structure, myths, rituals like coming-of-age or marriage, eating and drinking, economic systems, the list is endless.

Yeah, but I don't base my philosophical view of the world on those things. I base those things on my philosophical view, as well as my view(s) on race and politics.

There is that danger, but I wouldn't worry about it. As I said, the reason your teacher wants you to have read a broad range of texts is so that you don't do something unchallenging like reading only texts by western men. They want to test your powers of analysis and interpretation Callum, and they can't do that if you just read ten version of the same thing.

Well, that's what we have genres for. I don't mind reading books based on genre, as it's relevant for learning. Different cultures have different genres -but authors of different cultures are read for their genres, not the fact that they're part of the culture that they're part of.

No, they are not. But the goal of your English curriculum is not "Have Callum read the ten best books of all time", it is "Teach Callum how to analyse and interpret a wide range of texts" They are doing you a favour Callum, it is a good skill to have.

See above.

Why don't you just read them now? For God's sake callum, just do your homework

You are obliged Callum, you'll get a homework detention otherwise

I do my homework, when it gets checked. So written work, I do.

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

I am a Platonist. Somewhere in the World of Forms is Richard's best Work, where he engages Jim Valliant and answers his questions, comprehending things fully before moving on to something else.

I won't debate the quotes, I think you are being overly sensitive and analytical about them.

Fine, but what's a "cultural perspective" as opposed to a "political perspective" as opposed to a "racial perspective"
as opposed to a "social perspective"?
"

Culture" is far broader than "politics" and not equivalent to "race" Culture is everything to do with family structure, myths, rituals like coming-of-age or marriage, eating and drinking, economic systems, the list is endless.

Sounds like a bit of moral equivalency may be coming on to us here -what's right and what's not isn't determined by culture.

There is that danger, but I wouldn't worry about it. As I said, the reason your teacher wants you to have read a broad range of texts is so that you don't do something unchallenging like reading only texts by western men. They want to test your powers of analysis and interpretation Callum, and they can't do that if you just read ten verisonof the same thing.

Because in having to read books based on gender (or race, or culture), how genuinely good the book may actually be is sacrificed. Books aren't determined by race, gender, or culture.

No, they are not. But the goal of your English curriculum is not "Have Callum read the ten best books of all time", it is "Teach Callum how to analyse and interpret a wide range of texts" They are doing you a favour Callum, it is a good skill to have.

Of course, there are many good books by non-Europeans. And I'll happily read them once I'm not obliged to choose books by the race, gender, or culture of the author (which, sans culture, are out of their control).

Why don't you just read them now? For God's sake callum, just do your homework

But the reason I made that resolution isn't about whose books are good and whose aren't. It's a resolution against the creeping collectivization of schooling. As I said before, I'll happily read books by non-Europeans when I can choose the books because they're good, not becuase the author isn't from, or descended from, Europe. I'm not obliged to read ANYONE'S book.

You are obliged Callum, you'll get a homework detention otherwise

Quite a few of my peers would know it, I tend to hang out around intelligent types, or as Prolific Mark says h'educated.

I am having my people work out some good literature by women / non-westerners that Callum could enjoy as we speak.

I'm starting to think that Hayden is a teacher. He sounds like one. He told me, "your performance on SOLO is not your best work."

Hayden the Scold is wrong. The problem is, it is your best work.

I was wondering if he was in fact my social studies teacher in disguise.

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

I'm starting to think that Hayden is a teacher. He sounds like one. He told me, "your performance on SOLO is not your best work."

That's not true, as inspirational quotes I think the reason for their being there is to inspire you.

Certainly, but how are these quotes supposed to inspire me? There's nothing wrong with some inspirational quotes in the classroom, but I don't think the quotes I pointed out have much inspirational value.

You should go into detail Callum, because it is not a stupid quote. All it means is that sometimes "I don't know" is a perfectly rational answer.

If that's what it was intended to mean, it would have said something to that effect. "Not to decide is to decide" is an oxymoron -it means nothing.

Everyone has heard of individual learning, including your teacher, but it is often good to help and get help from others.

Yes it is -but try to find someone who does that openly in school these days.

Also, the quote is very obviously intended to have collectivist connotations. After all, even though it's possible for an individual to learn in a group, would you ever hear "individually, we learn by ourselves?"

That means, when faced with a lot of things to do, the best way to approach them is to priorotise, break them down into individual tasks, and not get overwhelmed.

That's stating the obvious. 13+ year olds don't need to learn that. Focusing on quotes as obvious as that one don't need to be taught to anyone above 5.

Firstly, it's different "from"

Thanks.

Secondly, it's different from each other. You can't have all texts from a Western cultural perspective, or and Eastern cultural perspective. Mix thins up a little.

Fine, but what's a "cultural perspective" as opposed to a "political perspective" as opposed to a "racial perspective" as opposed to a "social perspective"? Sounds like a bit of moral equivalency may be coming on to us here -what's right and what's not isn't determined by culture.

Which is objectionable why?

Because in having to read books based on gender (or race, or culture), how genuinely good the book may actually be is sacrificed. Books aren't determined by race, gender, or culture.

And this is just silly, you are cutting off your nose to spite your face and missing out on some great literature.

Of course, there are many good books by non-Europeans. And I'll happily read them once I'm not obliged to choose books by the race, gender, or culture of the author (which, sans culture, are out of their control).

But the reason I made that resolution isn't about whose books are good and whose aren't. It's a resolution against the creeping collectivization of schooling. As I said before, I'll happily read books by non-Europeans when I can choose the books because they're good, not becuase the author isn't from, or descended from, Europe. I'm not obliged to read ANYONE'S book.

Also, it's collectivization of the worst kind: that based on factors out of the author's control. I don't know anyone who chooses to be whatever race they are (except for Michael Jackson). Why should what I read be based on that?

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

Mind you, me and Hayden, ahem, Hayden and I, are part of the great Humanist tradition, which is another way of saying, h'EDucated'.

I'm not judging mind, not much, but I'm not totally surprised you don't understand Linz. You've been held back by the NZBC

And this is just silly, you are cutting off your nose to spite your face and missing out on some great literature. _____________________ For instance?

Zadie Smith, quite humourous (though might be 'very' new-liberal). I've always loved V.S. Naipaul, but mainly because he's on record as hating children (yourself excepted, Callum, I think of you as a little adult) ... lots more. If I weren't a bit beer'addled currently I'd list them.

Firstly, it's different "from"

First, it's "first," not "firstly."

And yes, it's "different from." How many of your peers and seniors know that, Hayden, let alone young 'uns of Callum's age?

_____________________
"Just for those last three, I WON'T read any book by a non-white
middle-class European or American. The only reason I'll still read
texts by women is because Ayn Rand was one."

And this is just silly, you are cutting off your nose to spite your face and missing out on some great literature.
_____________________

For instance?

On the subject of Social Studies, our teacher puts up supposedly inspirational quotes everyday for... no reason whatsoever.

That's not true, as inspirational quotes I think the reason for their being there is to inspire you.

For instance, the quote on Monday was "To not decide is to decide". I
don't feel I need to go into detail about exactly how stupid that quote
is.

You should go intodetail Callum, because it is not a stupid quote. All it means is that sometimes "I don't know" is a perfectly rational answer.

Last week, one quote was "together as a class we learn." (jeez, whoever heard of individual learning?)

Everyone has heard of individual learning, including your teacher, but it is often good to help and get help from others.

Today, a quote was "the fastest way to do everything at once is to do them one at a time". (that means?...)

That means, when faced with a lot of things to do, the best way to approach them is to priorotise, break them down into individual tasks, and not get overwhelmed.

"More than one cultural perspective: This could mean that the writer
is from a different cultural background or that the text is written
from a different cultural viewpoint." (a "different cultural viewpoint" to what?)

Firstly, it's different "from"

Secondly, it's different from each other. You can't have all texts from a Western cultural perspective, or and Eastern cultural perspective. Mix thins up a little.

"A gender balance: You need to include a mixture of male and female
writers and viewpoints. You need to nominate two such texts."

Which is objectionable why?

Just for those last three, I WON'T read any book by a non-white
middle-class European or American. The only reason I'll still read
texts by women is because Ayn Rand was one.

And this is just silly, you are cutting off your nose to spite your face and missing out on some great literature.

...this is a government school you go to, correct? Only a government school would believe it needs to push for 'inclusiveness' or 'multiculturalism' as we call it in the United Police States. As if in a free society one can *avoid* other cultures, perspectives and people to begin with! AS IF THERE IS SUCH A THING AS 'GROUP' PERSPECTIVE!

Thank goodness for our government schools, otherwise we'd only exist in a bubble of extreme similarity with people and viewpoints almost identical to ourselves, never exposed to anything else whatsoever.

It's a wonder you retain your sanity, Callum, hang in there!