a culture of buzzwords, humming
Buzzwords.
Trendy, flashy, in your face. Each time the magic word is mentioned it is like the striking of a hammer coming down. Hireability! Experience! Success! Internships! Contribution! The list goes on and on as young students look on in a packed room, it is a college admitted students day, and the buzzwords fly through the air with wicked speed.
The topics of every speech are really nothing special or new, “At x university, we pride ourselves on Y and our continuing contributions to the field of Z.” An almost dull robotic tone repeats the pros(and definitely never the cons), going over all the fantastic things a student could do! Study here at our proprietary on campus coffee shop™, we know the art students among you will love that one!
A student panel is brought out. Clearly pre-rehearsed questions are dished out in a manner that could not be less authentic. The crowd raises their hands to ask questions, and yet it couldn’t be more predictable. Hireability? Experience? Success? Internships? Contribution?
Buzzwords repeated in a repetitive, monotonous tone.
There is now tension in the room. The obvious questions were of course those which they were least prepared to answer. A-ha! A genius distraction, perhaps we should play kahoot for cash prizes, kids which clearly have no attention span will love that, who doesn’t love money?
It’s hard not to feel sad, as you see the effects of a capitalist system of education bleed through in the very way these young prospective students view the college as a paycheck, and even sadder how the college views them the same.
An asset. A tool to be used to advance one’s career, kids with no other choice convinced fully that they must play this game and win capitalism. The academy is no longer for learning.
You may be wondering why I’m bringing this up, or why I’m being so terribly negative towards this process. You see, my sibling will be graduating from high school soon, and I’ve been helping with the college application and touring process. I’m simply describing exactly what I’ve been seeing right now in the education system.
A system which I escaped from quite recently myself, and believe me, I’m still working damage control.
As sad and cynical as my perspective may be, I really am no longer surprised to see this.
After the disillusioned speeches are given out from chosen representatives trying very hard to appear either funny or approachable, but never quite sticking the landing on either, the students are funneled into seminars to talk about their prospective career choices.
My sibling is looking to follow in my footsteps as a Graphic Designer (Oh no, what have I done!?), so we are brought to one of the art buildings on campus and sat down to talk about the various art programs.
Now we are face to face with the real professors who teach here, a sigh of relief as the authenticity is breathed back into the dialogue between staff and students. With authenticity, however, comes the awkwardness.
These professors have not interacted with students at this early of a stage much, and that clearly shows. A young student looks defeated after asking a simple question, “how would I, as someone who’s never done any design, begin to get an early start?” he asks nervously. The answer is a confusing mixture of “learning to see design” as well as “identifying good and bad design.” Now we are trying to break design into meritocratic categories before the student is even able to start.
Once again the buzzwords rush on stage, painting the picture of the designer as part of the logocult, an organization which wishes to see the designer as a tool for others with no autonomy of their own.
It seems the process of stamping out the individual is done early, as the many alumnx referenced are never mentioned for their work, but instead who they work for. Accolades are the premier currency here, it seems.
At the local university, I am invited in for a day to overlook students who will embark on their first thesis project. During my time there, I view students at the senior level preparing for the world, and teachers who are attempting to prepare them for this jump.
Many improvements have been made to the classroom and project structure since I’ve been there, but a glaring issue arises. What is a thesis meant to be? Many seem lost, unable to understand what it means to make work based on their own interest or wants. It’s too late to introduce creative autonomy, as we’ve already spent years eliminating it.
Some students decide to ask ChatGPT for answers. Others claim they don’t really know what they’re passionate about in the field in the first place.
Who could blame them, when they’ve successfully been made tools up until now?
This culture of buzzwords, humming.
The caterpillar which never learns to fly, warped and shaped by a cocoon spun with golden chains.
