大学生的社会价值演讲稿.doc

大学生的社会价值演讲稿 ofwhatuseisacollegetraining?wewhohavehaditseldomhearthequestionraisedmightbealittlenonplussedtoansweritoffhand.acertainamountofmeditationhasbroughtmetothisasthepithiestreplywhichimyselfcangive:thebestclaimthatacollegcationcanpossiblymakeonyourrespect,thebestthingitcanaspiretoacplishforyou,isthis:thatitshouldhelpyoutoknowagoodmanwhenyouseehim.thisisastrueofwomensasofmenscolleges;butthatitisneitherajokenoraone-sidedabstractionishallnowendeavortoshow. whattalkdowemonlyhearaboutthecontrastbetweencollegcationandthcationwhichbusinessortechnicalorprofessionalschoolsconfer?thecollegcationiscalledhigherbecauseitissupposedtobesogeneralandsodisinterested.attheschoolsyougetarelativelynarrowpracticalskill,youaretold,whereasthecollegesgiveyouthemoreliberalculture,thebroaderoutlook,thehistoricalperspective,thephilosophicatmosphere,orsomethingwhichphrasesofthatsorttrytoexpress.youaremadeintoanefficientinstrumentfordoingadefinitething,youhear,attheschools;but,apartfromthat,youmayremainacrudeandsmokykindofpetroleum,incapableofspreadinglight.theuniversitiesandcolleges,ontheotherhand,althoughtheymayleaveyoulessefficientforthisorthatpracticaltask,suffuseyourwholementalitywithsomethingmoreimportantthanskill.theyredeemyou,makeyouwell-bred;theymakegoodpanyofyoumentally.iftheyfindyouwithanaturallyboorishorcaddishmind,theycannotleaveyouso,asatechnicalschoolmayleaveyou.this,atleast,ispretended;thisiswhatwehearamongcollege-trainedpeoplewhentheyparetheicationwitheveryothersort.now,exactlyhowmuchdoesthissignify? itiscertain,tobeginwith,thatthenarrowesttradeorprofessionaltrainingdoessomethingmoreforamanthantomakeaskilfulpracticaltoolofhimtmakeshimalsoajudgeofothermensskill.whetherhistradebepleadingatthebarorsurgeryorplasteringorplumbing,itdevelopsacriticalsenseinhimforthatsortofoccupation.heunderstandsthedifferencebetweensecond-rateandfirst-rateworkinhiswholebranchofindustry;hegetstoknowagoodjobinhisownlineassoonasheseesit;andgettingtoknowthisinhisownline,hegetsafaintsenseofwhatgoodworkmaymeananyhow,thatmay,ifcircumstancesfavor,spreadintohisjudgmentselsewhere.soundwork,cleanwork,finishedwork;feeblework,slackwork,shamworkhesewordsexpressanidenticalcontrastinmanydifferentdepartmentsofactivity.insofarforth,then,eventhehumblestmanualtrademaybegetinoneacertainsmalldegreeofpowertojudgeofgoodworkgenerally. now,whatissupposedtobethelineofuswhohavethehighercollegetraining?isthereanybroaderlineinceoucationclaimsprimarilynottobenarrownwhichwealsoaremadegoodjudgesbetweenwhatisfirst-rateandwhatissecond-rateonly?whatisespeciallytaughtinthecollegeshaslongbeenknownbythenameofthehumanities,andtheseareoftenidentifiedwithgreekandlatin.butitisonlyasliteratures,notaslanguages,thatgreekandlatinhaveanygeneralhumanity-value;sothatinabroadsensethehumanitiesmeanliteratureprimarily,andinastillbroadersensethestudyofmasterpiecesinalmostanyfieldofhumanendeavor.literaturekeepstheprimacy;foritnotonlyconsistsofmasterpiecesbutislargelyaboutmasterpieces,beinglittlemorethananappreciativechronicleofhumanmaster-strokes,sofarasittakestheformofcriticismandhistory.youcangivehumanisticvaluetoalmostanythingbyreachingithistorically.geology,economics,mechanics,arehumanitieswhentaughtwithreferencetothesuccessiveachievementsofthegeniusestowhichthesesciencesowetheirbeing.nottaughtthus,literatureremainsgrammar,artacatalogue,historyalistofdates,andnaturalscienceasheetofformulasandweightsandmeasures. thesiftingofhumancreations!othinglessthanthisiswhatweoughttomeanbythehumanities.essentiallythismeansbiography;whatourcollegesshouldteachis,therefore,biographicalhistory,thatnotofpoliticsmerely,butofanythingandeverythingsofarashumaneffortsandconquestsarefactorsthathaveplayedtheirpart.studyinginthisway,welearnwhattypesofactivityhavestoodthetestoftime;weacquirestandardsoftheexcellentanddurable.allourartsandsciencesandinstitutionsarebutsomanyquestsofperfectiononthepartofmen;andwhenweseehowdiversethetypesofexcellencemaybe,howvariousthetests,howflexibletheadaptations,wegainarichersenseofwhatthetermsbetterandworsemaysignifyingeneral.ourcriticalsensibilitiesgrowbothmoreacuteandlessfanatical.wesympathizewithmensmistakesevenintheactofperatingthem;wefeelthepathosoflostcausesandmisguidedepochsevenwhileweapplaudwhatovercamethem. suchwordsarevagueandsuchideasareinadequate,buttheirmeaningisunmistakable.whatthecollegeseachinghumanitiesbyexampleswhichmaybespecial,butwhichmustbetypicalandpregnanthouldatleasttrytogiveus,isageneralsenseofwhat,undervariousdisguises,superiorityhasalwayssignifiedandmaystillsignify.thefeelingforagoodhumanjobanywhere,theadmirationofthereallyadmirablethedisesteemofwhatischeapandtrashyandimpermanenthisiswhatwecallthecriticalsense,thesenseforidealvalues.itisthebetterpartofwhatmenknowaswisdom.someofusarewiseinthiswaynaturallyandbygenius;someofusneverbeeso.buttohavespentonesyouthatcollege,incontactwiththechoiceandrareandprecious,andyetstilltobeablindprigorvulgarian,unabletoscentouthumanexcellenceortodivineitamiditsaccidents,toknowitonlywhenticketedandlabeledandforcedonusbyothers,thisindeedshouldbeaccountedtheverycalamityandshipwreckofahighecation. thesenseforhumansuperiorityought,then,tobeconsideredourline,asboringsubwaysistheengineerslineandthesurgeonsisappendicitis.ourcollegesoughttohavelitupinusalastingrelishforthebetterkindofman,alossofappetiteformediocrities,andadisgustforcheapjacks.weoughttosmell,asitwere,thedifferenceofqualityinmenandtheirproposalswhenweentertheworldofaffairsaboutus.expertnessinthismightwellatoneforsomeofourignoranceofdynamos.thebestclaimwecanmakeforthehighecation,thebestsinglephraseinwhichwecantellwhatitoughttodoforus,isthen,exactlywhatisaid:itshouldenableustoknowagoodmanwhenweseehim. thatthephraseisanythingbutanemptyepigramfollows,fromthefactthatifyouaskinwhatlineitismostimportantthatademocracylikeoursshouldhaveitssonsanddaughtersskilful,youseethatitisthislinemorethananyother.thepeopleintheirwisdomhisisthekindofwisdommostneededbythepeople.democracyisonitstrial,andnooneknowshowitwillstandtheordeal.aboundingaboutusarepessimisticprophets.ficklenessandviolenceusedtobe,butarenolonger,theviceswhichtheychargetodemocracy.whatitscriticsnowaffirmisthatitspreferencesareinveteratelyfortheinferior.soitwasinthebeginning,theysay,andsoitwillbeworldwithoutend.vulgarityenthronedandinstitutionalized,elbowingeverythingsuperiorfromthehighway,this,theytellus,isourirremediabledestiny;andpicture-papersofeuropeancontinentarealreadydrawingunclesamwithhoginsteadoftheeagleforhisheraldicemblem.theprivilegedaristocraciesoftheforetime,withalltheiriniquities,didatleastpreservesometasteforhigherhumanqualityandhonorcertainformsofrefinementbytheirenduringtraditions.butwhendemocracyissovereign,itsdoubterssay,nobilitywillformasortofinvisiblechurch,andsincerityandrefinement,strippedofhonor,precedence,andfavor,willhavetovegetateonsufferanceinprivatecorners.theywillhavenogeneralinfluence.theywillbeharmlesseccentricities. now,whocanbeabsolutelycertainthatthismaynotbethecareerofdemocracy?nothingfutureisquitesecure;statesenoughhaveinwardlyrottednddemocracyasawholemayundergoself-poisoning.but,ontheotherhand,democracyisakindofreligion,andweareboundnottoadmititsfailure.faithsandutopiasarethenoblestexerciseofhumanreason,andnoonewithasparkofreasoninhimwillsitdownfatalisticallybeforethecroakerspicture.thebestofusarefilledwiththecontraryvisionofademocracystumblingthrougheveryerrortillitsinstitutionsglowwithjusticeanditscustomsshinewithbeauty.ourbettermenshallshowthewayandweshallfollowthem;sowearebroughtroundagaintothemissionofthehighecationinhelpingustoknowthebetterkindofmanwheneverweseehim. thenotionthatapeoplecanrunitselfanditsaffairsanonymouslyisnowwellknowntobethesilliestofabsurdities.mankinddoesnothingsavethroughinitiativesonthepartofinventors,greatorsmall,andimitationbytherestofushesearethesolefactorsactiveinhumanprogress.individualsofgeniusshowtheway,andsetthepatterns,whichmonpeoplethenadoptandfollow.therivalryofthepatternsisthehistoryoftheworld.ourdemocraticproblemthusisstatableinultra-simpleterms:whoarethekindofmenfromwhomourmajoritiesshalltaketheircue?whomshalltheytreatasrightfulleaders?weandourleadersarethexandtheyoftheequationhere;allotherhistoriccircumstances,betheyeconomical,political,orintellectual,areonlythebackgroundofoccasiononwhichthelivingdramaworksitselfoutbetweenus. inthisverysimplewaydoesthevalueofoucatedclassdefineitself.wemorethanothersshouldbeabletodiviheworthierandbetterleaders.thetermsherearemonstrouslysimplified,ofcourse,butsuchabirds-eyeviewletsusimmediatelytakeourbearings.inourdemocracy,whereeverythingelseissoshifting,wealumniandalumnaeofthecollegesaretheonlypermanentpresencethatcorrespondstothearistocracyinoldercountries.wehavecontinuoustraditions,astheyhave;ourmotto,too,isnoblesseoblige;and,unlikethem,westandforidealinterestssolely,forwehavecorporateselfishnessandwieldnopowersofcorruption.weoughttohaveourownclass-consciousness.lesintellectuels!whatprouderclub-namecouldtherebethanthisone,usedironicallybythepartyofredblood,thepartyofeverystupidprejudiceandpassion,duringtheanti-dreyfuscraze,tosatirizethemeninfrancewhostillretainedsomecriticalsenseandjudgment!criticalsense,ithastobeconfessed,isnotanexcitingterm,hardlyabannertocarryinprocessions.affectionsforoldhabit,currentsofself-interest,andgalesofpassionaretheforcesthatkeepthehumanshipmoving;andthepressureofthejudiciouspilotshanduponthetillerisrelativelyinsignificantenergy.buttheaffections,passionsandinterestsareshifting,successive,anddistraught;theyblowinalternationwhilethepilotshandissteadfast.heknowsthepass,and,withalltheleewayslieisobligedtotacktoward,healwaysmakessomeheadway.asmallforceifitneverletsupwillaccumulateeffectsmoreconsiderablethanthoseofmuchgreaterforcesiftheseworkinconsistently.theceaselesswhisperofthemorepermanentideals,thesteadytugoftruthandjustice,givethembuttime,mustwarptheworldintheirdirection. thisbirds-eyeviewofthegeneralsteeringfunctionofthecollege-bredamidthedriftingsofdemocracyoughttohelpustoawidervisionofwhatourcollegesthemselvesshouldaimat.ifwearetobetheyeast-cakefordemocracysdough,ifwearetomakeitrisewithculturespreferences,wemustseetoitthatculturespreadsbroadsails.wemustshaketheolddoublereefsoutofthecanvasintothewindandsunshine,andletineverymodernsubject,surethatanysubjectwillprovehumanistic,ifitssettingbekeptonlywideenough. stevensonsayssomewheretohisreader:youthinkyouarejustmakingthisbargain,butyouarereallylayingdownalinkinthepolicyofmankind.well,yourtechnicalschoolshouldenableyoutomakeyourbargainsplendidly;butyourcollegeshouldshowyoujusttheplaceofthatkindofbargainprettypoorplace,possiblythewholepolicyofmankind.thatisthekindofliberaloutlook,ofperspective,ofatmosphere,whichshouldsurroundeverysubjectasacollegedealswithit. weofthecollegesmusteradicateacuriousnotionwhichnumbersofgoodpeoplehaveaboutsuchancientseatsoflearningasharvard.tomanyignorantoutsiders,thatnamesuggestslittlemorethanakindofsterilizedconceitandincapacityforbeingpleased.inedithwyattsexquisitebookofchicagosketchescalledeveryonehisownwaythereisacouplewhostandforcultureinthesenseofexclusiveness:richardelliotandhisfemininecounterparteeblecaricaturesofmankind,unabletoknowanygoodthingwhentheyseeit,incapableofenjoymentunlessaprintedlabelgivesthemleave.possiblythistypeofculturemayexistnearcambridgeandboston,theremaybespecimensthere,forpriggishnessisjustlikepainterscolicoranyothertrade-disease.buteverygoodcollegemakesitsstudentsimmuneagainstthismalady,ofwhichthemicrobehauntstheneighborhoodprintedpages.itdoessobyitsgeneraltonebeingtooheartyforthemicrobeslife.realculturelivesbysympathiesandadmirations,notbydislikesanddisdainunderallmisleadingwrappingsitpouncesunerringlyuponthehumancore.ifacollege,throughtheinferiorhumaninfluencesthathavegrownregnantthere,failstocatchtherobustertone,itsfailureiscolossal,foritssocialfunctionstops:democracygivesitawideberth,turnstowarditadeafear. tone,tobesure,isaterriblyvaguewordtouse,butthereisnoother,andthiswholemeditationisoverquestionsoftone.bytheirtoneareallthingshumaneitherlostorsaved.ifdemocracyistobesaveditmustcatchthehigher,healthiertone.ifwearetoimpressitwithourpreferences,weourselvesmustusethepropertone,whichwe,inturn,musthavecaughtfromourownteachers.itallrevertsintheendtotheactionofinnumerableimitativeindividualsuponeachotherandtothequestionofwhosetonehasthehighestspreadingpower.asaclass,wecollegegraduatesshouldlooktoitthatourshasspreadingpower.itoughttohavethehighestspreadingpower. inouressentialfunctionofindicatingthebettermen,wenowhaveformidablepetitorsoutside.mccluresmagazine,theamerican