Episode 5. Food Fight || Tour d'Ivoire, Struggling but Pursuing
"Et Vigny, plus secret, Comme en sa tour d'ivoire, avant midi rentrait." - First introduced in its modern meaning by the French author Sainte-Beauve, the term 'ivory tower' has been used to describe an intellectual pursuit isolated from worldly concerns. And it has also been used to refer to a university. Why should colleges be called as "tour d'ivoire"? The fact implies that a number of people had been considering the university as a pioneering epicenter of an academia. Because colleges are meant to be so. Bowdoin's superfluous suppers and amenities, as Gladwell points out, contradicts the pursuit of an ivory tower. Fabulous food and astounding facilities are for hotels, not academies. Worldly pursuits must not be an ultimate goal of tuition; instead, it must be used to satiate students' intellectual aspire.
It is to pursue the virtue of the ivory tower, not to abandon necessary elements of a quality school life other than financial aid. The problem prevailing in the contemporary college culture is that the institutions are neglecting their fundamental reason of existence but chasing after commercial benefits. Of course, good food and good dormitory all contribute to the better environment as the aspect of a "good school". However, a number of colleges are pursuing the worldly wealth and benefits prior to their duty on academia, so that the opportunity for an education is not equally provided to the students of various backgrounds. What is the worth of Michelin-star cafeteria for the affluent if hundreds and thousands of gifted but deprived are losing their opportunity to receive a quality education? The capitalistic ideology prevalent in our society and its colleges are hindering the development of the mankind by undermining the environment the talented but impecunious youth could cultivate their ability through an education. Yes - this is to call for the necessity to recognize the common negligence the public has on this serious "food fight", not to enforce a certain budget control over the colleges' safe.
It is to pursue the virtue of the ivory tower, not to abandon necessary elements of a quality school life other than financial aid. The problem prevailing in the contemporary college culture is that the institutions are neglecting their fundamental reason of existence but chasing after commercial benefits. Of course, good food and good dormitory all contribute to the better environment as the aspect of a "good school". However, a number of colleges are pursuing the worldly wealth and benefits prior to their duty on academia, so that the opportunity for an education is not equally provided to the students of various backgrounds. What is the worth of Michelin-star cafeteria for the affluent if hundreds and thousands of gifted but deprived are losing their opportunity to receive a quality education? The capitalistic ideology prevalent in our society and its colleges are hindering the development of the mankind by undermining the environment the talented but impecunious youth could cultivate their ability through an education. Yes - this is to call for the necessity to recognize the common negligence the public has on this serious "food fight", not to enforce a certain budget control over the colleges' safe.
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