Letter to the Editor

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Arts: an education for life

In response to Ian Naften’s letter to the editor article: “Bababa dada I’m lovin’ it (school that is)”

I am probably not the first and will not be the last to say Ian Naften’s letter to the editor filled me with anger, confusion, sadness, and disgust. It culminated at a point in which I felt like I was going to experience a re-tasting of last night’s dinner. I found it suiting, therefore, that his letter was printed on the adjacent page to the article “You. Are Stupid”. I am now considering it a misprint that Naften’s letter did not fall directly beneath this heading.

Naften’s article is very telling. He makes it quite clear that, to him, school is merely a four or five year process that increases one’s market value. Naften is not the first person to reveal this dark secret to me; however, he is the first to declare this bothersome view in such an ignorant and belligerent way. I realize that society teaches children from an early age to believe that money equals happiness, thereby setting them off on shallow, life-long journeys to nowhere or, at best, superficial happiness. By calculating his success based on the market value of his bachelor’s degree, Naften proves he is traveling down a similar path. I want Naften to know that to many, university is more than simply a place for breathing. Some of us actually enjoy learning and will forever remain students, regardless of where life takes us.

Naften claims engineering is “HARD”, an area that tests ones “mind, patience[,] and time management skills”, teaches “a scientific method of thought and a skill set which drives the worlds miracles of technology”. Naften never specifies why these skill sets are exclusive to engineering, which makes me wonder how Naften, as an engineer student, feels it is his place to belittle other faculties, let alone the arts. I know some engineers and they tell me there isn’t much room to take anything other than engineer courses. So how does Naften conclude others’ “studies aren’t challenging”? You should take some time out of your busy schedule, Ian, and visit one of the libraries we have on campus; check out some of the fluff us “liberal arts student[s]” are reading and trying to wrap our heads around or check out some of the student art on display around campus - explore your creative side. Consider the diversity of the world we live in rather than sitting, though I am sure comfortably, in your one-sided “scientific method of thought”. I am sincerely worried by Naften’s letter because it is statements like his that are damaging to the creative soul. Naften demonstrates that he is driven by profit and accumulation in this world — which also leads me to think the only “miracles of technology” he will create, if any, will be the latest fat burning machine. Ian, just know that not everyone stares through the same narrow lens you do. Did it ever cross your mind Ian that one’s desire to attend graduate school is not driven by a hunger for wealth? For some people money does not matter; in fact, they put others before themselves and they take the problems of the world seriously by striving to one day solve them. I hope one day you can at least consider this Ian and get past your “handsome $54,599” starting salary that clearly limits you.

Sincerely yours,

“a hamburger flipping liberal arts student”

Bah humbug to minimum wage

Dear Manitoban Editors,

I have just read your article about the 50-cent increase of minimum wage in vol. 95, no. 15 from November 28-th, 2007 of Manitoban (page 7). It hit me that you asked a question “What do you think a minimum wage

should be?” which suggests that the minimum wage is a good idea. All interviewed  students seemed to not understand that the real effect of imposing the minimum wage is increasing the unemployment.

A wage is a result of a deal between an employer and an employee and only free market can set its value to be a fair value for both sides. If the government is trying to force this deal and it favours one side, the other side is going to make up lost money somewhere else and most probably will fire someone else.

I am curious if any of the students you asked came with such conclusion and why didn’t you try to make the readers think outside the box and learn something new about this law which in fact limits our freedom.

Best regards,

Maciej Borkowski

Watch your mouth!

I’m writing in reference to the article titled “Dec. 6th Lives On” published in  Vol. 95 No. 15 of the Manitoban.  I think the way the word “cunt” was used in this article functions as an example of the immature journalistic standards held by student newspapers like The Manitoban. The author states, “One of the struggles that I face while writing this article is from what part of myself am I writing? Am I writing this because I have a cunt? As a woman student? As a daughter?”  Don’t get me wrong, I am all for the use of powerful and even offensive words to punctuate one’s passion, but “Dec. 6th Lives On” employed this word simply to shock its audience.  The author is exploring how her position on this issue is influenced by different identities within her community. Using the word “vagina” in this sentence would have yielded the exact same ability for comparison. I realize that the author is attempting to validate the serious nature of her argument by using a more passionate word, but this attempt fails miserably with the word’s poor placement. It gives the article a needlessly offensive tone which only undermines the author’s identity as someone who supports the rights of women.

Matthew Schellenberg