| | |
|
PerspectivesinLaw 14 - 25 Jan 2008 - Main.MichaelBrown
|
| | I’ve been having a hard time in this class, and would like others’ input. While this class is by far my favorite, it is also the most frustrating. I’m not sure how to look at what I consider to be stereotyping, judgmental views, and bifurcated ways of thinking: Good law versus bad law, pink skin versus non-pink skin, complacency and greed versus (what I assume is meant) altruism and righteousness. I’m probably not the most articulate person to be making the points I’m about to make, but please understand I mean no offense – I’m only trying to understand and be understood, and, through this classroom experience, to learn some non-academic things along the way.
Do I like money? You’re damned right I do. Why? Because, in this society, it opens up options and is the main instrument that one is forced to use in order to produce resources that one needs and prefers (in other words, those things that make life a heck of a lot easier). I don’t care about status, social position, or wealth per se (despite what may be unintentionally implied by the sentence about being a secretary as opposed to a lawyer in the profile at http://www.law.columbia.edu/media_inquiries/news_events/2007/December07/2010profiles.) The reason I applied to Columbia instead of law schools in my state is because I assumed (and I think rightly so) that on balance, there is too good a chance I will be unemployed after law school if I’m not able to tell prospective employers that I went to what this society considers a “top” law school. If I had chosen to go to a law school in my state (in my case, Indiana University), I would be paying $15,784 in tuition this year; at Columbia, I am paying $42,024. Yes, I’m paying up-front almost three times per year in tuition what I could be paying. But I, employers, and the law schools know that my chance of recouping that financial outlay is by far greater if I have the Latin equivalent of “Columbia” at the top of my diploma instead of “Indiana.” Frustrating, but real. | | |
-- BarbPitman - 25 Jan 2008 | |
>
> |
I found your post intriguing. I particularly thought for some time about this quote that struck me “I believe only those who don’t need to worry about money can afford not to.” It reminded me of plane instructions where they tell you to fix your own gas mask before you help another person.
I think that in reading many authors who define success differently sometimes we grow up not truly defining it for ourselves. I can empathize with feelings that you cannot truly help someone else unless you are in a certain position in society. I also feel everyone if we are to aspire to happiness, we must define meaning for ourselves rather than be tied down to conventional notions. If helping others is seen as a privilege instead of something that grants you a prize maybe that’s a completely different framework that allows for those who are practical to find contentment. If it’s seen as a duty that’s totally different, or even if it’s seen as a risk. I’m far from a Singer utilitarian view myself on the subject and can’t say I have it all figured out yet but I definitely understand and value your perspective about mapping out a life for you that is your own. We all should be able to choose between firm, non profit, etc.
I don’t think your naïve, however, I find that those who have defined meaning for themselves are able to bear other’s criticisms easier. If a criticism points out an internal struggle, then maybe that presents the answer of whether or not one should make a change.
-- MichaelBrown - 25 Jan 2008 | | | |
|
|
|
|
This site is powered by the TWiki collaboration platform.
All material on this collaboration platform is the property of the contributing authors.
All material marked as authored by Eben Moglen is available under the license terms CC-BY-SA version 4.
|
|
| | |