Category Archives: Society

College Is More Than Just a Thing You Do

Posted on by under Critical Thinking, Society

During my junior year at Whittier College, I was the managing editor of our student newspaper. We put out an issue every week throughout the school year, which involved the combined efforts of a diverse mix of students who reported, wrote, and edited the stories, took the photographs, and handled the layout. I have fond memories of that time.

In each issue there were a few column inches of space set aside for an editorial. The editor-in-chief and I traded off each week writing the column. Most of them were last-minute compositions, often little more that whatever was on our mind that day. Some were pretty good. Others were not.

This being the 1988-1989 school year, the AIDS epidemic was on everybody’s mind to some degree. One week I wrote an editorial column that essentially repeated the conspiracy theory that the World Health Organization (WHO) was responsible for creating the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). I spent no time researching this topic and thus was simply repeating a rumor without bothering to consider the implications.

After that issue was published, I got a stern talking-to by our faculty advisor Gary Libman, a professional journalist at the Los Angeles Times and Whittier alum. He calmly stressed the importance of journalistic integrity and the need to critically assess and publish the facts, even in an editorial. He reminded me that as editors of a publication we have a responsibility to our readers that includes avoiding giving voice to rumor, hearsay, and misinformation. He was clearly unhappy that my column made it into print. Although he did not force me to issue a retraction or an apology, he probably wished he had been able to intervene before our publication date.

Me at Whittier College in 1990

This event from almost 40 years ago clearly made an impression on me. And I didn’t have to be told twice. I regretted my mistake, took Gary’s lessons to heart, and used this teachable moment as a chance to learn.

Because that is why I went to college–to learn. It sounds strange to have to say that, but it seems that more and more I am hearing about people who go to college not to learn but for some other reason. These include:

  • to get a job (a fine goal but not mutually exclusive of learning, one would hope)
  • to make a lot of money (education provides riches that money can’t buy)
  • to get The Degree (which feels more like the checking of a box than actual learning)
  • to be told things that align with your existing worldview (challenging assumptions is exactly what college exists for, so this makes no sense to me)
  • to play football (college is an educational institution first and foremost, in my view)
  • to get phenomenally drunk as often as possible (a classic college activity but not conducive to learning)
  • to get laid (again, classic but you can do that without having to pay tuition).

I’m going to be clear and say that I think these reasons are all bullshit, and here’s why.

College is a place that provides one of those rare opportunities in life: it places the individual student into a learning environment that is probably the richest they will ever encounter before or since. And by “learning environment” I mean both inside the classroom, on campus during non-class hours, and in the surrounding community. During my years in college, I was far removed from my sheltered suburban life, having to interact every day with people who were different from me and see through their eyes how they viewed the world.

College also is a place where faculty puts time and effort toward growing real, human intelligence, not artificial intelligence.

Furthermore, college is usually attended at an age when young adults are the most open to these learning opportunities. We are very much like sponges at that age, soaking up these new experiences and using them (hopefully) to help us shed the prejudices of our upbringing.

But the student must be willing to learn. Evidently, there are people who manage to get through four years of college without learning a thing. This is pointless. It is a waste of money and a waste of both the students’ and the professors’ time.

Sadly, the confluence of a variety of factors including market forces, academia that does not easily acknowledge or embrace change, and a growing distrust of our basic societal institutions such as schools, churches, and government has brought us to the brink of disaster as a nation.

This impending disaster wears two faces. One is the face of those young people who view college as just something to put on your resume, as a thing you do leading from here to there. These people are going to college only because they feel they have to, or their parents insist they do, or they think they want the ‘college experience’ (see drunk and getting laid above). Some of these maybe will emerge on the other side having been changed by the experience, and we’re lucky if they do.

The other face is of those who see college as an outright “scam” to be avoided. These are people who should be going to college–any college–but are not. And thus we have a growing number of citizens who have access to some of the best higher education in the world but instead are turning away.

To be clear, I agree that the academic demands and the traditional structures of college means that it is not suitable for everybody. However, the things college teaches–critical thinking, awareness that there is more than one way of seeing things, learning that life is more than just grubbing for money–are very suitable for every person who wants to live in our multicultural, modern society. If they don’t get those things from college, I hope they get them from somewhere.

The Pink Soccer Cleat

Posted on by under Society

When I was younger I played soccer, first for my town’s recreational league and then for my high school.

Back then, soccer cleats (a.k.a. football boots) were available almost always in black. Black was what customers demanded and black was what manufacturers provided. It didn’t matter the brand–addidas, Nike, Mitre, Puma, whatever–black was it.

Sometimes there were a few other color options, however. And when I was in high school I bought a pair of cleats that were white. They were in my size and a good price, so that’s what I got.

Wearing them to practice and during games, I got a lot of ribbing from my teammates. That I stood out from all the other players was one of the nicer comments I remember.

It bothered me that I was being noticed not for my ability or my contributions to the team, but instead for my nonconformity. If I was a valuable asset to the team, I didn’t think it should matter what color my cleats were.

Fast forward to 2026 and I’m watching some of the games of this year’s World Cup tournament. And what do I see? Almost all the players are wearing cleats that are not black, but pink!

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 06: Players of United States pose for a team photograph prior to the international friendly match between United States and Germany at Soldier Field on June 06, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Literally every team seems to accept that pink is the new black. And it appears to be true of more than one brand of shoe.

According to news outlets, this is because players want to stand out. There is a “high demand for bolder colors” because the players claim that it gives them confidence. I initially thought that the pink color was a sign that the players were making some kind of statement in support of women’s health or Pride Month. But no, it is simply because having fancy colored cleats juices their game.

By that logic, my white cleats should have been a benefit both to me personally and to the whole team. If I had an increase in confidence because of my footwear, then our overall gameplay would have improved and it would have been welcomed. But that’s not how I remember it.

What I remember is that I was the odd man out. And if this is how I remember feeling, I can only begin to imagine what it was like for the one Asian-American guy on our team, who took an unnecessary amount of racial verbal abuse. Or a player who maybe was gay but in the closet.

I suppose that if everyone on the team is wearing pink cleats, then it becomes about conformity again and no one stands out. It’s not the color that matters, it’s how you play the game.

Because sports is very much about conformity. To be on The Team, a player has to toe the line, stay in-bounds, not rock the boat (sorry for the cliches). Those who don’t measure up are harassed, bullied, even assaulted.

Being part of a team shouldn’t feel this way. But so often it does.

I don’t play soccer any more.

The Trouble With Being American

Posted on by under Self, Society

I have no cultural identity other than “American.” I do not consider myself to be Irish-American or African-American or Hispanic-American or any other cultural identity that I can fall back on. So you can understand my displeasure at the current state of America.

The United States is my country. I was born here and have lived here all of my life. Going back to the early 1700’s, my ancestors have been born here, lived here, and are buried here.

This is the only criteria for American citizenship–be born on American soil (see the U.S. Constitution, 14th Amendment). There are no other criteria, tests, or qualifications.

Some people try to make the claim that “real” Americans are those who typically exhibit outward displays of patriotism, have a simplistic view of our nation’s origins, and hold narrow views of what an American should look like. But there is nothing to support that claim. It is just personal opinion (that can be safely ignored).

Singing the National Anthem more loudly does not make you more American. Waving the flag more vigorously does not make you more American. Having more ancestors here does not make you more American. Serving in the military does not make you more American. Being Christian does not make you more American. These things simply don’t.

Unfortunately, these same people also claim to know what America really is (as opposed to what?) and refuse to acknowledge that there is, or even might be, a more expansive, messy, diverse, and complicated understanding of our country.

And the sad thing for me is, that version of the “real” America–the one currently being heavily promoted by Donald Trump and his MAGA co-conspirators–is not my America. It is not the America that I see, or ever want to see in my lifetime. Instead, it is some strange conflagration of illusions, misinformation, wishful thinking, and self-righteousness with large doses of self-delusion, racism, and xenophobia mixed in. (MAGA Americans like to say that those critical of their political positions must hate America. In my view, the America in the “Make America Great Again” is a fictional, made-up place that they somehow think we can return to, making such criticism absurd.)

So where does that leave me?

I am an American in an America that I don’t recognize. When the stars and stripes is displayed, how am I supposed to feel? How can I say I’m proud to be an American when the America that is currently on display is a cruel, mentally unstable place that goes against my integrity and inner sense of what an American is supposed to be?

Sadly, I feel that the America I grew up in, that I learned about in school and on the street, and that I believed in, is rapidly disappearing. Once it is gone, and replaced with something unrecognizable, what then?

Public Transportation, for the People

Posted on by under Connection, Society

My seat on the Metro train has an empty Bacardi bottle and a lime wedge.

The guy in the seat behind me is dancing along with the music in his headphones like nobody is watching.

The woman in the seat in front of me is talking on her phone. The contact on her phone says My Boo.

Sometimes, the person sitting across from me is reading a book in Chinese, and the person sitting next to me is reading a book in Russian.

Sometimes, street dancers will board the train and perform to loud music as the train moves between two stations, asking for money before they exit to try again on the next train. This is technically not legal but it sure is entertaining.

Life on public transportation is rarely dull.

On the Washington, D.C. Metro, one will see a whole palette of humanity, from drunkards to lawyers to tourists and families. There is Black and White, Asian and Latinx. There is young and old, healthy and infirm, and plenty of Queer people. Sometimes it’s so crowded you can barely move. Other times I’m one of only a few people.

It’s always good to be aware of one’s surroundings, but it’s equally good to notice who’s on board with you. Sometimes I’m surprised when my first impression of someone is proven to be wrong, when they turn out to be kinder or more gentle than they appear.

Sometimes tensions do flare and voices are raised. It’s not always a simple matter to squeeze so much variety into an enclosed train car or bus. But I have yet to see, after decades on the trains, any true violence.

Not that there’s no violence in the Metro system because sometimes there is, late at night or in less populated stations. But it seems usually more to do with personal animosity and unrelated to the “public” part of public transportation.

Riding public transportation requires an unwritten social contract: I leave you alone to get where you need to go and you leave me alone to get where I need to go. Without it, the effectiveness of public transportation breaks down.

People sometimes violate this social contract by doing such things as begging for money, getting into arguments or shoving matches, or trying to talk to someone who does not want to be talked to, especially if it’s about politics or religion.

But they remain in the minority. Most people I ride with don’t try to turn the bus or train into a market or an exclusive place where some people are allowed to ride and others are chased away. Which is good because I imagine there is a tipping point where there would be fewer and fewer riders because they don’t feel comfortable or safe. As long as most people get onboard because the bus or train gets them where they need to go, public transportation will continue to serve its purpose.

I realize that public transportation has a reputation, and I think it is mostly undeserved. It seems to be based on media portrayals of the New York City subway system, which in movies is always a crime-ridden place filled with bums, garbage and graffiti. I have not ridden the NYC subway, but I have ridden public transportation in Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, London, Munich, Paris, Auckland, and of course Washington, D.C. My experience has been that, when public transportation is properly run and cared for, it is something that ordinary people find appealing and useful. It is not something that caters only to the dregs of society.

There are people who fear public transportation even under the best conditions. As a result, they travel in their own private vehicles, isolating themselves from the public as much as possible. But that solves nothing and only contributes to many problems.

In the old fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast, the Beast lives in isolation and scares everyone away because of his arrogance, hatred, and selfishness. It is only when he allows himself to be in the presence of others that the curse is lifted.

Do You Have the Password?

Posted on by under Society

I don’t know when this started happening — maybe it’s been happening all along and I just didn’t notice until recently — but Americans have code words and pass phrases that are intended to signal one’s political beliefs. It was when I was visiting my aged mother in California that I finally understood what was going on.

My mother lives in a retirement community where the residents are mostly White people who are politically conservative and go to church regularly (“Christian” in some circles).

My mom introduced me to some of her neighbors and the usual questions were asked of me: Where do you live? Do you have children? What do you do for a living?

At some point in the conversation, one of them asked me whether I thought there was too much regulation in this country. Keep in mind that I read and interpret federal and state regulations for a living, so I thought that they were legitimately asking my professional opinion on the topic.

So I said “It depends — California is a highly regulated state.” I was about to ask whether there was some regulation that they had in mind that they thought was a step too far, but this person dropped the topic entirely and the subject was changed.

In the moment, I found this curious. But later I realized what had happened: I had not passed the test.

If I had said “Yes, there is too much regulation” then I would have been accepted as one of them. Since I didn’t do that — since I wanted to actually talk about the topic instead of using it to signal my belief system — they realized I was not one of them and they didn’t therefore want to have anything more to do with me (“Christians,” remember).

In other words, “too much regulation” is a shibboleth.

A shibboleth is a password used to test someone’s identity. If the question is answered correctly or incorrectly, or if the right code words are used or not used, then identity confirmed! No more discussion required. No need to spend anyone’s time probing further into why people have the views they do. If you’re not part of the clan, then you’re no longer interesting or safe.

There are several shibboleths in play right now, in addition to “too much regulation,” that are used to signal one’s conservative politics:

  • political correctness
  • identity politics
  • pro life
  • voter fraud and election security (meaning of course voter disenfranchisement)
  • gay agenda
  • affirmative action
  • government handout
  • entitlements
  • all lives matter
  • parents’ rights (or parental rights)
  • school choice (meaning of course school segregation)
  • government is the enemy (unless it is the government you voted for)

These words and phrases have been almost entirely stripped of any true meaning and have instead become buzzwords and code (as I’ve noted in a few cases above).

In other words, one cannot use any of these phrases to in good faith talk about the actual underlying issues because their meaning is now tainted by the underlying associations. It is similar to how the swastika used to be just a Hindu design motif. But now any use of the swastika in any context will immediately represent Nazism, Hitler, and the slaughter of millions of Jews.

If you come across any of these words or phrases, beware. An agenda lies beneath whatever the speaker claims to be saying. And it’s not an agenda of inclusion.

And if you want to in good faith use, for instance, “identity” in the same sentence as “politics” then be very careful how you approach that. You may accidentally be signaling that you are a Trump supporter.

It’s interesting to note that the word “shibboleth” comes from a Bible story (Judges 12:1- 6). The story is that the Gileadites used the word as a pass code to figure out who was from Gilead and which people were Ephraimites, the enemy du jour. The Ephraimites could not pronounce the word correctly and thus were outed as being not from Gilead. Once outed, they were killed. “Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at that time.” (Judges 12:6).

Pretty harsh for a sacred book that allegedly is about the love of God.

And what can be said about conservatives? There once was a concept of “compassionate conservatism.” But as I look around, I don’t see much compassion for those who don’t pass the test. Instead, the wagons are circled, discourse is cut off, and lives are dismissed.

Not very Christian.