The components of life are defined by cars, television, sports, and hobbies. Although this statement is partly true, it is missing several key factors; the sentence excludes the ties between business, politics, and taxes--a more realistic side. In Gerald Graff’s article “Hidden Intellectualism,” he seems to forget the “work hard” part of “work hard, play hard.” He would rather live a simple life filled with only baseball, basketball, and football. He believes that schools can give an education through topics like these. Graff inaccurately assumes that schools should teach more interesting subjects, that sports are more cognitive than school, and that education is a downgraded version of sports; however, his claims rest upon the questionable assumption that sports teach life skills better than school.
Graff wrongfully believes that schools should present more relatable subjects. He expresses this by saying, “But [students] would be more prone to take on intellectual identities if we [as professors] encouraged them to do so at first on subjects that interest them rather than ones that interest us” (Graff 381). While this may help some students, associating an education with sports, cars, TV, and other similar subjects could be detrimental to a student's comprehension level. Students should not be focused on the subjects they are comfortable with; instead, they should challenge their minds and broaden their topic spectrum. Furtherly, a student should not limit his or herself to a topic that they enjoy but expand his or herself to a topic that he or she could obtain new knowledge in. How else would a football star associate with his political family? If the only subject he studied was football, he would not be able to hold a conversation about the Watergate scandal or a political debate. All in all, subjects should not be limited to the topics that are found interesting but to the ones that are challenging.
Secondly, Graff thinks that sports are more abstract than school. According to Graff, “Only much later did it dawn on me that the sports world was more compelling than school because it was more intellectual than school, not less” (384). He goes on to add that school was not as challenging. Of course, I do not view this in the same aspect. School gives challenging topics and subjects, which may not be interesting topics to all students, but the stale and bland keynotes will later aid in the business side of life. Unless, that is of course, a student goes into a sports-based career. In that case, if students do not explore different topics, they could end up wasting their time. They will have gone an entire lifetime of education with have only studying one subject and potentially hating it, yet they will not have any knowledge on other subjects to be able to change their career. Students need to focus on their future and what they want to do with the rest of their life. Sports will not make you think about that. Overall, sports are not more intricate than school.
Lastly, Graff claims that when comparing school and sports, sports have upgraded components. In Graff’s view, “School competition, in short, reproduced the less attractive features of sports culture without those that create close bonds and community” (385). Unfortunately, Graff did not think about the students who did not play sports. There are several student who do not take delight in sports, television, fashion, dating, or any video games. Instead, those students take interest in the education they are receiving and do not complain about the lack of relatable topics. In that process, they obtain lifetime friends that shared one common interest--school. Classrooms give students opportunity to “create close bonds and community (385).” They allow students to come together on one level. School gives the benefit of understanding desk work, typing, and discussion of subjects that matter. In reality, school obtains better features.
In conclusion, in the article “Hidden Intellectualism,” Gerald Graff unrightfully believes that schools neglect to choose better topics, schools are not as rational as sports, and sports contain higher qualities than school. In order to be successful in life, Graff needs to “work hard” and save the “play hard” for later because life is bigger than a ball on a field or court; it is as big as the office that follows the education.
Works Cited
Gerald Graff. "Hidden Intellectualism." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 380-387. Print
Graff wrongfully believes that schools should present more relatable subjects. He expresses this by saying, “But [students] would be more prone to take on intellectual identities if we [as professors] encouraged them to do so at first on subjects that interest them rather than ones that interest us” (Graff 381). While this may help some students, associating an education with sports, cars, TV, and other similar subjects could be detrimental to a student's comprehension level. Students should not be focused on the subjects they are comfortable with; instead, they should challenge their minds and broaden their topic spectrum. Furtherly, a student should not limit his or herself to a topic that they enjoy but expand his or herself to a topic that he or she could obtain new knowledge in. How else would a football star associate with his political family? If the only subject he studied was football, he would not be able to hold a conversation about the Watergate scandal or a political debate. All in all, subjects should not be limited to the topics that are found interesting but to the ones that are challenging.
Secondly, Graff thinks that sports are more abstract than school. According to Graff, “Only much later did it dawn on me that the sports world was more compelling than school because it was more intellectual than school, not less” (384). He goes on to add that school was not as challenging. Of course, I do not view this in the same aspect. School gives challenging topics and subjects, which may not be interesting topics to all students, but the stale and bland keynotes will later aid in the business side of life. Unless, that is of course, a student goes into a sports-based career. In that case, if students do not explore different topics, they could end up wasting their time. They will have gone an entire lifetime of education with have only studying one subject and potentially hating it, yet they will not have any knowledge on other subjects to be able to change their career. Students need to focus on their future and what they want to do with the rest of their life. Sports will not make you think about that. Overall, sports are not more intricate than school.
Lastly, Graff claims that when comparing school and sports, sports have upgraded components. In Graff’s view, “School competition, in short, reproduced the less attractive features of sports culture without those that create close bonds and community” (385). Unfortunately, Graff did not think about the students who did not play sports. There are several student who do not take delight in sports, television, fashion, dating, or any video games. Instead, those students take interest in the education they are receiving and do not complain about the lack of relatable topics. In that process, they obtain lifetime friends that shared one common interest--school. Classrooms give students opportunity to “create close bonds and community (385).” They allow students to come together on one level. School gives the benefit of understanding desk work, typing, and discussion of subjects that matter. In reality, school obtains better features.
In conclusion, in the article “Hidden Intellectualism,” Gerald Graff unrightfully believes that schools neglect to choose better topics, schools are not as rational as sports, and sports contain higher qualities than school. In order to be successful in life, Graff needs to “work hard” and save the “play hard” for later because life is bigger than a ball on a field or court; it is as big as the office that follows the education.
Works Cited
Gerald Graff. "Hidden Intellectualism." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 380-387. Print