A few days ago, after some random comment, I was playfully accused of elitism by my friend E. I didn't think much of it, but reading the papers of late, I cannot help wonder whether she might be right...
Recently the debate has reopened on the relevance of Latin in our educational system. Our gouvernment would like to get rid of the stigma surrounding a technical education and might therefore cut back on Latin. Of course such news immediately gets classicists' panties in a bunch (including mine) for a variety of reasons. Some claim that by abandoning Latin we'll lose our view of history and our cultural roots (1). Others stress the importance of Latin as a basis for abstract thinking or acquiring other world languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese) (2). Still others defend the general point that we cannot have our production-oriented capitalist economy dictate our educational system (3).
But let's be honest; these reasons (and others you might think of) seem in fact a bit elitist. Still, I share these concerns. So am I elitist too? I wouldn't like to consider myself better than anyone else, not in a gazillion years, but I would agree that having studied Latin I feel I can make better sense of our world and culture (1), that I speak better French or Italian because of it (2), and that I feel better about myself doing something in this economy that is not directly related to making even more money or stuff no one needs (3).
So again, am I elitist too? No, I'm not. Because, you see, the word better in the above sentence need not imply better than someone else. It means better than if I hadn't taken Latin. Still, I'm not so sure this comes across very well in the traditional classicists' defense of Latin. And maybe that's where the problem is. Have classicists ever considered that they're not doing their business any favours by trying to defend it with pseudo-elitist arguments?
So instead of coming up with a million reasons why Latin should be kept in schools, classicists should perhaps cry out against the prejudice that a Latin education is the best you can get. It's not. And even if it seems like it, that's only because those who have taken Latin benefit from the opportunities they get later in life based on that same prejudice. Let's not perpetuate the stigma, shall we? I'm proud to be a classicist, but not that proud...
PS (and keep the jokes about ps standing for post scriptum to yourself, thank you): this is going to be my last blog for a while. This Fred is going off to the Tour de France to do the washing up for the Sporza-team. And frankly, I'm very excited at the prospect of leaving my precious Latin education at home for a month.
If you want to follow my adventures, check http://timentomindetour.blogspot.com for pics and updates!
Recently the debate has reopened on the relevance of Latin in our educational system. Our gouvernment would like to get rid of the stigma surrounding a technical education and might therefore cut back on Latin. Of course such news immediately gets classicists' panties in a bunch (including mine) for a variety of reasons. Some claim that by abandoning Latin we'll lose our view of history and our cultural roots (1). Others stress the importance of Latin as a basis for abstract thinking or acquiring other world languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese) (2). Still others defend the general point that we cannot have our production-oriented capitalist economy dictate our educational system (3).
But let's be honest; these reasons (and others you might think of) seem in fact a bit elitist. Still, I share these concerns. So am I elitist too? I wouldn't like to consider myself better than anyone else, not in a gazillion years, but I would agree that having studied Latin I feel I can make better sense of our world and culture (1), that I speak better French or Italian because of it (2), and that I feel better about myself doing something in this economy that is not directly related to making even more money or stuff no one needs (3).
So again, am I elitist too? No, I'm not. Because, you see, the word better in the above sentence need not imply better than someone else. It means better than if I hadn't taken Latin. Still, I'm not so sure this comes across very well in the traditional classicists' defense of Latin. And maybe that's where the problem is. Have classicists ever considered that they're not doing their business any favours by trying to defend it with pseudo-elitist arguments?
So instead of coming up with a million reasons why Latin should be kept in schools, classicists should perhaps cry out against the prejudice that a Latin education is the best you can get. It's not. And even if it seems like it, that's only because those who have taken Latin benefit from the opportunities they get later in life based on that same prejudice. Let's not perpetuate the stigma, shall we? I'm proud to be a classicist, but not that proud...
PS (and keep the jokes about ps standing for post scriptum to yourself, thank you): this is going to be my last blog for a while. This Fred is going off to the Tour de France to do the washing up for the Sporza-team. And frankly, I'm very excited at the prospect of leaving my precious Latin education at home for a month.
If you want to follow my adventures, check http://timentomindetour.blogspot.com for pics and updates!
Never understood the Latin thing. Maybe it's because I am not a 'classicist', as you call them, or maybe it is because I speak French pretty well and learned Spanish so rapidly I started doubting if I am really the maths & science person I always thought I was.
ReplyDeleteInstead of Latin, learn teenagers some usefull emotional or communication skills. Or maybe some extra sport to keep them fit. Get rid of the Latin. To say it in teenage slang:
"It is sooo nineties"
Like you blog btw
Nice blog, tom. Many (if not all) roads lead to Rome, so while we´re heading at it, why not learn its language?
ReplyDeleteJ.
PS: I don´t see an opposition between emotional and communication skills and Latin education. Although I must confess that the Greeks might have been better communicators and more sensitive people.