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I was also assigned "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand, which I consider to be poorly written neo-fascist drivel. There was a point to the assignment. However much I hated it, I sucked it up and read it.
Hah, vile book, and garbage writing, to boot. How do I know? Because I read it. And came away with a much greater understanding of why I feel the way I do about the philosophies espoused by Rand and her acolytes. Gaining perspective on things you absolutely don't agree with is useful, isn't it?
If you are going to college then you should read the required reading materials for that class. Just because you read it, does not mean that you feel the same way the writer or author did, about the subject matter. But in order to learn and to expand your universe you need to read the required material (If the class that has such offensive reading material to you, is not the correct one there are usually several other classes that can be taken instead which will count toward your degree in that area.)
Books aren't evil. They are your friend! Embrace them! Read them! Don't be afraid of them!
A million times yes! Read the book. It might **** you off, and it might not. You might think it's drivel, or you might think it's profound. If might offend you, or it might open your mind. In any case, IT WON'T HURT YOU.
I was uncomfortable at first about an assignment where I had to guess about our teacher's childhood to Adulthood. My Teacher was Indian. Most of our stories were partly correct.
One of them was very funny where she is Indian princess in exile and hiding from some guys. Her boyfriend is her bodyguard. At the end ,I thought it was fun assignment that we actually learned something.
Silly me - here I was thinking that if you never read anything you disagree with, you can't possibly hold any intelligent opinions!
There you go...thinking that the point of education is become an informed individual able to think critically due to exposure to various schools of thought, again.
Better yet, what if "Uncle Tom's Cabin", "Tom Sawyer", "Huckleberry Finn", or many other books written in the 1800s were "required reading".
Would the anti-racists be up in arms over them?
Somehow, I kinda think so.
But then, it appears that "racism" and "bigotry" are valid concerns.
Morality isn't.
Lumping Uncle Tom's Cabin, Tom Sawyer, and Huckleberry Finn together as some kind of triumvirate of racially "objectionable" 19th century novels simply demonstrates your ignorance of all three works. I suggest that you read the books in question before you start babbling.
Sure, and why don't you just venture out of your left-liberal "bubble" and read Mein Kampf and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. That's essentially what your suggesting believing Christians should do when insisting they read gay porn.
Seriously? A book with a homosexual plot line is not on the same level as Mein Kampf and Protocols of the elders of Zion. Their subject matter is an apples to oranges analogy.
For the record, I'd have no problem with either of those being assigned reading in a course. I've read both for college courses in the past.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TabulaRasa
I'm confused as to why someone would think that reading books would force you to believe in ideas you choose to reject. One's own beliefs must not be so deeply held, if this is the case.
If anything take the book you vehemently disagree with and go through and critique it. Find out what you don't like and explain why you disagree or why it's wrong. Use the book as a tool to strengthen your argument against it.
You can learn just as much from disagreeing with the content of a book as you can reading a book you morally agree with.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TabulaRasa
Hah, demanding that particular books be removed from the required (or, worse, even simply SUGGESTED) curriculum is pretty much the antithesis of "social justice!"
I know that, unfortunately far too many think situations like this are actual "social injustices" and that's the real problem.
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