In Which I Angst Over Liberal Guilt

[oneofthemearas]

So, St. Olaf tries to cultivate this idea of "Lives of Worth and Service" in its students.  We are supposed to lead lives of "unselfish service to others", as I believe the mission statement puts it (have I mentioned how much I hate mission statements?  Well I do.  A lot).  You know what?  I don't want to.

I am surrounded by people who are

Comments

[formendacil]

While agreeing in basic principle with your friend and the idea of being able to make a difference wherever life takes you, I'll dance around your central issue here so as to speak to the main reason I'm commenting: I hate mission statements too.

A mission statement either states the obvious (if it's a good one), in which case it's redundant, or else it's the concoction of some bubbly, happy, feel-goody committee with about as much grounding in reality as Hookbill's Phantom and Alien cartoon, but not nearly as funny...

Yeah... I'm really not a fan of the concoctions of the "feel good" committees.

I think she is right.....

[mithalwen]

in that it is not bad to want that stuff. You will work pay taxes ... you don't have to do something dramatic to change the world. I mean it is good that some doctors are motivated ot work in developing countries but that doesn't mean that the doctors who treat peopel in their own countries are not doing good useful work. You can do good things and have a good life yourself. My cousin has a nice house a decent job and travels but is a school governor ... it isna't an all or nothing thing.