The conclusion of Spider-Man’s origin comic bears this quote: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
If that seems a heavy lift for today, then settle for this low bar: half of success in life is simply showing up. Somewhere in that spectrum of philosophical imperative we can marshal arguments encouraging the raison d’etre of universities, professors and, most of all, students in our present. Getting your tail to class. On time. As often as possible.
The chances overwhelmingly are that your time here is being heavily subsidized by the state, federal government, University, scholarships and for some, let’s not forget your parents. We owe them a lot for the privilege of attending any institution of higher learning. They expect students who will leave the world better than they found it.
The easiest thing we can do to make good on that investment is getting planted on a seat, even if it is at 8 a.m on a Monday.
We get it, believe us. Bed, even alone, is one of life’s great simple luxuries. If someone’s in there from the night before, there is an additional great reason to stay there. Skull-crunching hangovers are another. None of these, however, are proper excuses for missing class.
We are offered an ancient yet flexible model where we bring our individual perspectives and ideas into a collective setting for the purpose of exchanging and refining knowledge. The classroom serves as a conservative defense of the best we can be, and have been, against the worst, newest version of the same old easy answers.
From a class can also come a radical journey towards new and better individual and collective futures. We only get to be there once. Shun the darkness of your bedroom.
Step into the light.
