Quite frankly what I study and teach is most often a source of depression. International security studies and particular emphasis on conflict processes means I study and teach about the dark side of humanity. Believing man to be a fallen creature (most of us being slightly higher in moral fiber than dogs in heat) does not help my take on contemporary human society. I mean if you study barbed wire, bombs and bullets used by man as tools to subjugate or kill our fellow man, you are not in for many pleasant hours of reading, studying, and teaching.
But ah the teaching. See, teaching is not really the word either. I am a trainer. I train bright young minds on the means of gathering and analyzing information. I train bright young minds on how to understand difficult techniques for cutting through and comprehending the massive amounts of information that are made available each day to find the important information and correctly apply this information to understanding human behavior in the political realm.
Training is about the subject, yes. But more importantly and more enjoyably, training is about the receiver of the effort--my students. My students are the reason I love my job. Bright young men and women, at a small, conservative, Christian liberal arts college. Most of my students are not in the morally reprehensible categories of mankind (indeed, I am more morally reprehensible than most of my students). My students provide me with great discussions and arguments, they force me to be more mentally agile and intellectually nimble. The least intelligent of my students challenge me to find ways to make difficult techniques and information accessible. The most intelligent force me to keep studying and researching. So, I love my job because of my students.
Additionally, while I am quite sure that much of what is happening in our world is not working for the betterment of mankind, my students make me eternally optimistic. I believe they will help put pieces of the puzzle in place. I believe they can find solutions to problems that plague mankind. I certainly know they can do no worse than my own generation--which I believe has added much to the problems and done little to solve the puzzles. So, while I may not understand, nor agree, with much of the changes my students insist are needed in how we communicate, how we transmit information, etc. I am edified daily by their growth and how they exemplify progress of the human mind and spirit. So, current and former students, take my statements here for what they are, my two cents as it is, a great thank you, for you are the reason I love my job.
But ah the teaching. See, teaching is not really the word either. I am a trainer. I train bright young minds on the means of gathering and analyzing information. I train bright young minds on how to understand difficult techniques for cutting through and comprehending the massive amounts of information that are made available each day to find the important information and correctly apply this information to understanding human behavior in the political realm.
Training is about the subject, yes. But more importantly and more enjoyably, training is about the receiver of the effort--my students. My students are the reason I love my job. Bright young men and women, at a small, conservative, Christian liberal arts college. Most of my students are not in the morally reprehensible categories of mankind (indeed, I am more morally reprehensible than most of my students). My students provide me with great discussions and arguments, they force me to be more mentally agile and intellectually nimble. The least intelligent of my students challenge me to find ways to make difficult techniques and information accessible. The most intelligent force me to keep studying and researching. So, I love my job because of my students.
Additionally, while I am quite sure that much of what is happening in our world is not working for the betterment of mankind, my students make me eternally optimistic. I believe they will help put pieces of the puzzle in place. I believe they can find solutions to problems that plague mankind. I certainly know they can do no worse than my own generation--which I believe has added much to the problems and done little to solve the puzzles. So, while I may not understand, nor agree, with much of the changes my students insist are needed in how we communicate, how we transmit information, etc. I am edified daily by their growth and how they exemplify progress of the human mind and spirit. So, current and former students, take my statements here for what they are, my two cents as it is, a great thank you, for you are the reason I love my job.
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