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They are supposed to be cathedrals of higher learning. In recent years,colleges have revamped their course structure to pave the way for some unusual courses to be incorporated into the curriculum. While some of them may have dregs of intellectual inquiry, others are downright bizarre.We take a look at some courses which may make you wonder if that beer pong championship your son enrolled in is not such a bad thing after all.
A mandatory course for some freshmen at Occidental College, ‘The Unbearable Whiteness of Barbie-Race and Popular Culture in the United States” tries to explore ways in which “scientific racism has been put to use in the making of Barbie.” Elizabeth Chin, the instructor of this course warns students that the course itself is no child’s play. With assigned readings ranging from Sandra Kisneros to Karl Marx, the course incorporates some pretty hardcore academic content. Nevertheless, a course on race which describes the whiteness of Barbie as unbearable seems incredibly unscientific. Wonder if this course was offered when a certain gentlemen named Barack Obama was roaming the corridors of this West Coast institution.
Since such an important aspect of everyday living must have theological implications, Loyola college decided that the inextricable link between God and eating was to be explored. Students are taught the ‘complex religious aspects associated with eating’, exploring the texts to expound the intricacies of etiquette in a canonical context. The evolution debate may not have been decided, but common sense predicts problems for those who do not eat a balanced diet. However, if free servings are part of the deal,it may help all those poor souls dissect (food) theology.
Occidental college makes another appearance on the list, this time for the accommodation of stupidity. Of course, the word refers the name of the course rather than a quality possessed by its students. The course itself uses works of Friedrich Nietzsche and Gilles Deleuze among others to clarify that ’stupidity is neither ignorance nor organicity, but rather, a corollary of knowing and an element of normalcy, the double of intelligence rather than its opposite’. Only those who indulge in it must know.
No matter how useless Garbage sounds, Virginia Matzek of Santa Clara University will try to change your impression of it. A ’science class for non science-majors’, the Joy of Garbage is apparently a ’serious class where students are required to do research and learn how to work with data’. Among the questions asked are “What is the difference between ‘garbage’ ,’discard’ and ‘waste’?” and “What could be a better title for the course?” ‘The Joy of Wasting time’,perhaps?
The Rhode Island School of Design attracts aspiring artists and designers from around the country but it is inconceivable to think that some of them might want to ‘lust with the saints and burn with the sinners.’ However, if any one of them accepts the invitation, they can spend the semester analysing the moral dimensions of the works of classical as well as modern artists. Being the artsy school that RISD is, the course and the teacher should have a cult following.Well, different strokes for different folks.
Philosophy students at Georgetown University read works by Aristotle, Kant and others. However, its done under the pretext of understanding the philosophical depths of Star Trek.
The course serves as an introduction to metaphysics and epistemology philosophy,and tries to dissect the major philosophical questions which come up in the science fiction entertainment drama. Another proof that the ingenuity of educators has conjured ways of teaching which were hitherto unknown.
The American South is still the bastion of conservatism and evangelism, but that doesn’t stop them from trying to expound Zombies. The credit for this pioneering course must go to Sean Hoade, professor of English at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, who draws parallels between American consumption patterns and Zombies. His observation that ‘zombies act as a mirror for Americans, not only as we see ourselves but also as the rest of the world sees America in the time of George W. Bush: as a roaming, voracious killer turning its victims into soulless creatures like itself’ may be a little far fetched, but his students are not complaining.
Those who decide to attend Alfred University in a bucolic part of Western New York State, may find themselves in a classroom studying the subtleties concerned with the production of maple syrup. The only prerequisite for the course is the ‘willingness to work for long periods in snow,cold and mud’. The production techniques invented by the Native Americans which have endured constant change are dissected, visits to local producers, restaurants and festivals augmenting the process. It’s the Real Thing, so students can find jobs easily with this course on their resume!
The Art of Walking might seem trivial to some, but not to Dr Ken Keffer, Professor of Modern Languages at Centre College, Kentucky. He conducts a class dedicated to the understanding of ‘intelligible and sensual design in inner and outer nature’,first expounded by Immanuel Kant. Apart from the customary walks which he takes with his students to the nearby Perryville Battlefield and the surrounding areas,Dr Keffer assigns freelance walking assignments for students to appreciate the subtleties of walking. Now, where is this college again?
The people at Occidental College decided that in the course of human events it becomes necessary for students to delve into the ’signification of the phallus’ and the ‘relation of the phallus to masculinity, femininity, genital organs and the fetish’. It being self evident that the phallus occupies a central theme in the psychoanalytic theories of gender and sexuality, the course occupies a pivotal role in the Intercultural and Queer program.All this for a price of about four thousand five hundred dollars.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:35 am
Great list. I think the Unbearable Whiteness of Barbie is a play on words of Milan Kundera’s book “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”…just saying…it was a great book, btw
September 30th, 2009 at 1:42 am
lolol, phallus
September 30th, 2009 at 1:45 am
Heard that UC at Irvine has a course called “The Science of Superheroes”. I think they break down the scientific potential of specific superpowers. I’d actually be tempted to take the course!
September 30th, 2009 at 1:58 am
What a total waste of Time and resources…. Well if it floats their boat, why should we care.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:12 am
I have been undertaking a phallus self study for a few years now. I’m working on my Phd.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:22 am
I can see that the potential for the comments to be some of the best ever exists in this list
September 30th, 2009 at 2:28 am
how many people would actually go one of these courses, they must be even more disturbed that the people who created them… although i would think that creaters would be fired for their stupidity
September 30th, 2009 at 2:34 am
O_o i already majored phallus a few years ago….
i wonder if they have an opening…. lol
September 30th, 2009 at 2:39 am
I have been working on my oral presentation.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:42 am
Sometimes it turns into a sticky situation.
All right, I’m done.
Goodnight, folks.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:42 am
that last one is a little nsfw! it should have been mentioned at the top
September 30th, 2009 at 2:43 am
damn, i picked the wrong college to attend
September 30th, 2009 at 2:43 am
i’d like to enroll to the item #1 hehehehe
September 30th, 2009 at 2:44 am
I heard that there is a course in some university(can’t remember which) in the UK, that has a course on Posh and Beck(David and Victoria Beckham!) That waaay more bizarre than ALL these!
September 30th, 2009 at 2:44 am
Staffordshire University in the UK offered a module on “Beckhamology” – an in-depth study of the significance of David Beckham.
I mean seriously…. WTF??? Can you imagine the career prospects? lol
September 30th, 2009 at 2:47 am
Its Staffordshire University…beat that someone!
September 30th, 2009 at 2:48 am
haaa… beat you to it Bel
)
September 30th, 2009 at 2:53 am
Is #1 considered a “hard” course?
September 30th, 2009 at 3:08 am
Definitely, some classes at colleges across the land have been worthless.
But… A play on words to draw students into signing up for a class doesn’t mean the class isn’t worthwhile. Riffing off popular culture to draw students in doesn’t mean the class doesn’t teach students new things. Romero did intend his zombies to be a critique on society and its trends. And I’m pretty sure you don’t know the meaning of “scientific racism.”
Also, calling the racism course a “mandatory” course for freshmen is misleading; freshmen have a wide variety of cultural studies courses to choose from. Do you just have something against the school?
September 30th, 2009 at 3:13 am
Academics are bizarre…what else can you say?
Apparently there is a university in California that also offers a course in Vampire Studies and another in Tolkien Elven. Not sure if it’s true, though…
September 30th, 2009 at 3:27 am
I hope the professor at #1 isnt a feminist. Thats would be such a boring course
September 30th, 2009 at 3:29 am
I’ve gotta say, I think numbers 9 and 1 are perfectly valid and not that bizarre (as long as what we are talking about is single modules incorporated into a degree of some sort.)
I spent a good chunk of my third year examining the ways in which food affected medieval ascetics, and asceticism has far reaching effects and is still culturally relevant today.
Number 1, well, we all know how many ‘great men’ have been ultimately rules by their peckers :p
September 30th, 2009 at 3:37 am
wow… and i thought we had the weird ones like a psychology course where you get to talk about your experiences on sex, interview prostitutes and watch “artsy” pornography films as a class. never got around that class though. it’s always full everytime i try to enroll in it.
September 30th, 2009 at 3:37 am
Where I attend college, the 7th entry on this list is actually called “Waste Management” and is given only to Environmental Health students. It’s actually a highly interesting course and not considered a waste of time, because in case no one has noticed, we have a huge problem when it comes to pollution, and such classes target the problem as well as offer solutions.
The rest are pretty bizarre!
September 30th, 2009 at 3:50 am
the maple syrup one isnt all that strange … its like a special form of agriculture, what if you wanted to open up your own maple syrup orchard, farm, etc. it provides perfect hands on training … no? by the way you used a picture of Canadian maple syrup to represent an American course : P just putting that out there, of course i could be wrong, my judgement based purely on my national symbol front and center on the label which of course symbolizes the exact same tree American maple syrup comes from, so hell maybe I’m just tired ….. : /
September 30th, 2009 at 3:50 am
Few of these seem like wastes of resources. The creator of #10 tried to create a play on words for a dissection of culture and racism; big deal.
#9 is important to anyone studying theology because food and religion are mixed in just about every religious culture, from the Body of Christ to ritual sacrifices in ancient Mesopotamia to the dietary restrictions of many Eastern religions. Also, if (as is almost definitely the case) Loyola is the Jesuit-founded college, check your facts before making jokes – the Catholic Church officially accepts the theory of evolution.
Can’t talk about #8 because I never went in-depth with those philosophers, but #7 seems pretty darn important. Garbage study is a major aspect of anthropology; you can tell a ton about ancient cultures by what they threw away because a lot of it is still there. It’s also an environmental sciences course, which makes it perfectly relevant to the modern day (even though we’re not actually in danger of running out of landfill space – not by a long shot).
I’m no artist, but #6 seems very appropriate in that art often pushes the boundaries of what’s socially acceptable. #5 seems weird, but considering Star Trek’s popularity it could also be used to study the people who watch the show. #4 seems a little specialized; I’d say it could be fine, especially since it’s an INTERIM COURSE – meaning it’s only a couple weeks long.
#3 is culturally and industrially relevant in the area in which it’s taught. There are still careers in harvesting maple syrup; that stuff’s really expensive!
#2 I have no defense for. None whatsoever.
#1 could be good or bad, depending on how much effort the professor puts into it and what approach is applied. As said by Arsenal, taught by a rabid feminist, it would be a horrible course. A more balanced approach might make it relevant to some disciplines (as in, anthropology and study of ancient architecture).
September 30th, 2009 at 3:55 am
LOLz on #1! XD
September 30th, 2009 at 3:59 am
Woah at the artwork for 1 o_0… you probably need to be ’stuck-up’ to get into that course… BWAHAHA
September 30th, 2009 at 4:14 am
I think this list lacks objectivity and treats all of the courses as nonsense. I think number five deserves merit because star trek does a superb job at attacking modern philosophical and social problems with parallels of the future, no small feat.
Theres a book called “the wrath of kant” which connects startrek to kant
September 30th, 2009 at 4:18 am
I admit; I’ve taken some crazy courses in college. Lol.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:41 am
Early this year, I enrolled on a course about the history vampires and I’m currently taking one about horror.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:41 am
*history of vampires
September 30th, 2009 at 4:52 am
my college seems so boring
I think that the University of Wisconsin there is a class about Soap Operas. Not sure the content exactly, maybe gender roles.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:53 am
I am a bit perplexed at the short-sightedness of the professors who offer these courses. The content of most of these classes sounds promising, but what is a future employer going to think when they look at a prospective employee’s transcript and see “Stupidity,” “Zombies!,” or “The Phallus?” Throwing a monkey wrench into a students potential employment seems a high price to extract for being “cool” or “unusual.”
September 30th, 2009 at 4:56 am
*at the University
The course is called Daytime Serials: Family and Social Roles
September 30th, 2009 at 5:24 am
I think a few of these sound waaay interesting.
The incredible whiteness of Barbie is very socially relevant; the NA ideal of beauty and it’s pervasiveness is scary. In Jamaica your social standing depends on the lightness of your skin; light skinned black folks are seen as more worthy. Definitely a subject worth study.
I would assume that the Star Trek course would have similar social relevance to the Barbie course – it’s been mentioned on another list that the first interracial kiss on television was Uhura and Kirk. That in itself could be spun into an entire semester’s worth of related material.
Being Canadian we took the Maple Syrup course in elementary school. We had a patch of sugar bush, tapped the trees, boiled the sap down, tossed it on a pan of snow and ate it. I’m going to assume that the university course also teaches proper land management, distribution, marketing etc. And it is expensive as hell – a small bottle (500ml) is over 7 bucks. And we produce the stuff.
Someone else has already mentioned it, but it bears repeating – Loyola is a Jesuit University – the Catholic Church officially accepts evolution. Willful ignorance is not encouraged.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:35 am
what’s the title and artist who painted the picture in phallus?
September 30th, 2009 at 5:39 am
Steve(34) – at the University I attended, the course would have a “cool” name and a regular name. Something like – The Joy of Garbage : Waste management procedures. On the transcript only the regular name showed up, so that was never a problem. Maybe it’s the same here?
September 30th, 2009 at 5:42 am
37 rufus
Don’t remember the name of the artist but it was drawn for a Vimax commercial, at first. Then Nasa bought it from Vimax, wonder for what purpose, but the reasons were classified.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:49 am
Great list, Dash. I have to say that as soon as I read the title, I knew all of the classes would be in the USA.
(nice picture that was used for it)
I would however, love to enroll in that phallus course. It doesn’t look like it would be short on info.
@Mrs Polidori (31): Took a similar class. It started after dark and the prof was dressed as a vampire. Weirdest course ever!
September 30th, 2009 at 5:54 am
This list reminded me of this funny ‘Spring Bulletin’ college program description I came across recently:
Philosophy I: Everyone from Plato to Camus is read, and the following topics are covered:
Ethics: The categorical imperative, and six ways to make it work for you.
Aesthetics: Is art the mirror of life, or what?
Metaphysics: What happens to the soul after death? How does it manage?
Epistemology: Is knowledge knowable? If not, how do we know this?
The Absurd: Why existence is often considered silly, particularly for men who wear brown-and-white shoes. Manyness and oneness are studied as they relate to otherness. (Students achieving oneness will move ahead to twoness.)
Psychopathology: Aimed at understanding obsessions and
phobias, including the fear of being suddenly captured and stuffed with crabmeat, reluctance to return a volleyball serve, and the inability to say the word “mackinaw” in the presence of women. The compulsion to seek out the company of beavers is analyzed.
Philosophy XXIX-B: Introduction to God. Confrontation with the Creator of the universe through informal lectures and field trips.
Economic Theory: A systematic application and critical evaluation of the basic analytic concepts of economic theory, with an emphasis on money and why it’s good. Fixed coefficient production functions, cost and supply curves, and nonconvexity comprise the first semester,
with the second semester concentrating on spending, making change, and keeping a neat wallet. The Federal Reserve System is analyzed, and advanced students are coached in the proper method of filling out a deposit slip. Other topics include: Inflation and Depression—
how to dress for each. Loans, interest, welching.
The New Mathematics: Standard mathematics has recently been rendered obsolete by the discovery that for years we have been writing the numeral five backward. This has led to a reevaluation of counting as a method of getting from one to ten. Students are taught advanced concepts of Boolean Algebra, and formerly unsolvable equations are dealt with by threats of reprisals.
Fundamental Astronomy: A detailed study of the universe and its care and cleaning. The sun, which is made of gas, can explode at any moment, sending our entire planetary system hurtling to destruction; students are advised what the average citizen can do in such a case. They are also taught to identify various constellations, such as the Big Dipper, Cygnus the Swan, Sagittarius the Archer, and the twelve stars that form Lumides the Pants Salesman.
Yeats and Hygiene, A Comparative Study: The poetry of
William Butler Yeats is analyzed against a background of proper dental care. (Course open to a limited number of students.)
September 30th, 2009 at 6:13 am
@ChiGirl (38): That painting you are talking about is a painting of Priapus, the Greek god of fertility who often is depicted as having a gigantic (what I think is a term more approapriate) phallus. The painting was painted during Roman times & the artist is unknown.
Oh, by the way some Catholics are against the theory of evolution. I am a high school student and I am learning high school at a private Catholic school (A Philippine Catholic school is WAY different in so many ways than an American Catholic school). We had this creation vs. evolution debate (which I think is lacking at most American schools today) and almost 90% of the class took the creation side and I was in the evolution side with some of my classmates. Most of my classmates that took the creation side are Catholic. I told my classmates that the Catholic Church had never, in its history, attacked the idea of evolution, but they didn’t accept that fact that I told them. My theory is that the reason why this happened is because even though the Catholic Church here in the Philippines has a very powerful influence on the Filipino people, Filipinos seem to be too attached to the Protestant view on evolution (the reason for this is the large influence American culture has on Philippine society).
In short words, in the history of the Catholic Church, there was no evidence that the Church ever attacked the idea of evolution.
September 30th, 2009 at 6:23 am
Sandra Cisneros, maybe?
September 30th, 2009 at 6:24 am
“Nevertheless, a course on race which describes the whiteness of Barbie as unbearable seems incredibly unscientific. Wonder if this course was offered when a certain gentlemen named Barack Obama was roaming the corridors of this West Coast institution.”
What the hell does this even mean?
September 30th, 2009 at 6:28 am
“The evolution debate may not have been decided…”
Um, it’s not a debate. The controversy remains only in the mind of fanatics.
September 30th, 2009 at 6:30 am
Many of these look far more interesting than some of the crap I snoozed through as an undergrad 30 years ago.
September 30th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Hahaha! Funny list. My university became one of the first in the UK to offer a Degree in Happiness.
September 30th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Hahaha, I have a friend at Occidental! I hope she’s enjoying her courses
September 30th, 2009 at 6:50 am
This list almost makes me want to go back to college. Although I don’t think a Masters in “really weird courses” would get me anywhere in the workforce, but I’d kick (even more) ass at Jeopardy!
September 30th, 2009 at 6:54 am
Yep this will prepare those kids for a lifetime on welfare.
September 30th, 2009 at 6:59 am
My university offered a LEGO Robotics course. It was only for honors engineering students, but I always thought that was cool.
September 30th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Lousy list that just plays into Right Wing anti-intellectualism. There *are* every so often weird little courses offered at colleges and universities–but very few of the courses on this list are examples of that.
As many of you know, I’ve worked in academia for much of my adult life. So shut up and listen to me on this, I’m an authority. (Seriously, I mean it, shut the f**k up). Now, the fact is that college profs face a lot of pressure, between justifying their research–and existence–and acquiring grant funding for said research–and for dealing with all the miasmic bullshit that comes with a people-oriented life of service; remember, these oftentimes anti-social PhDs are forced to play teacher and counselor to wave after wave of newly-post-adolescents… young adults with bubbling cauldrons of problems that soon turn any faculty who last long enough at the job into grizzled, cynical babysitters who’ve seen it all.
Okay, hard to feel sorry for people who trade a life of manual labor for chattering about Spinoza or drawing diagrams of thermodynamic reactions… but just bear in mind that they still need to justify themselves… and that includes, when coughing up an addition to the curriculum, that they corral some students into the classroom, lest the Chair of the department or the Dean come down on them in various unpleasant ways. (The life of a college prof is VERY political, and can be stressfully so). Now, many of them are honest, intellectual sorts who just want to further learning and the acquisition of knowledge amongst our sorry species. But many also recognize that to accomplish this goal, you have to “wow” people. So you come up with creative ideas for introducing intellectual discourse and discussion into the heads of their students, without reducing it to dry and boring academic hardtack. Nobody wants to eat hardtack.
The fact is that there are lots of people who go to college (and work in academia) because they want to THINK and LEARN–not JUST to get letters after their names that offers them a shot at a higher paying job. Not everything in life is practical or can be reduced to dollars and cents. Sometimes thinking and learning are abstract and esoteric in nature. Live with it.
Oh… and I’m familiar with Alfred College. It’s an Ag school, Dash. No shit, they teach about maple syrup there. Maple syrup production is BIG in Upstate New York. It’s no doubt a VERY practical course and surely teaches a valuable skill to future farmers and agriculturalists. Yup, sure sounds funny to mock an Ag school for offering an Ag course. Yuk yuk.
Humor should be funny, not just swing wildly at targets that don’t deserve it.
September 30th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Amen, Randall. I wonder what the original poster would say if he knew I’d been hired by my university to lecture on video games?
September 30th, 2009 at 8:03 am
I am guessing that most of these courses are electives or short seminars that students take not as their core subjects but just out of interest. I think it is a great idea, I would love to take the course on Zombies!
September 30th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Lolololma o god im chokin on my coffee! Where in hell did the pic for num 1 come from! Thats freakin hilarious wit a capital H.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:04 am
I really can’t see what’s wrong with #9, #7, #6 or #1… All seem more worthwhile than a Media Studies course.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Man, fuck Spanish, I’m changing my major to PHALLUS! This is gonna be the best class EVER!
September 30th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Btw, some of these kinda make the South Harmon Institute of Technology sound legit, huh?
September 30th, 2009 at 8:11 am
University of Oklahoma has an honors course on the Beatles. I hear it’s a good course and not all that easy. And it’s in the “honors” curriculum so it’s not open to slackers unless they have a high GPA.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:12 am
@Randall (52):
It’d be awesome if all of academia were turned into ZOMBIES!!!
Zombie says, “Ahhhh…. gurgle… gurgle… moan… riiigghhtt wwiiinnnggggg cccooonnssppiirraaccccyyy… uuuhhhhh…. gurgle…. moan… ggooonnaaa eeeaaattt yyyooouuurrr bbrrraaiiinnnsss…. uuuhhhhhh…”
September 30th, 2009 at 8:21 am
@Flubber (60):
Actually….. that could be really cool. But really, Right Wingers should already know what it’s like to be a zombie…. is it all it’s cracked up to be? Seems like an easy life, staggering around, eating brains, hating the poor, moaning and groaning, voting for corporate welfare, bleeding all over the place, waving the flag moronically, being religiously sanctimonious, intolerant, and hypocritical, dropping bits of one’s rotting flesh here and there, pursuing racist social agendas… lots of zombie fun. Takes all the stress and strain out of life.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:21 am
This is a terrible list. Eventhough the “author” tries to make these entries seem humorous the “author” fails miserably. As most of the comments have already stated, most of these seem to be valid courses that look to be very interesting. A simple look at the reading lists that the “author” sites should show you that. I guess the “author” thinks we should just go back to the old standard of three “R”s, Readin, riting and rithmatic. (and yes, the spelling is intentional). Oh and the crack at Obama had absolutely nothing to do with the list. It’s too bad since I really like this site. I don’t always agree with the lists but it is always informative. This is a pathetic entry that really has no purpose and is a waste of time.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:23 am
@Joe13 (59):
C’mon. It’s the University of *Oklahoma.* Yeah sure, it’s not “easy.” Wink wink.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:31 am
@Marv in DC (62): I think that most people when they think of a college curriculum, never dreamed that there would be niche courses like these. I don’t think that the author had a “right-wing” agenda per se, but was just pointing out some of the more obscure (albeit, of value) selections out there.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Well, some of these are more useful than the ‘Islamic and Middle-eastern studies’ courses that are currently wasting university space in many UK and European Universities.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:35 am
lmfao the nsfw were to be expected
September 30th, 2009 at 8:42 am
damien_karras
That’s a good point, but the tone of the writing doesn’t seem to imply that these are “niche” courses. The tone (to me) makes it seem like these are all crackpot courses that are a waste of time and money.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:44 am
@Randall (52):
Thank you.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:50 am
You don’t have to go far to find an odd course – I’m guessing that most schools have them by now. For instance, my school: The Zombie Metaphor in Western Culture, History of Porn, etc.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:02 am
In regards to item 5:
Kirk: To be…is..to….do.
Spock: Shoo-be-doo-be-doooooo.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:03 am
A Star Trek course?!!?!?!
No fucking way…..
that’s like, the coolest thing I’ve ever heard.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:12 am
That phallus could turn a neo nazi.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:12 am
isn’t there a starcraft course which talk about strategy and stuff like that?
September 30th, 2009 at 9:14 am
I fail to see why people are annoyed at this list. I’m not to sure about over there, but here in England Uni is becoming evermore a waste of time. It is unquestionably undergoing a dumbing down procedure, with more and more people taking courses in things like ‘Hairdressing’ or ‘Complementary Medicine’. It seems that we are lowering the bar so as to get more people going.
@Marv in DC (67):
‘The tone (to me) makes it seem like these are all crackpot courses that are a waste of time and money.’
…..Are they not?
September 30th, 2009 at 9:15 am
@Randall (52):
Brains…. mmmmmmmmmm… num!num!num! Phewt! That one was rotten! Disgusting! Even for zombie standards!
September 30th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Damn, i wish i would have taken that garbage class when i was at santa clara.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:43 am
I think that people need to lighten up a bit. Of course if you’ve been involved in the Academic system for years most of these wouldn’t seem that strange. But this list is intended for the average person who reads about a University course called “Philosophy of Star Trek” and thinks “hmm thats kinda weird.” I don’t think it portrays most of the courses in a negative light, just as out of the ordinary. In fact it even agrees that many of them have a high difficulty level and probably a lot of educational validity. I think that some people just like to be negative cause they’re bored and it makes them sound smart. But I say you sound smarter when you don’t say anything at all. I’ve found myself defending lists and their creators lately, probably because I greatly enjoy this site and appreciate the work and creativity that goes into thinking of list ideas and writing and researching them. They’re not all perfect, but cut some slack. And try having a bowel movement, it’ll help you relax.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:46 am
@jackson (25): by the way you used a picture of Canadian maple syrup to represent an American course…based purely on my national symbol front and center on the label which of course symbolizes the exact same tree American maple syrup comes from
Highland Sugarworks is a company based in Vermont.
http://www.highlandsugarworks.com/
September 30th, 2009 at 9:50 am
I am actually speechless. This list is great and has shocked me even greatly, Star Trek Course? Whiteness of Barbie? Hahaha, Awesome List!!!
September 30th, 2009 at 9:50 am
By the way, I would steer clear of The Phallus course. I hear its short-staffed and has a major learning curve.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:51 am
@archiealt (74):
The value really depends on the curriculum. Oddball course names don’t mean anything more than an attempt to spark interest in potential students. Take that class I mentioned in comment 3 (the Science of Superheroes). It uses actual Physics applications to show the potential or futility in some of these comic book hero powers. Which sounds more fun – memorizing a table consisting of the tensile strength of natural and synthetic fibers… or applying physics and math to figure out just how Spiderman swung from building to building? And of course, these could lead to real world advancements in…parachute materials or perhaps protective clothing more advanced than Kevlar, for example. Some of the best teachers find creative ways to relate a topic to their students.
Yes, there are some crap classes out there but aside from the odd name, some of these on the list actually have academic merit, just as Randall had pointed out above with Maple syrup. Some, like The Art of Sin and the Sin of Art, are old lesson plans wrapped in a new shiny name. Most art history courses will discuss social, moral, and ethical impacts of art (and all of the above’s impact on art) within a regular curriculum. Nothing too out of the norm there aside from a memorable name.
And as for the variety of courses…..well, not everyone’s cut out to be an accountant.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:52 am
When I was an exchange student at Leipzig University back in 1998, they offered a module on Princess Diana. I didn’t take it but apparently it was fairly interesting, comparing her to Elisabeth of Bavaria.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:01 am
I thought everyone was supposed to shut the fuck up and listen to the authority?
September 30th, 2009 at 10:06 am
I’m taking a History of Superheroes course right now. It’s fantastic, and also very challenging.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:09 am
bucslim: Oh I forgot about that. I hope I didn’t offend authority. It appears authority is fairly easily offended.
Authority: “Of course I’m easily offended! I’m a bubbling cauldron of miasmic bullshit!”
Was that quote out of context? I can’t tell anymore, ever since I aced my Stupidity course.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:11 am
I’m just kidding around Randall. I actually agreed with a lot of what you said. You just came off a little pompous and anal retentive is all.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:13 am
I think I would like to take some of these… The art one in particular sounds interesting. That said, I dont care if the Star Trek thing is just a front to get people to study philosophy. As soon as the prof says “Star Trek” or “Captain Kirk” I´m outta there. I hate that show/movies.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:18 am
The upside of the Phallus course being short-staffed is that oral presentations don’t have to be as in depth and if you’re late its easier to slip in the backdoor.
Too far? Yeah maybe.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:21 am
@ bucslim (83) I recall reading that earlier, mmmmm some people just dont have respect.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:29 am
When I was in college a class on Star Trek would have been a nice break from Organic Chem, Number Theory, and Engineering Physics classes I was taking all at the same time.
As an aside, did anybody else notice that a lot of these crazy courses seem to rely on Kant?
September 30th, 2009 at 10:35 am
@Mandie Murder (5):
I too have been involved in this same form of self study. I have come to the conclusion that it is not good for us to study in isolation from the rest of the academic world like this. We should get together and compare our research. Also I have a number of lab experiments I would like to perform that require some partner assistance.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:44 am
~pop~
Just popping back in for a moment (the title of this list could not be passed up!) to put in my two ¢…it had been a long-time joke in my family that “liberal arts” collages offered nothing but courses like “underwater basket-weaving”.
Imagine my delight when, as an Art major, one of my required undergrad courses was basket weaving; the only was to get the reeds pliable enough to braid or weave was to soak them over night (at least) in the bathtub! In fact, some of the reeds wove best if you wove them while still under the water.
A totally useless course for me art-wise, though it taught me many things anthropological. I suspect all of the above courses have strong underlying values for those willing to look, though none should be taken unless they are required.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:46 am
What a silly list. The list, not the courses. Why don’t you do some more research to see what the course curriculum is before making judgments?
September 30th, 2009 at 10:51 am
@segues (92): It is very very nice to see you back here!
September 30th, 2009 at 11:09 am
I took a class the University of Massachusetts that was entitled “Childrens Literature.” My textbooks were “Where the Wild Things Are” “Grimm’s Fairytales” “Cordoroy” and a plethora of other “childrens literature.” It was an interesting course.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:18 am
I think this article made some interesting points, I read a textbook directly related to this topic, its called Abstract Algebra: An Introduction by , I found my used copy for less than the bookstores at http://www.belabooks.com/books/9780030105593.htm
September 30th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Regarding #2…
I’m a student at Centre College, and the Art of Walking course is much more than what was described. It’s only offered during “CentreTerm,” which is a 3-week mini-term where students can take a wide variety of interesting courses not related to their major. The Art of Walking actually explores Kant’s “Critique of Judgement,” but instead of sitting in a classroom, the students and professor discuss the literature and Kantian philosophy while taking 3 hour walks around Kentucky.
It’s not just a walking course. Students get to discuss philosophy and literature in an intimate, unique setting.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Thank you, Jamie. My website is up and I’m just tweaking now…oh! and looking for an agent, but the hard work is done. You’ll see a bit more of me
September 30th, 2009 at 11:34 am
@Spiff17 (86):
“I’m just kidding around Randall. I actually agreed with a lot of what you said. You just came off a little pompous and anal retentive is all.”
Eat me, pissant.
In fact, I suggest you stop whatever you’re doing right now and consider the rash action you have committed by choosing to insult me in this manner, because trust me—you don’t have the grey matter or the balls (let alone the evidence) to back up your bilge.
Anal retentive? HOW? Because I think this list sucks and is based on a false premise? Oh, EXCUZE ME for not genuflecting to the “work” that Dash put into it. (Work my ass). My point remains solid and irrefutable; the author of the list is A) playing up to anti-intellectualism to the HILT (those pesky, fruity, effete academics and college kids studying their silly nonsense! If they were decent, solid citizens they’d only go to school to learn how to run businesses and fix things!) and B) is doing so dishonestly by citing a bunch of examples which for the most part are NOT, actually, that off the wall or weird (or even all that esoteric) but simply have eye-catching course titles, or are designed to garner interest in students via the material they use as conduits to the deeper knowledge they purpose to study. It’s all over a cheap shot, and I’m calling the author of the list on it. Yup, partly because I WORK in academia and have BEEN an academic myself. But I’d do so ANYWAY because the list is bullshit.
“…Of course if you’ve been involved in the Academic system for years most of these wouldn’t seem that strange. But this list is intended for the average person…”
AGAIN, this bullshit with “the average person.” Don’t give me that. This is still underhanded code for “us normal folk who aren’t effete little ‘learners.’” Stick it in your ass, “Spiff.”
Do I think some college courses I’ve come across over the years were bullshit? Hell yes. But they were few and far between. Most of the time, the odd little elective here and there threw some entertainment into what can be an otherwise dreary mix of hard work, rote learning and long hours of study. But then I went to real institutions of higher learning that were not Party Central, so maybe my view is skewed.
“…I don’t think it portrays most of the courses in a negative light, just as out of the ordinary.”
I’ll grant you that in execution each individual description here wasn’t that dismissive or even all that negative. But I wasn’t addressing that. I was addressing the effect of the list as a whole, and the choices that were made as examples. Both, I felt, sucked. And I’ve given my reasons for this—neither of which you’ve refuted or even addressed. Your sole response has been to tag me with “pompousness.” To which my answer is, come at me with a response to my thoughts, or shut the f**k up. If you “claim to agree” with a lot of what I said, then whatever was your point in writing the post at #77, which was clearly meant to refer to me, even if you didn’t have the courage to just be honest about it and address me directly?
“…I think that some people just like to be negative cause they’re bored and it makes them sound smart.”
No, Sally, I “like” to be negative when a negative response is called for and I feel it is encumbent upon me to speak up for a point. And trust me, the only thing that’s bored me today is the mealy-mouthed BS of yours that I’ve had to read and cope with.
Nor do I need to resort to little polemics like this to “sound smart” or “feel smart.” I feel and sound smart all the time, and am perfectly happy with that. In fact, I delight in it.
“…But I say you sound smarter when you don’t say anything at all.”
That makes… no fucking sense at all. Do you think about shit before you blindly type it on the keyboard, or do you just hope for the best when your little fingers do their thing?
“I’ve found myself defending lists and their creators lately,”
Who asked you to? And why do you feel this is some calling that you had to answer? Let the creators of the lists speak for themselves. Or, if you feel someone has been factually or philosophically WRONG in what they’ve said about a list, then address THAT. But if, as you claim, you mostly agreed with me on this, then why didn’t you listen to your own advice and keep your mouth shut—so you’d seem “smarter?”
“probably because I greatly enjoy this site…”
Yeah, so do I. I’ve been coming here almost since it’s inception, and have myself written a few lists for the site. And your point is?
“…and appreciate the work and creativity that goes into thinking of list ideas and writing and researching them.”
Mealy-mouthed, fuzzy, feel good bullshit. There are times when a lot of work and research has gone into a list, and it shows. Blogball, for instance, is some kind of list scholar. And then there are times when a list has been dashed together and is a piece of crap. AND there are times when a list was nonsense from the start, and when the list writer was only trying to transparently advance an agenda. That might NOT be the case here, or it might be. (I strongly suspect it was). But in addition to that, the choices for the list were less than stellar.
“They’re not all perfect, but cut some slack. And try having a bowel movement, it’ll help you relax.”
Try coming up with something original, it’ll make you sound like less of a douche.
Or better yet, stop trying to be a cheerleader while at the same time sniping at those who don’t think “cheerleading” is a proper pursuit for their lives. I’m not here to cheerlead. I’m here to enjoy some lists, correct errors, and call people on shit when they make a mess of something or tell half-truths or outright lies to propagandize something.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:42 am
@Spiff17 (88): Zing!
September 30th, 2009 at 11:50 am
And I thought NMSU was dumb for having a degree for golf !
Actually I dont find #6 or #3 bizarre, except that they seem better suited to a community college. I grew up with an uncle who had a sugar bush so I learned about all the different grades of maple syrup and how they are made.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:53 am
archiealt
Actually these aren’t crackpot courses. The Whiteness of Barbie seems to me to be an interesting way to look at racism in american culture. I guess that you live in the UK but in the States Barbie is a cultural icon in our country. The fact that she is white and has an idealized figure has been the source of controversy (granted not as big as other issues, but if you google it you will see what I mean) here for quite some time. Look at some of the news stories that were written when Mattel came out with a black barbie. That’s just one example from this list, but I think it makes a good point. A lot of the courses on this list seem to have fairly high level reading list and address topics that are valid and important. I think once you get past the course names (which are obviously just a hook to get people in the seats) you will see that.
When I was in college I took a course called “Oliver Stone’s America”, which basically looked at the historical events or themes that come up in his movies. I absolutely admit that I took the course because I thought it would be a cool way to earn credit and watch movies. It turned out to be a fascinating class since you had to learn a lot about the subjects of the movies before you watched them so you could look at his movies in a critical way. The Professor had a great reading list and speakers who actually were involved in the events in the movies. We had the guy who released the Pentagon Papers come to class at the same time as we were watching “Nixon” for example.
I think I probably overreacted to this list when I first read it, and I apologize to Dash for crapping on it. I think my problem is that I am sick and tired of intelligence being looked down on in the States. It’s a GOOD thing to be intelligent and knowledgeable about not only the world around us, but also our collective history. So many politicians strive to portray themselves as just regular people like everyone else. People who are legitimately smart (on both sides of the aisle) are regularly denounced in public and are accused of being out of touch with the real world. This may sound crazy, but I want a President, a Congress and a Senate that is incredibly smart and capable. I want people working for my and my friends interests instead of working simply to get elected. I don’t want someone whose credentials in foreign policy begin with ” I can see Russia from my house” to be involved in running our country.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:57 am
@Randall (98): Hello, Randall. Still one of the few voices of reason, or did I just catch a particularly empty braincase with an attitude attacking you?
I shouldn’t get involved, I don’t know enough yet, but you know you can always count on me.
September 30th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
@segues (102):
Nah, just some smart-mouth who should have known better, but didn’t. I’m sure he’ll come back for more (yawn).
How are you? Good to see you here again, though of course I’ve seen you elsewhere, outside this site. I’ve been away too, for a while… been very busy this semester, and then spending much of my free time writing. How’s the photog biz?
September 30th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
While the maple syrup course seems bizarre and silly at first, I’m sure it’s no less practical to teach that in upstate new york, than the many wine-making classes they teach here in Sonoma county, California? Where you can hardly drive 5 miles without seeing a field of grape vines?
September 30th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
@Carole (100):
Alfred College is, in fact, a small college specializing in Ag studies. Not a community college, but close. It’s not a liberal arts college and certainly not a university. (Actually, there are two Alfred colleges, but no need to get complicated here).
September 30th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
@Dk (104):
Actually, we have wine-making (and wine appreciation) courses here in New York, too… As you say, Northern California… and Upstate New York (and okay, Long Island too) are wine-producing regions. No surprise, then, that some of our colleges and universities would offer courses related to this. Same goes for maple syrup here.
September 30th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
@gabi319 (81): Take that class I mentioned in comment 3 (the Science of Superheroes). It uses actual Physics applications to show the potential or futility in some of these comic book hero powers.
By definition, “super powers” defy the laws of physics as we know them. I mean, no amount of actual Physics applications are going to be able to prove that Superman can’t leap tall buildings in a single bound for example, because well, as everyone knows, he can in fact do this. Oh, and I am speaking with authority on this btw. Because I read A LOT of comic books. I can’t believe you would even dispute this. I mean come on. It’s SUPERman. Hello. Now if we’re talking about regular ol’ everyday powers, then this course might have some credibility. Geeze, get a clue.
September 30th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
@Maggot (107):
Wording is important, Maggot! I never said superpowers, but merely comic book hero powers. You can’t really use Superman as an example because he isn’t human! At least with Peter Parker, he was (still is?) a human upon which the scientific community can study the effects of radioactive spiders on the human body. And isn’t anyone else curious as to how Batman managed to get his grappling hook to hit his intended target EVERY single time? Or how he could punch someone and “POW!” would suddenly appear? Take the class and perhaps you can find out. There’s a scientific explanation to it, I’m sure.
I wouldn’t say I’m an authority, but I’ve seen a comic book cover or two from across the bookstore as I scanned the shelves around me for books that grown ups read (zing!). I also watched plenty of cartoons like G.I. Joe and He-Man because my cousin hated girly cartoons like My Little Pony. I would say that while I’m not an authority, I would qualify as well-versed in the topic.
September 30th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Megg, I took the same course at the University of Nevada. It was excellent. The best, most memorable class I have ever taken!
September 30th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Some peoples buttons are so easily pushed.
September 30th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
@gabi319 (109):
“…And isn’t anyone else curious as to how Batman managed to get his grappling hook to hit his intended target EVERY single time?”
Well….. cuz….. he’s BATMAN. I mean… what kind of sacrilege are you hinting at Gabi? He’s BATMAN. Dude. BAT–MAN. The Dark Knight. The Caped Crusader. The Dark Detective. The Man that Walks Like a Bat. The Top Scorer for the Team. Bats. Batty. The Man. The Best-selling Author of “Bridges of Madison County.” BATMAN.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
There’s a class at Berklee I believe that teaches starcraft strategy. It delves pretty deeply into mathematics and general war strategy.
Interesting stuff.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
@gabi319 (109): BAT-man! BAT! man. gabi, you don’t want to know what I do to BAT’s around here.
No, you really don’t.
Men, on the other hand, I rather like.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
@Randall (104): How’s the photog biz?
Everything seems to be going well, thank you.
Now my chore is to find an agent to rep. me. That will take a lot of work off of my shoulders!
September 30th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
No I think you have some points you’re just a friendless dick. Thats all. I’d rather speak with someone with lesser intelligence but some half-decent social skills than a know it all, pompous, prick with a cactus up his ass. Yeah, you’re obvious intelligent and know what you’re talking about. I won’t argue that. But for all your knowledge you’ve apparently never heard of something called tact.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I could actually see the Barbie class being somewhat relevant for Women’s Studies students. Especially once the new movie comes out. . . http://www.newsy.com/videos/barbie_gets_reel
September 30th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I honestly didn’t mean to start a debate with you. I’m not into peacocking my intellect in order to impress people. So you can write another novel (where a comment would suffice) in an attempt to prove your superiority to me but this is a ridiculous venue for a battle of wits. My point all along was lighten up. Its a site for fun and yeah not everyone will agree with every list. But hopefully they don’t all intend to express in agonizing detail why they didn’t like it. Have a great day. Sincerely.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Last two posts were directed at Randall. Didn’t specify.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
@Randall – I have to agree with Spiff17 on this one… I have noticed many of your comments on listverse and it seems you take a sick glee in touting your own amazing intelligence and mastery of academia while viciously attacking anyone who dares question your authority on the matter. If you’re such a brilliant prodigy, don’t you have better things to do than banter on silly threads about lists? Your arrogance seems to reveal a deep-rooted emotional insecurity. Seriously, dude, get a life and stop treating everyone who you feel is “less” than you like crap. I feel sorry for you as I imagine you are a sad, lonely man especially if you treat your friends and family like you do people who make comments on listeverse. Grow up and learn some humility, it goes a long way.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
The only two out of the ordinary courses I had ever heard about that were not on the list is a course on the Harry Potter books thats held at CSU Long Beach. And a program on horror fiction at UC Berkley (now why did I add the latter, well as it turns out, there is a certain book called Twilight (yes guys, THAT Twilight) on the reading list for that class).
I honestly wish I could take those classes. They sound like fun.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Crispin: Thanks! My point exactly. Life is short. Be nice.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
@Randall (112): As alway, more people lining up to be your chew toy.
@segues (114): Hiya hun! Nice to see you post. Saw your website. It’s awesome!
September 30th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Here’s my own addition: a course taught by a theology professor exploring the “religion” that are the Canadiens, Montreal’s century-old ice hockey team:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=263480&lid=sublink06&lpos=headlines_main
September 30th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
@gabi319 (109): I never said superpowers, but merely comic book hero powers.
Quit trying to weasel your way out of this. I’m an authority, remember?
At least with Peter Parker, he was (still is?) a human upon which the scientific community can study the effects of radioactive spiders on the human body.
I don’t understand why it’s so hard to fathom why, if a guy is bitten by a radioactive spider, that he then gains the “hero power” of spidey-senses. Do I even have to get into the whole walking on walls thing here? I don’t need no college course or your fancy-pants “Physics applications” to explain this to me, when I have a stack of comic books that tells me everything I need to know. For crying out loud gabi, just connect the freaking dots.
I wouldn’t say I’m an authority
That’s painfully obvious.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
@Spiff17 (116):
Spiff, I love when douchebags like you pull this shit. You PRETEND to be all Mr. Reasonable and “I’m oh so much more fair-minded and nice a person than the mean old Randall,” while at the same time, out of the other side of your mouth, spitting out thinly-veiled invectives about me or indirectly referencing me. You, like many others I’ve encountered on this site, want it both ways. You want to insult people without being called on it; you want to spit out this or that cheap shot without having it shot back at you. It’s cowardly and despicable.
The fact is you had no reason or need to address me or reference me in the first place. By your own admission, you didn’t much disagree with what I said–you just didn’t like the *way* I said it. Well too bad. But at best what you could have done is to engage me on that point in an open way. But you chose not to; rather, you chose to write an insulting comment that was clearly ABOUT me, without actually having the balls to address me directly. Then you chose to throw another couple of cheap shots out there, like you were daring me to respond. Well I did. And now you don’t like it and you impugn my character even more. That, quite simply, is douchebag behavior. Through and through.
As I say, this happens a lot on this site. Some dickweed can’t argue with my points, even though they might WANT to, so instead they go after ME. And then they run away and try to pull the old “I’m the bigger fellah because I don’t fight that way” bullshit. Nope, you just toss rocks at someone and then duck behind the bushes and claim to be “the more reasonable one.” Uh huh. Sure.
“No I think you have some points you’re just a friendless dick.”
That’s interesting, that you now feel you can make this pronouncement about a person YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW. You have ZERO knowledge about my life, who I am, what I do with my time, etc. etc., but nevertheless, you’re suddenly qualified to claim that I am “friendless.” Cute.
But needless to say I am awash in friends and family who love me, Spiffy. It gets to be embarrassing sometimes, I am so adored. You, on the other hand, perhaps live in a basement somewhere and have only the rats for buddies. I don’t know and I don’t wanna know. I have no aspersions to cast in that vein, because I DON’T FREAKIN’ KNOW YOU.
It’s funny how they always fit the pattern. Can’t answer anything, so the next step is to go for the irrelevant personal attack. I must be a friendless dick. Yup. Uh hum.
“…you’re obvious intelligent and know what you’re talking about. I won’t argue that.”
Nope, they never do. Because I DO know what I’m talking about. Nice, at least, that you, and others, can recognize THAT. But there’s always this little cadre for whom it doesn’t increase their respect or their self-awareness.
“But for all your knowledge you’ve apparently never heard of something called tact.”
You will lecture me on TACT now, when you were the one to throw the first volley in this? And backhandedly at that? Sorry, tact is reserved for those who deserve it, Spiff. You aren’t on my list of those who do.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
These threads are all just gigantic shitstorms. It’s like one light hearted list can’t even break up the string of Internet-user bitchfits and arguments. Take a break, this list was fun. I expect it from the controversial lists, but for fuck’s sakes, this one was a goofy lighthearted easy read! And you fat load of idiots have to spoil it. Grow up, it’s a freakin’ Internet blog, and this one was hardly a hotbed of disagreement and controversy. You people just grasp at straws all day.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I have actually heard of a bass fishing class at Georgia Southern University. I dont go there but a friend of mine mentioned it cuz she knows i love to fish.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
@segues (114): Welcome back Segue, so nice to see you. I’m glad your photo project is coming along – I’ll have to take a peek.
Randall – nice to see you back in form too. I agree that acquiring knowledge, under whatever moniker you like, is a good thing. Not to be sneered at.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
@ianz09 (127): And this would be a problem how? At least we get a little more thought than lulz, gr8, and a bunch of racial/anatomical insults.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
@Spiff17 (118):
“I honestly didn’t mean to start a debate with you.”
I see. So what DID you mean to do? Wise of you not to “start a debate,” since you haven’t debated one single thing that I’ve said, just hammered at my persona… but then what DID you mean to do by posting this:
“…I think that some people just like to be negative cause they’re bored and it makes them sound smart. …And try having a bowel movement, it’ll help you relax…”
All of this was insulting.
“I’m not into peacocking my intellect in order to impress people.”
Nope, you’re just into backhanded little digs at people, that you hope to not have to answer for.
“So you can write another novel (where a comment would suffice)”
Another tired old criticism that gets pulled out when someone really has nothing of their own to say, except crap. If you didn’t give me things to respond to, I’d have no reason to respond. And if you don’t like my lengthy comments, no one has put a gun to your head and made you read them. Move on to something else or someone else and ignore me.
“…in an attempt to prove your superiority to me…”
I hardly thing it was merely an “attempt.” I think the point was proven.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
The zombies one looks great! I would love to take that class!
I think I’m gonna go to a two-year college though.
I wish they would teach some of these classes in high school!
September 30th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
@crispin (120):
“…I have noticed many of your comments on listverse and it seems you take a sick glee in touting your own amazing intelligence and mastery of academia while viciously attacking anyone who dares question your authority on the matter.”
I wouldn’t call it a SICK glee… but I do, sometimes, amuse myself, yes. And amuse others. I know both to be true. If you don’t find me amusing, you’re welcome to skip my posts or change the channel. There’s other shit on.
“…If you’re such a brilliant prodigy, don’t you have better things to do than banter on silly threads about lists?”
In fact, I do. I’ve been up to my neck in work the last month and a half, as anyone here who’s a regular could tell you, because I just haven’t been around this site much. I come here to entertain myself and others, blow off a little steam, engage in some witty banter and teach people a thing or two. But oh yes, on balance I am a busy little bunny with lots on my plate, crispin. Indeedy.
“Your arrogance seems to reveal a deep-rooted emotional insecurity.”
ANOTHER AMATEUR PSYCHOLOGIST steps up to the plate. It’s amazing how people think they can cough up shit like that, and expect even for a moment that it will be taken seriously—by your intended target or by anyone else. You don’t know me IN THE SLIGHTEST. You know only this persona I present here—a persona which is, by design, a bit of an asshole—but ever and ALWAYS a fair-minded, truth-bearing, honesty-espousing asshole with things to say. I had something to say about this list. I didn’t like it because I felt it was A) badly conceived and B) had a bad agenda to pursue. The former is perhaps, to many, a trivial point. (But bad lists make a bad site, now, don’t they?) But even so, the latter is, to me, a very important point, and one that is most definitely NOT trivial. Yes, in part because it’s my profession… but that really has nothing to do with it. There is a HINT of a philosophy here that I don’t at all like, and I think any thinking person shouldn’t like.
“…I feel sorry for you as I imagine you are a sad, lonely man…”
MORE irrelevant AND unfounded psychologizing. Quit it. It’s wrong, off-base, off-kilter, and makes you sound idiotic. I am neither sad nor lonely; in fact I rather enjoy my life and its wonderful social aspects.
“…especially if you treat your friends and family like you do people who make comments on listeverse.”
Ah, but you see–I don’t. That’s a leap—an unfounded one—that some people here make. As you have made. And it’s effed up and stupid, to make a leap like that. The internet isn’t your family or your friend or a true “social setting,” crispin. It is THE INTERNET and nothing more. It is a virtual world of virtual personalities. The real world and the virtual world are of course related—but they aren’t equivalent.
Nevertheless, yes, I take a stand on certain things. If you don’t like the stand I take, you’re welcome to look away. You don’t talk back to the television (or do you) if you don’t like the way things are said or done on it. This is no different. This is not “society,” here.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
@kayleyrae (132): I guess they wouldn’t have the courses if no one signed up
September 30th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
@mom424 (130): It’s a problem because in the midst of the controversy as of late, having a list that was meant simply to garner “lulz” and “gr8″ comments was a nice change of pace. But I expect nothing less, it is just annoying. Everybody has an opinion, and loves to express it. Including myself, hence my “I think you are all being immature and your arguing is unnecessary” rant. But each to his or her own, I guess. Just making an attempt at making a point. I have no desire to argue with you or anybody else about this point, so rest assured that if you fire back, I won’t retort. It’s just annoying to have read “I’m right you’re wrong” minutiae and insults for more than a week straight. I enjoy the website, but this is getting a tad out of hand. Sometimes, you just a little No Thinking Required entertainment, which I had assumed this was, hence my previous (dare I say, potty-humor) comment revealing my over-joy at a class called “Phallus”. Now, the joke is ruined for me. Again, no offense intended, nor do I intend an argument with you, but it’s annoying me, and typing that comment made me feel good about expressing my opinion, although between you and me, I assume it will not do any good at all.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
@Spiff17 (122): Be nice.
Why? I appreciate honesty – however brutal – far more than niceties. During my first year as an art major, one of my professors (my favorite as it turned out. I even hung out at her house after I graduated) bluntly told me I’ve got talent but no ambition. She followed that with “You should consider dropping this major.” Definitely no soft, soothing words. None of that namby pamby shit. And I respect her all the more for it.
@Randall (112): Well….. cuz….. he’s BATMAN
@Maggot (125): I don’t need no college course or your fancy-pants “Physics applications” to explain this to me, when I have a stack of comic books that tells me everything I need to know.
…….um….excellent explanations…..
sheesh. That should teach me to get in between guys and their picture books and little dolls….
before responding…take a deep & calming breath so I can have a second or two to duck and cover. …and to actually get some work done today, lulz.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Maggot and Gabi:
Can’t we all just agree that Superman and Spiderman are irrelevant, and that it’s BATMAN who matters here? For god’s sake, you’re tearing this family apart!
BTW, when I was 7, I was bitten by a third-rate radioactive insult comic at a club in the Catskills. It hurt. A lot. I developed the proportional strength of an old Jewish guy with a paunch and a cheap suit. (My bubbeleh said I should suck it up and live with it. She hated me, that woman). I’ve tried many times to take my story to Marvel, but Stan Lee just keeps kicking me out of his office.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
@ianz09 (135): It’s just annoying to have read
I hear that. I just look at the pictures.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
@Maggot (138):
“I hear that. I just look at the pictures”
You know *very* well that’s because you *can’t* read.
That’s why you’ve always asked me to *tell* you what’s in those little balloons coming out of the mouths of Daredevil and the Green Lantern and the Silver Surfer. “What are they saying, Randall? I don’t have my glasses.” Uh huh. Sure.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
@Randall (137): it’s BATMAN who matters here
I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Batman has no super powers. He’s just a guy in a bat suit. Wake up. He does have a cool car though.
when I was 7, I was bitten by a third-rate radioactive insult comic at a club in the Catskills
I just KNEW that your ability to “take a sick glee in touting your own amazing intelligence and mastery of academia while viciously attacking anyone who dares question your authority on the matter” was a super power.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
@Randall – Fair enough, I suppose. You’ve totally pwned another virtual entity. Way to go. I notice you didn’t respond to my request for some humility. Honestly, I don’t really care what you do on here, but I think one thing is absolutely certain–you come across as a pretentious dick. If winning trivial battles on listverse is more important to you than tact, then be my guest. Just know that at least a few of us find your comments to be made in poor taste and from an eerily megalomaniacal mind. ‘Nuff said.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I don’t mean to be whiny, but could someone put up a warning sign on here? Picture #1 being the reason.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
@Maggot (140):
No, the creepy fat guy down the street at the ol’ neighborhood in Brooklyn who dresses up for Halloween is “just a guy in a bat suit.” BATMAN is f**kin’ BATMAN, dammit! He’s Batman in AND out of the suit.
And don’t get excited about that, perv.
“I just KNEW that your ability to “take a sick glee in touting your own amazing intelligence and mastery of academia while viciously attacking anyone who dares question your authority on the matter” was a super power.”
But it has such limited *use*….
Seriously, a few summers ago, my daughters were swimming in the lake with me, and they were goofing around, pretending to be superheroes and such… and my youngest, who at the time was about 9, came up out of the water with her hair all reversed, so that it was up over her head and down in front of her face. And she says, “I AM FLAPFACE!” (like some Dick Tracy villain). And so I say to her, what’s your superpower, Flapface? And she says, “My superpower is, I can’t see when my hair is in front of my face!”
Well, we all cracked up at the time….
September 30th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
@crispin (141):
“Fair enough, I suppose. You’ve totally pwned another virtual entity. Way to go.”
YAY ME!!!! I love me.
“I notice you didn’t respond to my request for some humility.”
Request Denied. How’s that?
“Honestly, I don’t really care what you do on here,”
You cared enough to write about it. Wasting my time and yours. I suggest you find another hobby.
“…but I think one thing is absolutely certain–you come across as a pretentious dick.”
Oh, I wouldn’t say that’s “absolutely certain.” I’d say that’s more your worthless opinion. Shall we take a poll of the audience?
“If winning trivial battles on listverse is more important to you than tact, then be my guest.”
It’s certainly more important to me than being lecture by the likes of *you,* that’s for damn sure.
“Just know that at least a few of us find your comments to be made in poor taste and from an eerily megalomaniacal mind. ‘Nuff said.”
HA HA HA… so now I’m a *supervillain?* I can live with that.
“eerily megalomaniacal mind?” And *I’M* supposed to be the pretentious one here?
And who says “‘Nuff said”? What’re you, narrating a Fantastic Four bout with Galactus?
September 30th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
@Randall (143): He’s Batman in AND out of the suit
Oh come on. Even his so-called sidekick is a little light in the loafers.
And don’t get excited about that, perv
Well frankly, I was starting to hyperventilate a little. Let’s just keep that between us, ok?
September 30th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
this list reminds me of a film called “Accepted”
check out the movie. you’ll see what i mean.
September 30th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
@gabi319 (136): and little dolls
ahem…ACTION FIGURES…ahem
I don’t know why I have to keep explaining this to people.
September 30th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
LOL I love the picture for number 1.
September 30th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Randall. I have now realized that I literally am wasting my time replying to you. Somehow I feel compelled to out of some sort of competitive streak of human weakness I suppose. I won’t make that mistake again. This will be my last reply so as to save the rest of those reading this exchange the pain of having to scroll through another 10 pages of irrelevant, self-glorifying negativity that you keep spewing out. You see, I have something called a life. And in no way is it improved by exchanging barbs with a self-obsessed weirdo that gets off on childish things like this. My advice to you is shut off your computer, call a friend, if you have none maybe go out tonight and meet some people. Maybe find a girlfriend, or boyfriend if that is your preference. If dissing lists on listverse is how you feel good about yourself then thats nothing other than sad and I should not have gotten into this anymore than I should have an argument with a mentally challenged child. I will formally call you the winner of this exchange, not because I actually believe this to be a competition, but because it strikes me that you’re life might be somewhat sad and I hope that might bring you some joy. But for your own good you need to start finding joy in other things. Things that when you lie on your death bed you can look back and say “Yeah, I did something good with my life that improved the lives of others and made a positive difference in the world.” Otherwise you will die a lonely old man with an ulcer and a sour face with nothing to look back on but acts of arrogance, selfishness and negativity. I should not assume to know you as well as I am implying. I don’t and so for your sake I hope that I am far from correct. But if that is the case then you have grossly misrepresented yourself sir. Have a great day!
September 30th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Great idea for a list Dash!
September 30th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I would totally take the Philosophy and Star Trek course. The walking one probably wouldn’t be half bad either, considering that I love the philosophy of Kant.
September 30th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
@Randall (144): HA HA HA… so now I’m a *supervillain?* I can live with that.
shhhh….or else Batman will hear you!
September 30th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
@Maggot (138): You learned that from penthouse, right?
ba-dum tish!
September 30th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Gaby319: I agree, honesty is important. But we can be civil. Tell him what you think but that can be done without vehement negativity and self-glorification. Why do I care you ask? Haha, I’m not sure and probably shouldn’t even post on here anymore. Attacks on negativity apparently upset people(??).
September 30th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
gabi319: Sorry for misspelling your name in the last post.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
A college course on phalluses?
I bet the lecturer is a real prick!
September 30th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Really good list. I bet there are enough courses that there could be a part 2.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
@oouchan (153): You learned that from penthouse, right?
I’ve been known to read a Penthouse Forum letter or two on occasion. Purely for scholastic reasons though.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
@astraya (156): People only think that because he’s cocky.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Yes, her name is Sandra Cisneros…not Kisneros.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
@astraya (156): His name is Richard P. Johnson…
Think about it.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
I took the History of Funk and the History of the Rolling Stones in university they were music history classes and they were well taught and totally interesting (complete with cover band performance project)…I guess it’s no different than taking a course on Mozart really….If the instructors are credible some courses that sound silly at first can be just as beneficial as taking any other history course…(as an option) I was a theatre major so our final project was fucking awesome because we had access to all the costumes and performance spaces and even some dry ice mist…we also learned about dicks alot in dramatic lit. and art history
September 30th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
@ianz09 (161): His name is Richard P. Johnson…Think about it.
Did you know there’s a NFL player for the Raiders named Richard Seymour? And a baseball player for the Cubs named Rich Harden. Not that I spend my time thinking about such things…
September 30th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Randall… sounds like you need a gram of Soma. No offense.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Spiff17 and crispin’s points are made stronger with every post Randall submits. The longer his post, the stronger their point.
As for Randall’s challenge of polling the audience (back in comment 144) – i vote that Randall is a pretentious dick.
Anyone else?
BTW, interesting list – have heard of the Super Powers one, the Harry Potter one and the History of Porn. Any of them would be kinda cool.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
@Randall (144):
I know it’s been said but, its true Randall, you are a fucking idiot.
I am in disbelief that you are a teacher, and so we can assume at least around the forty mark, and yet still see fit to use terms like ‘Dickweed’,'Stick it in your ass’, and ‘douche’. The vocabulary of an angry thirteen year old.
Also,
‘consider the rash action you have committed by choosing to insult me in this manner’
….What? What are you a fucking wrestler, who in Gods name talks like that. The feeling I get whilst listening to you waffle on Randall, is one which i’m sure many others have had to experience. It’s a crushing feeling of exasperation that, because the image you have of yourself is so wildly distorted, you will never truly know what a prick you are. It’s one of the great crimes of our age.
@janus (165):
I am also going to place my tick in the ‘Randall is a pretentious dick.’ box.
September 30th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
@jackson (25): Actually, the picture is of syrup made by they Highland Sugarworks, and they are located in Websterville, Vermont.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
@archiealt (166): The feeling I get whilst listening to you waffle on Randall…
Mmmmm waffles. I vote for those (sorry Randall). Drenched in melted butter and smothered with real Vermont maple syrup.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Randall and Spiff17: Wow guys reading that whole thing was more interesting than the fucking list itself. That amused me terribly. Spiff: yeah he could be cooler but most smart guy are eccentric and kinda jerky i think.
Randall: Damn man you a smart mofo. I believe intelligence is important in this world… i thought i read somwhere Issac Newton was kinda of jerk.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I think Listverse should start selling Team Randall and Team Spiff17 shirts. It could cut down on some advertising, especially those “helloooo?” smiley ones.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I go to Eastern Michigan University and they have a Harry Potter class. It counts as a humanity credit…
September 30th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
@Spiff17 (149):
Spiff, you are really a piece of work. You have the *gall* to call ME pompous and anal retentive, after that last bit of bullshit you just spewed out? Do you READ the crap you write, or do you just move on without bothering about pesky things like “sense” and “rationality”?
And I could have predicted this next tactic you’ve employed–seen it a dozen times before. “This is my last reply to you, Randall.” Yup, just to show off to everyone that you’re the “reasonable” and “grown-up” one here. Well no one’s buying it pal. I’m certainly not. You started this, and the simple fact is that rather than face up to it, or even admit that you were wrong (you were–so very badly) you just keep upping the ante of personal attacks on ME, rather than trying to delve into any actual relevancy.
And I LOVE how phony douchebags like you go through these personally insulting diatribes based on NOTHING, and then end your spew of invective with bullshit like “have a great day” as if, once again, to *show* everyone that you’re the “bigger” one here, the great big adult. Phony, transparent, and, as I said, nobody’s buying it, jerk.
“I have now realized that I literally am wasting my time replying to you.”
Great. Too bad you didn’t realize this sooner so you never opened your mouth and wasted MY time–yours might not be valuable to you, but mine IS to me.
“Somehow I feel compelled to out of some sort of competitive streak of human weakness I suppose. I won’t make that mistake again.”
Listen to yourself. Pompous? You’ve got that market *cornered,* Spiff. The phony introspective tone, the nonsense of pretending like you only fell into this back-and-forth with me out of some “weakness” in you—as though, once again, it’s all about how mature and reasonable you are, except when driven to “trying too hard” to get through to another.
PUH-LEEZE.
“This will be my last reply so as to save the rest of those reading this exchange the pain of having to scroll through another 10 pages of irrelevant, self-glorifying negativity that you keep spewing out.”
And again, Spiffy, the self-glorification is all on you, moron. I have a sense of humor about this shit. I’m serious, but I can be lighthearted about it too. You, on the other hand, are so full of yourself and take yourself so seriously that you must make birthday parties seem like funerals.
“…You see, I have something called a life. And in no way is it improved by exchanging barbs with a self-obsessed weirdo that gets off on childish things like this.”
Ah, here we go (again) with the phony, cheap amateur psychology. I’m a gigantic loser without a life. Yup. You betchya, Spiff. Boy you have an insight. You must be close to Buddha-hood.
“My advice to you is shut off your computer,”
Ah, Spiff, I wish you’d never turned yours ON today. Trust me.
“call a friend, if you have none maybe go out tonight and meet some people. Maybe find a girlfriend, or boyfriend if that is your preference.”
You know what shithead? I don’t need your advice on what to do with my life and time. It goes without saying that I have lots of friends, a loving family, and even my ex-es love me. I have two great, fantastic kids that I’m immensely proud of, both of whom, at ages 15 and 11, are already far more intellectually advanced and interesting than you’ll EVER be. My social life is nicely full, ladyfriends and all.
See, the reason why people DO like me, Spiff, is that unlike you I am not a phony. I don’t speak out of both sides of my mouth, pretending to be Mr. Reasonable while at the same time dissing people without expectation of consequences. I stand for things, make a point of facing up to it like a man when I’m wrong, and stick up for a point when I know I’m right. People respect that shit. They do NOT, in fact, respect the kind of false, mealy-mouthed BS you dole out, nor the kind of self-satisfied attitude you’ve evinced since you started all this.
“If dissing lists on listverse is how you feel good about yourself”
Well you’ll be happy to know it isn’t, Spiff. I feel good about myself because of the happy and fulfilling life I lead. Professionally, personally, artistically, parentally and otherwise. This is a diversion to me, an amusement and at times a service, when I can offer up some knowledge on this or that topic.
You, by contrast, clearly feel good about yourself by behaving like a sanctimonious jackass. Which is what you’ve done here all day today.
“…then thats nothing other than sad and I should not have gotten into this anymore than I should have an argument with a mentally challenged child.”
Get over yourself, goofball. You’d think you’d wise up to how much you’ve embarrassed yourself here—trust me, you have—but you don’t seem that self-aware or capable.
“I will formally call you the winner of this exchange, not because I actually believe this to be a competition, but because it strikes me that you’re life might be somewhat sad and I hope that might bring you some joy.”
OMIGOD what freakin’ PHONY ASS BULLSHIT. Nice try, Spiff. Nice try. But you aren’t in a league to even SOUND like you’re getting away with this nonsense. The only thing bringing me joy at the moment is the thought that in a few minutes I can be done with this and get back to important shit, like chatting with my neighbors and sharing a glass of wine or two with them, and reading a good book.
“…But for your own good you need to start finding joy in other things. Things that when you lie on your death bed you can look back and say “Yeah, I did something good with my life that improved the lives of others and made a positive difference in the world.” Otherwise you will die a lonely old man with an ulcer and a sour face with nothing to look back on but acts of arrogance, selfishness and negativity.”
You are truly fucking unbelievable. Offensively unbelievable, but it’s so over the top that I can only laugh. I come home every day to a beautiful home with great friends and neighbors all around, on weekends my kids, and a lovely lake right in my backyard with a beach, trees, and my waiting sailboat. I have my work, my writing, and the satisfaction of being a good friend and, I think, a great parent.
So stick your phony-ass pontificating up your ass, dick.
“I should not assume to know you as well as I am implying.”
AS WELL?!! You don’t know me AT ALL, jackass! You don’t even realize how hugely and stupidly you’ve put your foot into this.
But really, *I* should be the one to show some understanding here, because clearly this kind of BS is all you’ve got. Maybe *you’re* the friendless, lonely dweeb you’ve been trying to paint ME as. I dunno. I can’t and won’t say, because unlike YOU I don’t go around on the internet or anywhere else, pretending to make portentous statements about people I don’t even know.
Do us both a favor and shut up and think about all this for a bit, and make an EFFORT, at least, to learn something from it and grow up a little.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Really? We could have teams and tshirts?? I did promise I wasn’t going to continue the spat but if we’re gonna make a sport of it I suppose I could come out of retirement!
Haha, but seriously. It was getting sad.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
@damien_karras (41): The list of classes that you quoted is part of an essay called “Spring Bulletin” by Woody Allen from his book “Getting Even.” The whole book is great, and so is “Without Feathers,” another of his essay collections. He is one of my favorite comedy writers.
@janus (165): As long as we’re taking the poll, I vote that Randall is a real treasure and I thoroughly enjoy reading his comments. He is intelligent, witty and never afraid to stick his neck out for what he believes. I would be very sorry if he were ever to leave us.
Segue: I’d love to see your website! What is the address? You can PM me if you don’t want to put it in this list. It’s good to hear from you again!
@oouchan (153): Good one!
September 30th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Yes, this is getting very sad. Keep it up, Randall, this is hilarious. I can’t believe you care enough to keep posting longer and longer insane replies. Do you ever let anything go? Also, if you haven’t noticed, my “worthless opinion” is shared by others. Boy I hope you take each sentence of this post and dissect it in a bizarre attempt to be the “winner.”
September 30th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Janus and archiealt:
I remember both of you, so don’t give me your crap. You’ve both lost arguments with me on this site in the past, and/or made gigantic fools of yourselves trying to take me on. I called both of you on bullshit you were putting out. And if memory serves, you both used the same phony-ass tactics this “Spiff” has used here, trying to play up at being good, reasonable sorts while the big bad Randall was so nasty and immature. Again, nobody here who knows the facts really buys it for a moment.
The two of you are in a small minority of humorless pricks who don’t like me; well I’d sooner have the dislike of people like you any day over being Mr. Popular to *everybody.*
September 30th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Randall: So you’re saying if I was a real man I’d continue this ridiculousness unendingly? Hahaha no thanks. I tried to read your last post. I stopped somewhere around the Book of Randall, chapter 156, verse 17. It sounded like you were planning to physically hunt me down and hurt me. Are you honestly high? You have a sense of humor about this? Thats not funny! Thats scary!
September 30th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
@archiealt (166):
You truly are a humorless piece of wood, archie.
“‘consider the rash action you have committed by choosing to insult me in this manner’
….What? What are you a fucking wrestler, who in Gods name talks like that.”
SEE, now THAT was kinda funny. Good for you, archie, you actually came close to humor. AND you’re ALMOST seeing the point, if only you’d stop being sanctimonious for five minutes and think about it.
“…It’s a crushing feeling of exasperation that, because the image you have of yourself is so wildly distorted, you will never truly know what a prick you are. It’s one of the great crimes of our age.”
And THAT’S almost funny too! I’m heartened. *I* am one of the great crimes of our age! Who wouldn’t be proud of that?
Jesus Christ, for the love of god it amazes me how stupidly thick some people can be.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
I have an awesome mental picture of Randall right now, red faced, huffing and puffing and soliloquying off his balcony into the heavens. I bet he wears monacle.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
@BooRadley (174):
Thanks Boo. Love the kitty.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
I bet he has a curly mustache and smokes a pipe.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
@BooRadley (174): A friend sent that excerpt to me as a .txt attachment in my email recently, but didn’t cite the source. I hope the books are still in print if this is just a small sampling! It’s definitely my type of humor.
September 30th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I suppose it takes balls to offer a course like that.
As opposed to the female version of the same course, where the lecturer is a real – um, the lecturer is hysterical.
September 30th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Someone might have mentioned this but, I heard on the radio recently that there is a college in the UK offering students a DEGREE in everything the Beatles. Apparently you study the hisory, philosophy, musical techniques and contributions and so on. Thats crazy. I could understand a class but not a DEGREE…where would someone get a job with that?
September 30th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
@oouchan (123): oouchy! Oh, thank you for saying the site is awesome. It really took (and continues to take) a lot of work and time and effort…all of it worth it.
@BooRadley (174): Nice to be back, friend! My website is:
http://www.seguebythesea.com
It is my photography, but photography with a decided twist. I hope you like it.
September 30th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I am not afraid to play your game, Randall
“I remember both of you, so don’t give me your crap. You’ve both lost arguments with me on this site in the past”
That’s obviously all you care about. Winning arguments. This reveals a lot about the combative and arrogant nature of your “virtual” personality, which I will also point out is probably not a disparate representation of how you are in person, despite the disconnection you implied earlier.
“AS WELL?!! You don’t know me AT ALL, jackass!”
I think I’ve gotten to know you pretty well just from this thread. And you’re a dick.
“because unlike YOU I don’t go around on the internet or anywhere else, pretending to make portentous statements about people I don’t even know”
Yeah, you do. You call people idiots and douchebags, and belittle them in your pathetic attempt to seem superior.
“Get over yourself, goofball. You’d think you’d wise up to how much you’ve embarrassed yourself here—trust me, you have—but you don’t seem that self-aware or capable.”
Advice that you should take.
You may be used to people who won’t stand up to you, but I certainly will.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
@Randall (172)
I think that was the longest comment ever. Check it!
Anyhoozle, my humble opinion on this matter is that Spiff17 and Randall are actually the same person, amusing us to no end with his/her (we can’t rule that out) silly argumentative antics.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
i can actually see all of these courses being used to explore serious thinking about human nature and what we value and why. they could all be great and extend into many areas of history, philosophy, cultural anthropology, psychology and at least 2 of them into ecology and chemistry. actually, all of them could go far into cultural anthropology and human social psychology.
anything can be a teaching tool if you approach it with curiosity. the question “how?” often leads to “why? which leads to what makes us human…..
September 30th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
@bosoxfanzz (187): How friggin epic would that be?
September 30th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
@segues (92):
hello lovely person! i mostly lurk these days (i’ve been commenting this week though). hope you continue to be and feel well
September 30th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
@Spiff17 (118):
well, that’s just classic randall. of course you are free to love him, hate him, or have utter disinterest. he is who he is (as i assume you are too).
September 30th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
@ianz09 (135):
if you just want the “mindless entertainment” skip the comments and follow what the list itself brought up deep into googling its topics that catch your eye……. otherwise, enjoy the comment ride.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
@Maggot (158):
as long as you didn’t learn it from “the girls nextdoor”
September 30th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
All I have to say is the existence of pointless courses in colleges is probably just another side-effect of the self esteem movement.Parents spend thousands of dollars and kids waste hundreds of hours to “feel better about themselves” while maintaining high grades in pointless courses.And at the end of the day a person graduates and the next day reality punches them in the face when they go job searching.It’s no wonder so many people these days are so messed up.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
sorry for the comment overload. i posted once and then read through (breaking my own old rule) and there were so many people to remember and comment-back. i liked that
September 30th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
@uninsane (194): I wouldn’t say that these are entirely pointless courses. Philosophy courses help develop logical and abstract thought. Most of these are just unusual philosophy courses, and they bring up things that might not normally be considered, therefore making you think and question assumptions more. The one class that I would not call a philosophy class is the maple syrup class, and that is a class that actually provides job experience. So I’d say that each of these classes has its use.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
@segues (185): Thanks for posting your link Segues. That is some unique and beautiful imagery. Good luck on your search for an agent.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
@uninsane (194):
actually, it appears that none (or nearly none, depending on the teaching style) of these are “blow-off” or “degree-padding” courses at all.
you are displaying that meme of “thinking for the sake of thinking? boo! how useless to us ‘regular people’. ‘thinking’ about anything other than day-to-day-hand-to-mouth is evil and ‘elitist’!” that’s been haunting america since the last presidential election cycle. i very much hope i’m gravely misinterpreting your intent.
thinking for the purpose of learning how to think, and understanding our social/cultural motivation to act in different human cultures and moments through time is a very worthy thing to do -in or out of a college course.
oh course, that doesn’t make grade-inflation and actual “blow-off courses” the student doesn’t even need to attend a good thing. but that isn’t what this list is about (no matter how the author slanted it for assumed humor).
September 30th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
LOL. I enjoyed the bashing (in the comments) more than the list.. =p
Just kidding!
I think the courses listed here are not as weird as you think. I think it’s only bizarre to some people but it’s pretty much normal for others (and to me). I would gladly enroll myself in the Waste Management course (Joys of garbage) and the zombie course. I wonder if there’s a lot of film viewing in the zombie course? hehe. =D
September 30th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
uhgg, i think i’ve resolved my log-in issues. it kept me away for a long time, then i just could suddenly post with my name without logging in, so i did. whatever. it was really me the whole time (unless i missed an impersonator, oh well).
September 30th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
I’d so take that Star Trek class!
September 30th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
@lo (193): Hey lo, good to see you posting. I’ve missed you.
as long as you didn’t learn it from “the girls nextdoor”
Well it can be argued that each one of them exhibits a nice set of credentials. They do bring an asset or three to the tableau, you know.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
@lo (192): Guess that’s how it gots ta go. I enjoy commenting, but hate arguing, and I’ve already used my quota of “good list” and “I made up my very own joke” style comments. The only other way to get involved is to involve myself in one of the ongoing discussions. But seeing as they’re mostly arguments, I’m stuck. Hope you see my predicament
But until this stuff is sorted out, I guess I’ll just sit back and read along. Unless someone has a good joke or an interesting fact for me, otherwise I’ll probably just call it quits for this thread, at least for a bit.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
@archiealt (166): Daaaayum
September 30th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
I agree with those who felt the Obama crack was misplaced (at best) for #10.
I realize that many of these are trumped up in order to meet the title of “Bizarre College Courses” but some fact checking should have come into play at some point. #10, for example, is not “[a] mandatory course for some freshmen at Occidental College.” It is one of a whole host of Core Courses, of which a student must take a certain number of units. If a student isn’t required to take a course, it isn’t mandatory.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
@Maggot (163): So many inappropriate names.. Btw, gotta ask, any chance at all your username is a reference to Slipknot? Maybe that’s just me, I wondered that for awhile.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
@Maggot (202):
hey
good to be back. did you know the “new” GND is premiering soon? (for shame, i admit to watching the E! network. i heard it on “the soup” (and “the soup” is funny and awesome!).
this set includes twins found in a a FL wing joint that wants to be a hooters, but has less ‘class and cred’ than a real hooters (which was itself founded in florida) who both have ju-vie assault-and-battery charges to their “CVs” and are strangely flat for heffs “main girlfriends”.
whatever, he’s about 90, they’re barely 18, it’s going to be pretty much “kept woman: the barely legal edition!” and i’ll watch at least one show, i know it! arrgh, i’m humiliating myself in my honesty for train-wreck voyeurism.
i can hardly wait….
how’ve you been?
September 30th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
@ianz09 (203):
or you could just directly pose whatever comment you want about the list w/out personally invoking the wrath of randall or anyone else by aiming it at any individual. i am NOT saying to ignore randall -or ignore anyone’s point that you want to comment upon. just if you have a point, just make your point.
then anyone who takes it to a personal level while failing to address the point will show themselves. and you may choose to respond to people who go “all personal” -and yet may still have a valid point wrapped up in their “attacks” on your own terms, or not at all.
this will not prevent randall and others from accusing you of personal privilege and other stuff if they see it in your comment[s], but it may allow you to make the conversation more about what you said. and if it becomes “why i assume you said what you said -based on your tone-” which sometimes is valid and often is not, perhaps you will have set up a playing field where those ideas can be addressed more directly, less personally.
that may not work. just my thoughts. i personally enjoy randall and nearly all here, but some are prone to making it “all personal all of the time”. it’s part of the ride.
i guess if the “personal strikes” are wrong call them out, if that doesn’t work just jump to something online you like better. then come check the new list next day and see if you like it
September 30th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
@ianz09 (206): any chance at all your username is a reference to Slipknot?
I felt it was the best way to adequately portray my warm and cuddly personality.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
@Maggot (209):
and of course that’s the whole reason people like you round ‘here boy!
September 30th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
@lo (207): did you know the “new” GND is premiering soon?
Actually I didn’t, but I am well aware of the new trio since I receive “reference material” in the mail on a monthly basis. By the way, the latest issue featured wedding photos of outside girl and her recently cut but then signed by another team NFL hubby. The wedding was held at the Mansion, of course!
@lo (210): [blush]
September 30th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Check out some of UC Berkeley’s courses. There’s a rather famous course here all about pornography.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
@ lo (198)
All I was say was that having courses that don’t have any relevance in the core material for education is going to damage people in the long run.
I have no problem with extensive teaching of history,math,science, and philosophy.But classes like arts and theologies seem to me to be trying to standardize views of things that are supposed to not have clear definition like art,or in some cases using theology and art subjects to impose political view onto people.
And on a moral basis I just don’t like classes that don’t seem to have a clear use outside of school.
and just to tell you I had a bit of trouble understanding exactly what what you were saying in the second paragraph of your statement, so can you rephrase it ,please.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
@Maggot (211):
[blush] i’ll just share the little of shame of even knowing who “outdside girl” is here, with you. (it’s totally the best name for her “career” ever too! think her agent noticed?)
September 30th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
@uninsane (213):
“thinking for the purpose of learning how to think, and understanding our social/cultural motivation to act in different human cultures and moments through time is a very worthy thing to do -in or out of a college course.”
are we still not understanding each other? as far as i can tell we disagree. i think learning and asking “why” for the pure sake of it has value (like pure science). i think you think that teaching “philosophy” and maths is nice, but teaching “art” is some attempt to enforce politics on people?
as a former art major, english and philosophy minor (a total liberal trifecta!) i don’t get the distinction.
art history and practice is about opening your mind and learning why people reacted to things in their world as they did (and if the why cannot be found, at least understanding that something in the artist’s own life inspired them to create something…..) how is that about enforcing any particular world-view other than one that feels -and feels that entire range of human experience?
don’t worry, now at 29 i’ve gone back to school to seek a much more literal plant biology degree.
cheers, salude.
October 1st, 2009 at 12:50 am
number one an four are kinda bizzare..the others i think are pretty neat or do have some underlying def..ya kno
October 1st, 2009 at 1:17 am
What about ‘Identifying Demons and Exorcism’ which is offered by one of the Unis in Italy???
October 1st, 2009 at 1:32 am
You can say things are bizarre but if you don’t truly understand it, why are you denigrating it? The tone is in such a condescending manner. This was the worst list ever.
October 1st, 2009 at 3:06 am
@Mandie Murder (5):
October 1st, 2009 at 3:08 am
….
October 1st, 2009 at 5:12 am
@ lo: hi, lo!
October 1st, 2009 at 5:31 am
@uninsane (213): But classes like arts and theologies seem to me to be trying to standardize views of things that are supposed to not have clear definition like art,or in some cases using theology and art subjects to impose political view onto people.
I’m not sure what kind of art program you’ve participated in but the professor generally does not hold up a Barnett and say “This is a cat. And this one is a dog. And this is the political agenda all of you must adhere to”. Interpretations and critical thinking involved is far more introspective. Art history is just that – the history of the artwork meaning the time period in which it was painted, a biography of the artist, the social purpose and impact of the work, etc… All of which would clearly fall under your “extensive teaching of history”.
maintaining high grades in pointless courses
I took an African American Art History course in college… 7-10pm twice a week, roundabouts of 280 artworks to memorize (title, dates, materials, and artist where applicable), and a minimum 15 page paper at the end of term. I earned a solid C in that class and even though it brought down my GPA, I was damned proud of that C and the fact that I had the second highest grade in the class. That’s certainly not the grade-padding kind of course you seem to stereotype all art classes to be.
And on a moral basis I just don’t like classes that don’t seem to have a clear use outside of school.
Strong words coming from someone typing from a house or office building made by the architect who took art and art history classes to learn about the history of architecture and how to draft structures. From someone sitting on a chair created by an industrial art major who designed it. Coming from the same person typing on a computer or laptop designed by, yet again, someone of an art background.
For the non-art major, what is so immoral about receiving a well-rounded and varied education?
Nowadays, with standardized testing (in the US) forcing teachers to basically spoonfeed information that students regurgitate on a test and forget afterward, individual critical thinking skills (like those utilized in making artwork because no one is there to hold your hand through the whole process) is in extreme shortage. Due to budget cuts, I know of quite a few grade schools who’ve had to remove their art programs from their curriculum and it’s not pleasant to see these kids who have had their creative outlets denied. And from that pool of talent come the young collegiate adults who’ve never learned how to think outside the box. Those that are presented a problem without a formula and are challenged to solve it but feel like they can’t. That is the type of critical thinking skill that art can hone that can be utilized in other fields.
October 1st, 2009 at 5:35 am
as usual, the list is impressive. Me personally have not got any idea about such courses. well, if they go further i think next generations will have nothing to learn but such “subjects”
October 1st, 2009 at 6:15 am
@lo (208): I didn’t personally invoke the wrath of Randall or anybody else, but if they take it personally, it’s their own problem. I was attempting to make my point, not because I knew people would listen to me, but cause it feels nice to speak up, just in case. I’m not gonna keep posting. I enjoy a good civilized debate, but rampant insults and accusations kind of annoy me. And I can’t tell if you were just making a point, or attacking me, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you were just having a discussion with me. I just woke up, and haven’t had any coffee or breakfast, and have class in less than an hour, so I’m going to sign off. I may or may not keep reading along, I find it entertaining at times, annoying at most. Although the exchange about Batman was a classic one.
October 1st, 2009 at 6:17 am
@Maggot (209): That’s awesome. I have new hope in humanity
October 1st, 2009 at 6:28 am
A course on stupidity. It’s nice that they teach stupid people not to be stupid. Get a brain morons!
October 1st, 2009 at 7:49 am
@ianz09 (224): And I can’t tell if you were just making a point, or attacking me
Lo’s generally the nicest one around here. She’s got more patience with people than I do and I’m a pre-school teacher (among other things).
I may or may not keep reading along, I find it entertaining at times, annoying at most
Then you ignore what doesn’t work for you and try to steer the conversation elsewhere by opening up a new topic. If conversations don’t go your way you either A) change it or B) move on. Happens all the time in live conversations as well. Hell, that happens all the time in life.
Although the exchange about Batman was a classic one
Then you would’ve probably liked our musings on the science of cookie/biscuit dunking a while back.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:25 am
@segues (185): Nice to see you back! And I looked at your website… Beautiful pics!
October 1st, 2009 at 8:52 am
@crispin (186):
“I am not afraid to play your game, Randall”
And what game is that? Monopoly? Wanna play Monopoly? I always insist on the money in the middle for Free Parking. It’s not strict rules of play, but it’s family tradition.
Honestly Crispin, you’re another one. I mean for chrissakes, listen to yourself. Was it you or one of the other pinheads yesterday who accused me of talking like a wrestler? “I’m not afraid to play your game, Randall”… sounds like you think you’re in cheap action movie.
My original point about this list was a serious one. I think it’s a bad list and possibly reflects an anti-intellectual agenda on the part of the list author. Or, at any rate, plays into that sort of thing. And we have enough of that. AND this is my profession, academia, and I see it mischaracterized enough as it is by lowbrow jackasses on the right. The tired refrain is “Colleges are warping kids’ minds, indoctrinating them into socialism and communism” and “liberal arts is a waste of time, look at the junk they teach kids” and the like. And I felt this list was adding to that, so I spoke up against it.
Now while that message is serious, my method of delivery is sarcastic and abrasive. Why? Why not? This isn’t a forum, really, for deep and professional discourse on this sort of matter. It, like most such sites on the ‘net, is a free-for-all. BUT… if you look back you will see that, yes, I attacked the LIST… but I was THEN in turn PERSONALLY attacked by “Spiff.” AND YOU, and others. YOU are the ones who made this personal, when for me, I was just trying to make a point. Now, in point of fact, I don’t mind slinging some mud on these occasions, because it’s more entertaining, to me and to others reading in. But if you don’t like ME, and don’t like my method of delivery—that’s your choice. But you have and had an option—either attack WHAT I was saying… or keep quiet about it. But rather than go for anything substantive, you instead went the third route and came after ME. That only leads to pointless bickering, which if you want to indulge in, fine… but after a while that bores the piss even out of me. And frankly I don’t have the time for it.
“That’s obviously all you care about. Winning arguments.”
I care about winning arguments, but that’s not ALL I care about. I care about the environment and my kids and my friends and family, and all god’s little creatures. But the point I was making, that you’re snottily responding to here, is that a couple of people piped up whom it just happens I have had caustic run-ins with before… and point being that they were biased and would say anything negative about me given whatever chance they had.
“This reveals a lot about the combative and arrogant nature of your “virtual” personality, which I will also point out is probably not a disparate representation of how you are in person, despite the disconnection you implied earlier.”
Well, keep it up with the bullshit amateur psychology if that floats your boat, Crispin. It’s really just another way to insult me and belittle me, because you don’t like how I express myself. Which makes you no better, by any stretch. And personally, if it were me, I’d think I have better ways of spending my time. In short, you’re the one trying to keep this going. Not me.
“I think I’ve gotten to know you pretty well just from this thread. And you’re a dick.”
Well, the feeling’s mutual. How’s that?
“Yeah, you do. You call people idiots and douchebags, and belittle them in your pathetic attempt to seem superior.”
Yawn. I think there’s a major difference between calling someone names when they’ve said stupid, uninformed, and/or offensive things, and making some ridiculous pronouncement on a person’s possible neuroses, etc. when you don’t even know them. My feeling is, the latter is at least as moronic, if you’re going to characterize throw-away insults as such. But at least the insults just that. Trying to offer your serious opinion on the character and personality of a person you don’t even know, however—that’s absurd, and just a tad nutty. But, that’s my opinion. Think what you like.
“You may be used to people who won’t stand up to you, but I certainly will.”
And again, don’t you find this a *shade* silly? Just a teensy-bit? Like you’re in a movie and I’m the *BAD GUY*….wooooooooooooo.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:10 am
@astraya (221):
hi back
how’ve you been?
October 1st, 2009 at 9:14 am
@gabi319 (227): “Lo’s generally the nicest one around here.”
I figured, I have yet to see a negative comment from her, I was just wary of somebody jumping on my case, and I couldn’t be sure as to the exact tone.
“If conversations don’t go your way you either A) change it or B) move on. ”
I know, it makes me feel just a bit better to have my say, but I won’t keep nagging about it, I think one comment about the arguing was plenty, it’ll either change things or not (not, it seems). I’ll gladly have a conversation, I enjoy talking, just not all the negativity. God only knows I have enough negativity right now.
“Then you would’ve probably liked our musings on the science of cookie/biscuit dunking a while back.”
Sorry I missed that, I like the funny discussions best.
Btw, how do you do that convenient italics quote thing? I’m still relatively new to the comments, considering I’ve only been at it a bit more than a month or two.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:18 am
@uninsane (213):
gabi and lo already did an excellent job in answering you, but I felt I should weigh in as well.
“All I was say was that having courses that don’t have any relevance in the core material for education is going to damage people in the long run.”
Who decides what is relevant, uninsane? And just what do you mean by “damage people”? In the long run or otherwise? What kind of “damage” are you referring to? Are you making some kind of moral point? If so, it escapes me as to what that point might be. If you are trying to say that intellectual discourse and the exposure of the mind to education can be morally damaging, then I’d put it to you that there’s something seriously wrong and warped with your definition of morality, rather than something wrong with education.
If you’re not referring to morality (but—correct me if I’m wrong, I believe you mentioned that topic earlier) then to what ARE you referring when you talk about “damage?”
“But classes like arts and theologies seem to me to be trying to standardize views of things that are supposed to not have clear definition like art,”
I seriously doubt you have ever taken an art course at any kind of insitute of higher learning. I’ve taken many. I never felt that I was being fed a faux-standardized, systematized view of art (or for that matter any other “soft” subjects). I was simply being exposed to concepts and conceptualizations and being shown the tools for studying these and perhaps understanding them—though the actual “understanding” was up to me.
“or in some cases using theology and art subjects to impose political view onto people.”
And again… this is the wheezy old refrain of the right. And forgive me, but it’s *bullshit.* No one ever tried to impose a politcal belief onto me in all my years of college and grad school. I never tried to either. And you know what? It really can’t be done. Now granted, not every kid who goes to college is all that smart—like anything else, some colleges–and some students–are crummy, and the dumb who WANT to go to “college” can always find a place to give them a degree based on what THEY *think* is hard work and “learning.” But for the most part, the great majority of people who seek a higher education are fairly bright types who are capable of basic thought, and as such are capable of formulating their own opinions. You can only influence adults–and though young, these people ARE adults—so much as an intellectual “authority” figure. So this criticism is really just full of hot air. Nobody is getting indoctrinated in college into one or other political belief. Maybe peer pressure can have some influence there… but via the influence of intellectual discourse? No. Either people are open to learning how to think and to ideas, or they aren’t. If they’re not, you can’t do much for them. But even if they are, you can only present things to them–it’s up to them what they do with them.
The automatic assumption, and mistake, that a lot of people make, is that kids in college sit in the classroom and get brainwashed. Bull. I’ve had a ton of experience with this environment—and 9 times out of 10, what you see is students *challenging* profs, and sometimes very caustically and belligerantly. In fact, I was guilty myself of that, when I was a kid, on occasion. And why? Because kids that age, no matter how balanced and open minded and willing to learn they might be (or think they are) are by nature opinionated little smartasses who in some form or another think they know it all. Or at least, they want to challenge much of what they hear and come across. And they do.
“And on a moral basis I just don’t like classes that don’t seem to have a clear use outside of school.”
And again, explain this. What does “morality” have to do with it? How does morality impact on the practical value of an education? And what defines practical? What is a “clear use outside of school” to you, and what bearing does it have on morality, or vice versa?
October 1st, 2009 at 9:24 am
@ianz09 (231):
You don’t like negativity, after you slammed that nutcase auroranorth over on the flag thread? Good god, what are you like when you’re angry?
October 1st, 2009 at 9:25 am
@ianz09 (231):
And just so there’s no mistake, I applaud what you said to the idiot, and he deserved it.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:25 am
@uninsane (213): Actually, these are just creative fronts and interesting hooks to lure people into legit courses. It make sound ridiculous, possibly unprofessional, but in fact classes like these are just new, creative take on real life applications.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:30 am
@Randall (234): Oh, sorry, I’ll clarify: I don’t like UNNECESSARY negativity
When I get pissed, I let people know (would you believe me if I told you I have had verbally and physically violent outbursts?), but I’m usually reasonable enough to know what to dish out to whom. No qualms against any of the active participants here, but to me, these arguments seem a little out there. But, it isn’t my place, and I’ll just read along.
And thanks for backing me against auroranorth, that guy is a royal fucking tool. Pardon my shitty French
October 1st, 2009 at 9:37 am
@ianz09 (236): a royal fucking tool
There’s a joke to be made there, I just know it…
October 1st, 2009 at 9:38 am
@Maggot (237): I like you. You make me laugh. So, you like Slipknot as well, eh?
October 1st, 2009 at 10:38 am
@Randall (229): I care about…little creatures.
I’m not. I’m not a fan of things tiny enough to kill by unintentionally sitting on them.
Please, no one tell my pre-schoolers I said that.
@ianz09 (231): I know, it makes me feel just a bit better to have my say
You are free to vent all you like to complain about other people’s complaining just as I am free to complain about your complaining about other people’s complaining.
Btw, how do you do that convenient italics quote thing?
It is to open Italics and to close. Without the spaces, though. Replace ‘i’ with ‘b’ and you can do bold. Replace with ‘u’ to underline.
I like the funny discussions best.
Read it yet?
10 Hilarious Listverse Comments
October 1st, 2009 at 10:41 am
@gabi319 (239):
“I’m not. I’m not a fan of things tiny enough to kill by unintentionally sitting on them.”
Well, that’s a point. A cruel one, but fair. And life is cruel. And there IS the argument that if evolution meant for the tiny critters to live, it would have made them bigger.
But then again…. I don’t wanna see dog-sized ticks, either.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:04 am
@GTT (228): Thank you, girl! It just goes to show what a good liberal arts education will do for you, if you work it right!
October 1st, 2009 at 11:06 am
@ianz09 (236):
“Oh, sorry, I’ll clarify: I don’t like UNNECESSARY negativity”
Ah, I see. Sometimes I do, though. See, the bitter, acrid taste of bile is forever burdening me, so sometimes a pointless and random release calms the burning, angry sting for a time… then my mouth once again fills with the taste of acidic potash.
“(would you believe me if I told you I have had verbally and physically violent outbursts?),”
That puppy will never do THAT again…
“And thanks for backing me against auroranorth, that guy is a royal fucking tool. Pardon my shitty French”
C’est tout exact. Vous etes pardonne.
auroranorth is clearly off his nut.
Now yes… as it happens I am an historian, and I can share with you one of the little-known facts about the duties of the chamberlain-secretary to the King of France; namely, it was his responsibility to see to the maintenance, storage, and proper oiling of the Royal Fucking Tool. There were also two pages on hand as needed, to work the various straps, belts, and grappling hooks which were necessary for the proper use of the Royal Fucking Tool, and to gird it correctly about the loins of His Royal Personage. Being steam-powered, the Royal Fucking Tool also had to be stoaked and manned by a small team of laborers—usually stevedores, as they were in the same guild. All this, of course, was later rendered obsolete by Tesla’s invention of the Electrified Royal Fucking Tool.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:09 am
haha! good thing! i wasnt on any of those courses! had a diffrent one! making music! = )
October 1st, 2009 at 11:09 am
Well obviously I am dumb enough not to remember that typing the code will change the style even if I’m just talking about it rather than using it, haha…
to italicize, bold or underline:
and to close the phrase is
October 1st, 2009 at 11:10 am
Birmingham-Southern College (where I attend) has a bunch of courses on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There’s one coming up called “Morality in the Buffyverse.”
October 1st, 2009 at 11:10 am
@gabi319 (239): Yeah ain’t that the truth. Complaining does blow off steam, so, I don’t blame you.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:10 am
DAMMIT! happened again! I’m going to hide in a corner and cry.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:15 am
Italics explanation take three:
http://listverse.com/comment-faq/
Read that instead.
lol.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:19 am
@Randall (242): Well, you are perfectly free to argue, as I am perfectly free to complain about it
as gabi319 pointed out. Freedom of speech is AWESOME.
I am not quite sure what puppy you are speaking of… And neither are YOU, right? RIGHT?
No hablo frances, pero hablo espanol. Es mi campo a mi universidad, yo quiero hacer interpretar.
Your graphic description of a Royal Fucking Tool simultaneously made me cringe and laugh out loud. And as far as auroranorth goes… You were right on with the steam-powered point. Zing!
October 1st, 2009 at 11:24 am
@gabi319 (239): And btw, I did read that list, it was great.
@gabi319 (248): Thanks for the link, I appreciate you trying to help me out, despite your frustration. I think I get it now!
Hopefully
October 1st, 2009 at 11:27 am
UNDERLINE!!!!
October 1st, 2009 at 11:27 am
Damn, the underline one isn’t working
October 1st, 2009 at 11:35 am
@Randall (242): Dude, that douche is still posting away over on Controversial Flags. He’s persistent, kind of like a mosquito.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:36 am
Sorry for flooding the thread with posts. I’ll stop.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:36 am
Promise
October 1st, 2009 at 11:37 am
@ianz09 (249):
“…Freedom of speech is AWESOME.”
Yeah, but not so much fun when assholes make use of it. We really shouldn’t allow that. The Founding Dudes should really have added that clause to the First Amendment, at the end… “Blah blah blah Congress shall make no law blah blah blah Freedom of the Press blah blah Speech, blah, shall not be infringed blah blah… — ‘CEPT FOR A-holes.”
That’s how I would have written it. But they didn’t ask me. Bunch of stuck-ups.
“I am not quite sure what puppy you are speaking of… And neither are YOU, right? RIGHT?”
I didn’t see NUTHIN’! What puppy? Who said anything about kicking kittens and bunnies? NOT ME!
“No hablo frances, pero hablo espanol. Es mi campo a mi universidad, yo quiero hacer interpretar.”
Que? What was that? Something about my mother and a crossing guard?
“Your graphic description of a Royal Fucking Tool simultaneously made me cringe and laugh out loud.”
But it’s true! Look it up!
October 1st, 2009 at 11:39 am
@Randall (242): Now yes… as it happens I am an historian, and I can share with you one of the little-known facts about the duties of the chamberlain-secretary to the King of France; namely, it was his responsibility to see to the maintenance, storage, and proper oiling of the Royal Fucking Tool. There were also two pages on hand as needed, to work the various straps, belts, and grappling hooks which were necessary for the proper use of the Royal Fucking Tool, and to gird it correctly about the loins of His Royal Personage. Being steam-powered, the Royal Fucking Tool also had to be stoaked and manned by a small team of laborers—usually stevedores, as they were in the same guild. All this, of course, was later rendered obsolete by Tesla’s invention of the Electrified Royal Fucking Tool.
Have you been teaching at Occidental College again?
October 1st, 2009 at 11:41 am
@Randall (256): That’s awesome. Btw, an ironic kind of laugh. I did look up Royal Fucking Tool (Don’t ask why…), and one of the top results was a website for conservatives and right-thinking… Hmmmmmm…….
October 1st, 2009 at 11:52 am
@Randall (242): the Royal Fucking Tool also had to be stoaked and manned by a small team of laborers—usually stevedores, as they were in the same guild. All this, of course, was later rendered obsolete by Tesla’s invention of the Electrified Royal Fucking Tool.
I gotta get me one of those. The older obsolete model, I mean. Just because I have an appreciation for fine and rare antiques. The electrified one kind of scares me. There’s something about “electrified” and “fucking” that just doesn’t jive with me. I mean, what if there was a power failure at an inopportune moment? It’s not like some back-up stevedores are going to come running to assist, after you’ve pretty much screwed them out of their jobs. It’s just that these newfangled units are so unpredictable. Stevedores on the other hand, you can pretty much count on to stoke and man with some measure of consistency. Oh btw, it’s not like I need a royal fucking, mind you. I just want the tool. Well, actually, now that I think about it…I might be able to set aside some time…
October 1st, 2009 at 11:54 am
@Nauplius (257):
“Have you been teaching at Occidental College again?”
Denied tenure after the… incident. The records are sealed for thirty years though, so sorry, no further comments.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:56 am
@Maggot (259): I have a couple Stevedores milling around my place. Don’t ask why. Oddly, none named Steve… Disappointing, to say the least.
October 1st, 2009 at 12:07 pm
@Maggot (259):
“I gotta get me one of those. The older obsolete model, I mean. Just because I have an appreciation for fine and rare antiques.”
They’re large, you know. About the size of a Geo Metro. Just a fair warning. Requires some storage space. A good sized shed, half a garage… can’t just leave something like that outdoors. Rust, wood rot… and the neighbors will complain… cuz… you know… the way it LOOKS.
“The electrified one kind of scares me. There’s something about “electrified” and “fucking” that just doesn’t jive with me.”
Well as we know, Tesla was a genius, but he was also half out of his f**kin’ mind.
His Electric Scrotum-Warming Basket wasn’t a big hit either.
Of course the real question is—who grants a PATENT for something like that? Who even wanted to touch the working model?
“I mean, what if there was a power failure at an inopportune moment?”
Well, you’re thinking of simple breakdowns… I’d be more concerned about shorts and sparks and electric shocks. Could make things a lot more exciting…. or bring all life’s Fun to a tragic and horrific end.
“It’s not like some back-up stevedores are going to come running to assist, after you’ve pretty much screwed them out of their jobs.”
Nope. They’re all in the Teamsters now, anyway. Those guys don’t “come a-runnin’” for *anything.*
“Oh btw, it’s not like I need a royal fucking, mind you. I just want the tool. Well, actually, now that I think about it…I might be able to set aside some time…”
THAT Right There just got you on a Homeland Security List, Mag.
October 1st, 2009 at 2:05 pm
segue – I just looked at your website – incredible! I loved them all, but I think I liked the seascapes the best of all…
October 1st, 2009 at 3:38 pm
wow there actually a course that trains you to be a military intelliigence division and a hired hitman
October 1st, 2009 at 4:55 pm
@BooRadley (263): Boo, thank you. You can have no idea how gratifying it is when someone appreciates your work.
These pieces take a long time to produce, some of them take many hours over a number of days (or middle of nights, when I wake with an idea of how to accomplish a certain look on one particular image, then end up working half the night). I can’t tell you how often I’ve woken up at 4 a.m. with my forehead resting on the monitor!
I’m truly grateful for your kind words.
October 1st, 2009 at 4:55 pm
I wouldn’t mind the art of walking. The Barbie course sounds interesting. Too bad we don’t any of those kinds of courses. Post-secondary would be more fun.
October 1st, 2009 at 5:18 pm
I took Women in the Course of Television. Super interesting- AND we got to watch Roseanne.
October 1st, 2009 at 5:28 pm
@segues (265): I just gave myself the pleasure of a really quick perusal of your website, and I’m impressed. I like doing photography myself, although I’m not good at it. Good job though, the effects and specific appearances of the photos was amazing, the subtle ones were as impressive as the flamboyant ones. All in all good job, keep it up, it’s always nice to see some talent.
October 1st, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Wow I thought I disliked the liberal agenda at UT spoiling my precious conservative Texas but this Occidental College is just plain offensive. No wonder a moron like Obama is in office if the other side of the country is filtering that kind of crap into the heads of its students.
BLECH BLECH and more BLECH!!
Queen far right conservative has spoken.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:15 pm
would so rather study something more worthwhile
…
October 1st, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Wow… People have been ON FIRE on this thread… I mean, Royal Fucking Tools (including the pros and cons of an electric version that may or may not roast your nuts), puppies and kicking kittens, sitting on pre-schoolers… Listverse at its finest…
October 1st, 2009 at 7:36 pm
I apologize beforehand, but I need to try this whole italics things… Sorry!
October 1st, 2009 at 7:56 pm
@daryllagos (243): me too. hehe.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:02 pm
@gabi319 and @ Randall
gabi I have to say I totally agree with everything you said.I all for out of the box thinking but I still see odd classes as a potential threat to a good education.
Randall what I mean when I said damage,I was referring to the scenario that a person gets the idea put in their head that a class that has no value does, and they invest a lot of time into being good at something only to find right after they get out of school that they have wasted potentially years of their life.Damage can refer to either monetary or, psychological damage at having your whole world of thinking fall to pieces.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:04 pm
@GTT (272): NO PROBLEM, TRY BOLD NEXT, IT IS EQUALLY AS FUN
October 1st, 2009 at 8:06 pm
@GTT (271): You’ve been missing some good stuff, that’s for sure.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:09 pm
@uninsane (274): I see where you gather that assumption. Honestly though, I think a good many of the aforementioned classes (both in the list and comments) have plenty of real-life applications. A lot of them don’t strike me as time-wasters, per se, just creative takes on the same old academic tedium.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:48 pm
@lo: (strains to be heard over the hub-bub)
Fine thanks. I’ve been back in Australia for 6 months and now have two part-time jobs adding up to 40 hours per week of classes, not counting preparation, marking etc, so very busy, and don’t usually have times for long posts here.
I normally hang out in the “Pointless Announcements” forum.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:05 pm
@uninsane (274):
Well you’re not going to get this out of the box kind of thinking with within-the-box traditional teaching methods.
Regarding monetary and psychological damages… that can apply to any class (whether applicable to your idea of “good education” or not) where students struggle to make the grade. It applies to any major that doesn’t have a job market suddenly after the student graduates (such as jobs that were suddenly overtaken by computers). And it also applies to any career that someone had been pushed to achieve only to find out later in life that they hate their job. Should any of the above happen then either A) adapt or B) change your situation. Instead of blaming that one oddball class, it’s the person (who didn’t take an honest and rational outlook on his/her life and its direction) that should be held accountable for his/her decisions. After all, I would say a majority of college students are intelligent self-thinkers and can surmise the educational benefits of a class for themselves. You’re making them all out to be stupid and obscenely gullible. For real, quit with the gloom and doom already. What you’re describing sounds more like a cult than a semester course.
Interesting how you worry that art and theology “standardize” personal views and yet your desire to do away with the unconventional classes that could destroy a “good education” is essentially doing the same standardization to the collegiate curriculum.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:14 pm
@gabi319 (279):
well said indeed. and thanks for thinking i’m nice
October 1st, 2009 at 10:28 pm
@lo (280):
Thank you and you’re welcome!
But to me, you’re still a vexist.
Superpower references from long long long ago.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Well, I will make it known that I wear a size medium t-shirt, and I would like mine to read Spiff17.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:06 pm
@gabi319 (281):
actually, i’m now a gravitationist (from another site, i’ll tell you all about it sometime…), and i’ve always been a beerist too
to mom, (still cyn?), jamie, and all mods: i accidentally hit “report abuse” when i went to hit gabi’s name on the comment this links to. IT WAS A CLICKING ERROR, gabi is not guilty of any abuse. sorry all.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:21 pm
@lo (283): gabi is not guilty of any abuse
FINALLY! Someone finally believes this without me coercing them to think this way. I should go hide the bodies before lo finds out the ugly truth.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:27 pm
@gabi319 (284):
just be sure to hide them well or bury them deep my friend -i’m secretly good at finding them! lol
October 1st, 2009 at 11:29 pm
@astraya (278):
do you ever miss korea?
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:22 am
@ lo: Very often, but moving back to Australia was certainly the right thing to do eg adding experience in teaching in multicultural classrooms in an English language country to my experience in teaching in single culture classrooms in a non-English language country.
What country are you in? I’ve got lots of students from Latin America, especially Peru, also Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. I wish I’d learned Latin at school so I could talk to them.
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:55 am
@astraya (287): Surely you mean Spanish and Portuguese? lol
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:17 am
For the creator of a site that delights in niche knowledge, I simply don’t understand your tone of delighted know-nothingness in the face of some obviously compelling courses. Seriously, Frater, as a man I assume values knowledge—and the pursuit thereof—to be infallible, you come quite close to resembling one of America’s conservative/evangelical groups that decries these classes you list above right alongside the teaching of evolution. Then again, you don’t harbor a particular fondness of global warming, so perhaps you are a happy contradiction in terms.
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:13 am
@astraya (287): Really? You´re got a lot of Peruvian kids in your classes in Australia?? I wouldnt have guessed…
Interesting story… My husband had planned a surprise honeymoon to Australia (we got married last year). He has an Italian passport, I have a Peruvian one. Well, we found out when we arrived at the airport that I needed a visa. So we ended up spending our honeymoon in Mexico. Not so much interesting as makes me cry every time I remember… Would still love to visit though…
@Andy (289): You should probably realize that J did not write this list… It was submitted Dash so you can blame him instead.
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:10 am
Hey Randall, you should write a list. I say this sincerely. You obviously are a knowledgable and intelligent person. And you seem to know about Tesla. I would love to hear a list from you on Tesla. There is a wealth of bizarre and fascinating facts about that man. I’m sure you could write a very entertaining (albeit rant and expletive filled) list on him. And you seem to enjoy writing. Whaddya say?
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:29 am
@Spiff17 (291):
I shall curb my desire to snap at you (for the time being) in response to your olive branch, since I’ve had my medications and double shot of java for the day.
Anyway….
A) I HAVE written several lists for the site. I just haven’t written one in a while, being too busy with my own writing and my job-related work. Most of them have been light, “entertainment” related lists, about old movies and such, since they were quick and easy to throw together, and classic cinema is a huge hobby of mine. “Classic Hollywood Tough Guys” and “Spy Shows of the 60s” (or something like that) were two of them. I also did a few music lists. I owe Jamie a few more serious lists, but I’ve never gotten around to completing them. For one thing, I fear that lists which draw upon my background specialties would be very dry and dull for most folks. On the other hand, Ancient History and Astronomy and such can be fun if handled correctly. I’ve just never been able to figure out what subject to base a *list* on. I could (and have) written fun little papers on these things, but lists have escaped me.
B) I DO know about Tesla, a great deal… however, I am not a fan. In fact, I’ve rather disparaged him from time to time. I know there’s a whole “Tesla cult” out there now of people who think he was an underappreciated genius (in some ways this is true) who could have changed the world if only given more recognition and freedom and money (I don’t buy this) but they’re just romanticizing a figure who, in reality, was smart as hell, yes…. but also something of a slight nutcase–or at least very impractical and a rather sloppy scientist. In fact, VERY sloppy at times. On the other hand, there’s no denying he was a fascinating character, and a good topic for a list. Maybe a good idea. I thought someone had already written such a list, though. Could be wrong.
C) Yes I do enjoy writing—it’s in fact one of my professions—or at least, it hopefully soon will be. I’ve written stuff that’s work-related, (papers, articles, etc.) but I’m breaking into fiction soon, hopefully.
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:46 am
Haha well thank you for the resisting the urge to snap at me. I wondered if you’d still be sore from the other day. I admit I said some unnecessary things. I was equally overwhelmed and entertained by the ferociosness of your replies and so felt compelled to continue but it was ridiculous. I actually agree with the majority of what you say on here and usually find you entertaining (ie. your destruction of auroranorth in the flag thread). I just have a major problem with unnecessary negativity and felt obligated to make some form of defense of the writer of this list. I didn’t think your critique was far off, just the vehemence with which you delivered it. But that is your right as was mine to reply. I supposed I’m one of the assholes you were referring to that shouldn’t be offered the right of free speach. Ha, I said some asshole things but I would have to say you had me beat in that category. So should we both be denied free speach?
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:55 am
As for the list writing, I was unaware you had written lists. I’ll have to go check them out. You certainly entertain me.
I am a fan of Tesla more for his eccentricities than his brilliance. Perhaps fan is the wrong word. Its more the spectacle of him I enjoy. I am certainly not part of any Tesla cult. He just made some outlandish claims that, if nothing else, make for an interesting read.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:05 am
NAU used to have a class all on Harry Potter. The university dropped the class due to lack of funds
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:45 am
@Shaymm- I’ve never heard of a degree in the Beatles but at the university I attended in Canada you could take a music history course on them, as well as Led Zeppelin, Funk, Blues and The Rolling Stones (which I took) in the courses you examine the influences of the band how they evolved, what their contributions were politically, culturally and also in terms of music theory. Really interesting stuff and not as easy of a course as you would think actually.
@Uninsane-It is not the classes themselves that determine how applicable the knowledge will be in the workforce it is the student and what the student does with that knowledge. For example, as mentioned I have taking some of these seemingly useless classes and have a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Drama, I was hired to work as a behavioural therapist creating programs for autistic children because of my creative background and my broad base of knowledge and experience gained in university. My friend who also took some of the “useless” courses with me has a neuroscience degree and works in a pub. (in my friends defense he is brilliant and when he chooses to use his knowledge he will do something great I’m sure) point being, it is what you do with your degree and your personal work ethic, not necessarily what degree you have that will aid your career.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:38 pm
I’d take the Star Trek course!
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
@ianz09 (287): I was alluding to former US v-pres Dan Quayle, but further research indicates that he may not have said that: http://www.snopes.com/quotes/quayle.asp
@GTT (290): Different language colleges in Sydney seem to attract students from different countries, whether by marketing or word-of-mouth (we had a very good marketing assistant from some Latin American country until very recently). The numbers for my class probably don’t reflect the numbers at my college, or in the English learning student population in general. My morning college has a lot of Thai students, and I’ve also worked at another that is almost totally Chinese.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Dr. Kane at the University of North Carolina Greensboro teaches a class he started called “Belief in Weird Things” which i took in the fall of 2005. it was fantastic! one of the best courses i ever took. the main idea of the course is to use superstitions and conspiracy theory beliefs to teach people how to think skeptically; as is, how to apply the scientific method to the pursuit of knowledge rather than simply either buying in to whatever one is told, and at the same time how not to blindly dismiss thoughts and ideas simply because they sound weird or strange. wish it had been included on the list.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:27 pm
@astraya (298): Oh, that would have been funny if I understood the context. Boy, some of that guy’s quotes almost made Joe Biden seem eloquent… Almost.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:42 pm
@ianz09 (268): Thanks. There’s no chance of my stopping any time ( not sooner, not later ), as I spent many, many years learning my art.
@Stacy Braswell (269): et al of that opinion. I am truly sad and confused over your opinions about liberal arts educations. I have spent eight years in Universities, and while my major was Art (Photography), I also studied Geology, Geography, Anthropology, American Lit., Russian History, American History, Philosophy and more. There was never a term when I wasn’t taking as many credits as the school allowed. I do not consider ANYTHING I studied to have been a waste of time, even now, so many years later, the things I learned back then have valid uses in my life today.
That you can say BLECH to education is just proof of either how much you lack, or how badly you misread the actual meaning and instruction given in the class.
Either that, or you get all of your news from Glen Beck.
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:40 pm
@segues (301): “or you get all of your news from Glen Beck”….lol, excellent comment, I know a few folks to whom that particular line applies.
By the way – Your landscapes are lovely. Stunning even. Great job on the new site. I look forward to more.
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:45 pm
@segues (301): Thanks. There’s no chance of my stopping any time ( not sooner, not later ), as I spent many, many years learning my art.
By all means, keep going. Those years paid off!
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:02 pm
@mom424 (302): Mom, I am related to a few to whom that comment applies! Yikes!
Thank you on your kind comment about my photographs. Now you can see why I required a hiatus!
@ianz09 (303): And ianz09, please believe me that the more you practice photography, the better your “eye” becomes, the better and surer your sense of design becomes. You want to do this? Then do it. A lot. Trust yourself.
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:09 pm
@segues (304): I hope this means the hiatus is over and you´ll be coming back to join us… We´ve missed you!
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Cool list.
I’m doing a law course right now where my required viewing involves Buffy, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Brokeback Mountain etc…It’s pretty sweet.
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Sign me up for Star Trek! I want to be able to understand the depth of Spocks most memorable quotes! lol!
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:36 pm
I have a very interesting book called “The History of Phallic Worship”. Great read. I’m sure there is enough about the symbolic, religious, anatomical, and emotional significance of the phallus to fill several courses.
October 3rd, 2009 at 12:03 am
@GTT (305): Not entirely over. I just have a bit more breathing room than I’ve had in the past few months.
I’m still contacting galleries. I’m still trying to find an agent. And to cap it all,I’m still taking photos to add to my collection (a woman’s work is never done!).
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:35 am
yes….#1 is a very important subject
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:47 am
@ianz09 (300): The problem with alluding is that you can never be quite sure that everyone understands the allusion.
@suzi (308): Check out today’s list. (if you haven’t already)
I’ll second segues’ comment about practicing making better. Unfortunately it does not make perfect. (At least not that I’ve reached, anyone. (One famous photographer said “If I knew how to take a perfect photo I’d take one every time”.
October 3rd, 2009 at 6:39 am
@astraya (311): Ain’t that the truth lol
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:42 am
@astraya (311): “@ianz09 (300): The problem with alluding is that you can never be quite sure that everyone understands the allusion.” & “I’ll second segues’ comment about practicing making better.”
Ah, astraya, if anyone was going to catch my double entrendre there, I knew it would be you!
Of course, I’m assuming you caught the allusion. Either that or I’ve got a dirty mind.
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Oooh! I also took the history of espionage which was taught by this guy who I swear to god looked like Timothy Dalton….the espionage course could be used as a prerequisite to the history of piracy….I just realized how awesome my University’s history department was
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:01 pm
@elleoh (314): I’d take any course taught by a guy who looked like Timothy Dalton; but then, I’d take “The History of Espionage” taught by anybody.
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:47 pm
segue: I think you’ve got a dirty mind. You were talking about taking photos: “… the more you practice photography …”
BTW, with your slight change of username, should I address you as segue or segues?
ianz09: You might want to check out a photography hints list: http://listverse.com/2007/10/28/top-10-tips-for-better-photos/
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:57 pm
@astraya (316): Ooh, gracias! That will help. I know of a Sony a300 that will be getting some more exercise pretty soon!
October 4th, 2009 at 1:15 am
@astraya (316): segue will do. I had to add the “s” for wordpress reasons, not because I wanted to.
@ianz09 (317): I checked out that site. It is all excellent, basic information. The kind of stuff you will be calling upon for decades, even though it becomes so intuitive you aren’t aware that you are doing so.
October 5th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
@segues (315): yeah that course was pretty darn awesome he even wore sleek black suits to class, after I wrote that comment I started taking an inventory of the all the courses I took during my degree and 90% would probably be considered bullshit by some of the people on here….but I’m gainfully employed and have a vast pool of random knowledge that helps to kick ass at trivial pursuit and name that tune….that’s how I justify my student loan to myself at any rate
October 5th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Astraya:
One of my cousin’s friends came back this past summer from a teaching gig in Korea. He misses the place dearly as well.
Re: Glenn Beck
So no one else watches him? I know too many Beck supporters so it’s on the tv far too often around here but sometimes I don’t mind because there are moments when I feel like laughing at something (more specifically *at someone*). It’s like the tabloid World Weekly News (I think that’s what it was called… the one with headlines like “The Pope adopts vampire baby”) where the stories are so ludicrous, it’s funny. Oddly enough, Beck’s rant tonight was about art. Apparently the government is building an army of artists to brainwash the populace. Oh, Glenn Beck… all you need are the cheesy photoshopped images and you could be almost as good as World Weekly News.
October 5th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
@elleoh (319): Sounds as if you got your moneys worth!
Drat! The cost of student loans these days is dreadful. I managed to get my Masters and pay for it at the same time. Of course, this was back before fire was invented.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
@segues (318): Good to know, from a professional. I enjoy it, and it is nice to get positive feedback. Just gotta get better now lol
October 7th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
@Stacy Braswell (269): I mean this with all do respect… You kind of piss off.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
*Ahem* Piss me off. Sorry!
October 7th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
@ianz09 (323): &@ianz09 (324): I thought you were right the first time…except it would be “due”…
October 7th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
@segue (325): Aw, eff. You’re right! This just isn’t my day!
October 7th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
@ianz09 (326): Look at it this way, ianz, I’m just ol..ol..uh, well, more experienced, shall we say?
You’re having a great day! You thought of the idea in the first place!!
October 7th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
@segue (327): Lol experienced? That what the old folks are sayin’ nowadays?
I’m j/k, and I get do and due mixed all the time. And by that I mean I never use due, only do. “I do think the grass is do for a good do.” Southern Ohio does that to you…
October 7th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
@ianz09 (328): Ohio? Landlocked will do that to you every time. I’d go bananas if I didn’t have an ocean right outside my door! I mean it. I’ve never lived more than 30 minutes from the ocean in my entire life. The entire idea of being landlocked is a nightmare to me. A phobia.
Seriously.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
@segue (329): Man, I love the ocean. Never get tired of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. But, they are only fleeting visits for me
I’m not sure where you live, but if you are ever in the vicinity of Georgia, I heard of (have yet to visit
) this beach called Stafford Beach. It is very exclusive, and almost enitirely camping grounds (I gathered that it is camping-camping, not park-the-car-and-roast-marshmallows-in-the-fire-pit-camping). From the pictures I have seen, it appears very photogenic. And it is an island, so no worries about being landlocked 
Here is a link: http://www.weather.com/activities/recreation/outdoors/topten/secluded3.html
October 8th, 2009 at 1:03 am
@ianz09 (330): I’ve heard of it, but never been. If you’ll go to my website I can show you the area in which I live, but not the village itself.
http://www.seguebythesea.com
look at the photo’s titled Ragged Point and Hwy 1, Big Sur. That will give you some idea.
October 8th, 2009 at 8:49 am
@segue (331): Man, that area’s beautiful! What I wouldn’t give to live in place like that… Great photos, by the way, again!
October 8th, 2009 at 10:25 am
@Randall (Specifically entry #99)
My first time commenting, but I just couldn’t help myself.
That shit was funny!!!!!! I have enjoyed my fair share of rants before, giving and receiving, but none quite so eloquent as yours. Not that you care, I’m sure, but it certainly put a bright spot in an otherwise ordinary day.
I enjoyed that much more than the list itself. Thanks Randall.
Great site. Thanks jfrater.
October 8th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Is Randall still around here? I hope so, because I’d like to point out that he gives all academics a bad name by being such a out of touch piece of shit. Randall, you are quick to insult anyone who disagrees with you, and then you launch into a diatribe about who you are so great, yet everything you provide is just first person opinion. No third person opinions, no sources, no facts, just a bunch of steam about how “academic” you are.
I’m sure your students (if you have any, and aren’t just a lab tech that cleans up rat shit) really love you.
I’ve got a phD, I’ve worked in the real world (not an academic bubble all my life), and now I lecture.
Your ramblings sound more like that of a pissed off grad student living on $1500 a month then an actual academic.
You can pretend you don’t care what others think about you, but then that would be a lie because you wouldn’t spend hours typing away novels on here if you didn’t want to be seen as intelligent. So here is a big hint, if you ant others to have any respect for you, you can stop opening your comments with utter bullshit like “eat me pissant”, and your other “greetings”.
Fact is though, this will just piss you off, and you will try to find ways to tear me down with a lot of huff and puff about how you don’t care what I think, and you may even go on in your mind to decide that I am jealous of you, or maybe even you have a paranoia issue and you’ll think this is someone you have pissed off before with your charm, and they are just using a new name to attack you.
And so, I take solace in that you are an internet troll who is so insecure that he puffs up at the slightest provocation and tries to be the loudest in order to win friends. It doesn’t take an “internet psychologist” to see this, merely anyone who is literate and reads the trash you spew around here. Your rants are insignificant and you make yourself look like a giant asshole. Common sense won’t work with you, and vulgar insults just lead you to try and one-up someone, so instead I will simply say the truth – you will never have a social life that is as well developed as most peoples, you will never make good money (and yes, good is relevant, but in this case a person with a an attitude such as yours who works in academia would be lucky to make more then 50k – which is not good), you will not have a happy life in general. That feeling you consider to be happiness is just the false sense of accomplishment you deceive yourself into feeling when you believe you have won an argument on the internet. In reality a guy in a wheelchair who crosses the room has accomplished more then you.
October 9th, 2009 at 5:46 am
cool. I might want to take up all of them!
October 10th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
@Randall: The first thing I thought when I read this list was that the teachers were just trying to create attractive titles for the courses so students would enroll. However I don’t think that is such a great idea since most students would enroll because they have the wrong idea about the course. About the “The Unbearable Whiteness Of Barbie” isn’t already scientifically proved that the human brain seems to prefer white and beautiful faces? Remember that experiment with the babies? I don’t remember all the details but if that is the case, I don’t see why taking it against Barbie (even if that is just a course title) is a good thing. Isn’t that title being racist in itself? I’m not white but the whiteness of Barbie doesn’t bother me and honestly I don’t think people discriminate plainly because of colour, I think it is a matter of conduct. I think young people’s behaviour depends how their parents raise them so teaching courses on all of the racist aspects in society could be good as it could be not that good. I don’t think learning (really learning, not just memorizing stuff to get a good paying job) is a waste of time since it makes a person really an educated and more open being. It is important to remember that ignorance is the main cause of all disasters and disgrace in the world. However, going to those kind of courses could be a “waste of time” for some people who don’t have the money to pay for them or spend their time on them when they could learn the stuff they need to learn to get a good paying job. Besides, your parents should be the ones teaching you this stuff. It’s really disgusting to see those parents who let do their children whatever their want and let them grow up like animals. You can go on and learn whatever you want even after you graduate since we never stop learning but do that after you got the money to sustain yourself and your family..what is the point in knowing a lot of stuff if you don’t put it to good use? It is hard to just go to college to learn things that aren’t going to get you a job in this fast-paced society. This society has reached a point in which, if you don’t work you die of hunger…or depend on welfare. We are not in ancient Greece! Back then the thinkers could just sit down and think and hell they thought about great stuff that is applied even in moder times, but they had the time and lived the simple life, no need to earn money to pay a house, dress and feed your children. I also would like to learn more and would be happy to enroll in those courses
(I have taken some like that and I always get great marks)but what are you going to do if you don’t have a job? I understand that money is not everything, but IT IS important. Everything should be balanced, that’s what I believe. It is not right to just be robots, memorize the stuff and go out to work, buy a house, get married, have children, wake up next morning and do the same thing all over again until you die and realize you never really enjoyed life and missed a lot! But just getting your head full of social studies, arts and all that… isn’t going to feed you (unless you teach the stuff and all that but it’s not like that’s really on demand). It is ok to take some of those courses since it is important to learn about society and how ugly it is becoming to make a better world in the future and it is also good to learn to appreciatte what we give for granted but just focusing on that is plain wrong. also, I think you are a little too stressed. I understand your situation. I remember 2 of my teachesr who would get out of the classroom and cry because they couldn’t handle the stress. I’m on stress medication so I understand how you feel and one of my greatest friends is my art teacher and you remind me a lot of her. She is also pissed at schools because they only teach to make robots. If I had enough money I would go out and study all those courses, really, but sadly I don’t and you might ask what is so wrong about having a modest life? Nothing, really but each day is harder to keep even a modest life. I wouldn’t want my children live a poor life, and neither an ignorant one so I would be glad if they take courses like this. However I wouldn’t recommend something that is not going to help them in this era or time, sorry. I’ve lived a lot for my somehow young age and I have experienced a lot in life that makes you realize that either you adapt to the times and circunstances or you die, but I wouldn’t expect anyone to understand so I don’t usually speak about my past. People who haven’t starved and suffered because of poverty and ignorance have no right to go on and critizice, we don’t choose where to be born.
October 11th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
@samsaragx (336):
Have you ever seen a college course guide? They also have class descriptions in addition to a course title so no one would mistake “The Whiteness of Barbie” for something not within the course description. If you did look into the collegiate system more, you’d see that liberal arts colleges have a core curriculum requirement meaning each student must earn credits in a broad spectrum of fields in addition to their in-major requirements. It is not a pay-per-class system. Liberal Arts colleges have a tuition fee that covers the semester and only certain labs or studios would require any additional materials fees so I have no idea where you got this “Pay for classes they can’t afford” hoo-ha. They’ve already paid for the semester and they’re required to take something from that field even if it’s not in-major… connect the dots.
College kids are also smart and lazy little bastards. I should know because I was one of them. We’ll talk to one another, we’ll email, some will organize websites to rank and review classes and professors… all for the sake of being more aware of what classes they’d want to take and which professor (and more specifically which professor’s work load) we’d find more favorable. Some will choose an elective with a pretty name but most will go into the course with more insight into the course than that. Your comment comes off as one of those who believes students are naive and gullible “clean slates” sent off to college to become brainwashed. Read your comment and a choice phrase like “But just getting your head full of social studies, arts and all that… isn’t going to feed you” is what really seeks to brainwash young minds by limiting their options. Again, these are just single classes… it would be hard for someone to earn a degree and dedicate their whole career on one single class.
For the record, I am well fed with my arts background. In fact, had myself a $10 orange chicken (generally not a fan of Chinese take out especially when it’s pricier than most in the area but it was quite delicious) as well as a glass (or two) of wine while working at the studio last night. I’ve former and current bosses and coworkers who adore me and would be willing to keep me in their studios in a heartbeat. This art field isn’t as destitute as you ignorantly claim it to be. Yes, it’s difficult and challenging at times but what was worth doing or worth remembering that wasn’t?
Also, I’ve learned plenty from taking this major in school and am STILL learning as I go along rather than taking a hiatus from thinking and learning until “after you got the money to sustain yourself and your family”.
unless you teach the stuff and all that but it’s not like that’s really on demand
Artists can make money outside of teaching. In fact, had life not made its twists and turns as it does on occasion, I would certainly be making a much heftier salary than I do now. Teaching (depending on location and on the subjects wanted at that location) can be in demand. I wasn’t even looking into teaching but decided to take on this adventure because these schools were bending over backwards to hire me. Sure, there are teacher friends struggling to find work at the places they want to live but look hard enough and there’s always an opportunity to be had.
Besides, your parents should be the ones teaching you this stuff.
You’d have racist parents teaching their children the same racist values without any outside and possibly rationalizing influence? Those are the truly disgusting parents with ‘animal children’ rather than those who encourage their progeny to amass as much knowledge as they can. These college kids are generally in their late teens, early 20s. Just how much longer do you expect them to learn only from their parents?
The ancient civilizations had more on their plates than “sit down and think and hell they thought about great stuff”. Exactly how do you think our lives became so comfortable if these thinkers weren’t also out there DOING and CREATING? But of course, sarcastically speaking, our lives are much more difficult compared to the ancients who’s longevity was much shorter than ours due to incomplete nutrition, poorer medical care, lack of resources, etc.
Your comment was full of so many ignorant statements that I’m fair disgusted. The little sob story at the end that was completely unrelated to the original topic didn’t help your case much either. You won’t find much sympathy from my end. One of my jobs is as a preschool art teacher. You’ve gotta be hitting rock bottom when a preschool teacher is fed up enough to tell you to stop the self-pity party, quit your whining, and grow up. No, we don’t choose where to be born or which family to be born into, but you can choose whether to wallow in it or move on and make the best of it. A solid education would certainly help move things along.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:56 am
@gabi319 (337): Hear,Hear! gabi, you have hit the nail squarely on the head. I think you might have been a bit too nice about it, but exactly right, nonetheless.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
@segue (338):
Thank you, dear lady. I apologize for being too nice. These preschoolers are getting to me… compelling me to smile a lot and say nice things to people… What kind of monster are they turning me into?!?!
I almost felt like throwing some shit around on one of the more recent lists, however futile those efforts would have been, but I didn’t because this friendly pre-school teacher mode still has a hold on me most of the day. The snarky attitude will return once I’ve compartmentalized this niceness.
October 15th, 2009 at 7:43 am
@gabi319
Hi, about your question “Have you ever seen a college course guide?” Of course and yes I know about the descriptions for the classes. I also noticed that you sound offended by my comment, I mean I understand your point and I respect it. In fact I believe you are right in many things from your point of view. As for being “Ignorant” you are also right, I don’t know everything about your field since I never studied arts. You reminded me that people should not generalize since there are people like you who has done something awesome with their life and are sucessful and can proudly break the cliche of the “artists dying of hunger”. I don’t think students are “brainwashed” either… I understand that maybe it sounded that way to you, but please don’t speculate. As for the “Paying for classes” Hmmm I think this is just a misunderstanding since I made the comment based on the education system in my home country. There, it is either you pay or never go to school, and no this is not another of my “sob stories” sorry to disappoint you
that is the way we are used to live there. I recently moved to this country and I don’t know about all of the programs or about how the system works. I know that I was able to pay easily for my studies since this country has many programs for students and awards but never investigated about the rest of it since it was hard enough to learn english at the same time. I never considered myself “ignorant” but I’m open to any kind of comment and I will accept that I was wrong on commenting on something that I don’t know well since it is not even from my country, so I apologize for the ignorant commens. However I would like to let you know that the:
“Your comment was full of so many ignorant statements that I’m fair disgusted. The little sob story at the end that was completely unrelated to the original topic didn’t help your case much either. You won’t find much sympathy from my end. One of my jobs is as a preschool art teacher. You’ve gotta be hitting rock bottom when a preschool teacher is fed up enough to tell you to stop the self-pity party, quit your whining, and grow up. No, we don’t choose where to be born or which family to be born into, but you can choose whether to wallow in it or move on and make the best of it. A solid education would certainly help move things along.”
was really uneccessary since in my previous comment I don’t think I’m talking to anyone in this way. I’m sorry my comment was disgusting to you, I didn’t mean it (I didn’t really mean it since the comment wasn’t meant for you in the first place)and about the “sob story” I wasn’t looking for “sympathy” In fact I didn’t even feel like talking about it. As for moving on, I think I’m doing a pretty good job at that considering what I have lived and no…it’s not the sob story again
but it is quite bothersome when I hear the “just move on” imagine if all psychologists were like that. I know you are not a psychologists but that makes it even worse. I know I didn’t mention exactly all the things I have endured so you don’t know if it just a matter of “forget about it and move on”, so please don’t speculate and make comments based on something you don’t know (that same advice applies for me too from now on). I live everyday with the “move on” in my mind, because that’s what I have been doing and I always thought I was doing fine until I read your comment since even the doctors have told me that it’s amazing that I haven’t gone crazy or became a murderer (I only lost my voice for almost a year when I was younger, but I’ve been able to handle everything else). Now, I don’t really mind if you think this was other “sob story”, really, I cared about it this time because it really hurt. I hope nothing has ever gone terribly wrong in your life and I don’t mean the stuff we all go through like getting dumped by a boyfriend or the dead of a loved one… but I do hope you try to understand that I wasn’t trying to be mean to anyone and I really apologize if it sounced that way. Good luck in your career, you seem like a very successful young person.
October 15th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
A toast for useless culture!
October 25th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
I feel somewhat stupider for reading through the comments. As for the list, I already knew every course would be deeper than the course name, but some universities let their deans have a sense of humour. Good for them!
October 30th, 2009 at 12:25 am
Anthony: I wish you had posted that in a more current thread. Randall’s reply would have been a good one.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
@all : I’m new and almost afraid to post here…
October 30th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
@chemcon (344): Wazzup?!
October 30th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
anyway I’m Marc and I especially enjoy the interactions Randall has with some of you lot eg. Lucienne (sp?) in the ww3 list
… boy was he burnt.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
burned* sorry ..ouch.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
@Davy (345) — just enjoying my beers
October 30th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
@chemcon (348): Welcome to the site. Most important things: don’t be afraid to argue with Randall even if he writes a book telling how wrong you are, and, when looking at an unfamiliar list, look at it with an empty stomach.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
@Davy: LOLz — Im actually very impressed by Randall but if I can back anything up with HARD facts (not wiki
) then I will point it out to him – altho he seems to win everything in my view from what I’ve seen so far and that is somewhat intimidating 
October 30th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
@chemcon (350): I agree completely.
November 1st, 2009 at 6:19 pm
I would take 6 and 5 in a heartbeat.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
I would take 5…
I am actually watching Star Trek as I read this list and type this post. I would so ace that class.
November 7th, 2009 at 2:44 am
Randall – general rant : “As many of you know, I’ve worked in academia for much of my adult life. So shut up and listen to me on this, I’m an authority. (Seriously, I mean it, shut the f**k up)”
Such arrogance its almost funny.
November 7th, 2009 at 8:58 am
I feel the need to point out that this list is called “Bizzare college courses” not “useless college courses” and the source of the outrage seems to be people’s upset at the implications that the classes are not of value. I believe that they were chosen because they sound strange and are quite different from normal curricula. Were any of us to take these classes, I’m sure we would learn quite a bit… and I’m sure each one of these is useful to its purpose.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:27 am
widder (poster 355) let me say something — those classes are bullshit
period ROFL.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:33 am
widder – small follow up — intelligent people (im highly intelligent) mock them ……………………
November 13th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
@chemcon (356):
Highly intelligent people rarely need to announce it. Generally their words advert to the same.
Anyway, dismissing these as “bullshit”, full stop, without even thinking of WHY they might be offered, is extremely close-minded and I find it strange that someone of such purported intelligence would spurn any opportunity to gain knowledge. Haven’t you ever signed up for a class just because it sounded interesting and you had that time free? Clearly a course offered an institution of higher learning must have some educational value; there are boards of review and schools are audited on their class records. The point of this list was to laugh at some classes that sounded silly, not to mock them and talk about how useless they are just because you might not take them based on the course title and a small description by a third party who hasn’t taken the class either. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the list, I enjoyed it quite a lot. But no, I refuse to dismiss these classes as “bullshit” without taking them or even speaking to a student of one. They serve their purposes. Just because you didn’t major in an agricultural field (heh. field. ag. geddit?) doesn’t mean that those who did wouldn’t find that maple syrup class extremely edifying.
In close, I am a douchebag who feels the need to prove a point.