Home | Away

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Dean Dad responds—and how!

Like so:

Berube’s post is a couple of weeks old, since I stopped reading his stuff a few years ago. I mentally consigned him to the same category as Stanley Fish, David Horowitz, and Marc Bousquet—basically, predictable caricatures of their former selves who jumped the shark some time ago. When Berube did the Punch-and-Judy act with Horowitz, I stopped paying attention. I dimly remember him ‘retiring’ from blogging, which seemed about right. Apparently, though, he’s back, and his ego has only inflated.

Anyway.

Berube, who is tenured, attempts to eviscerate my proposal for a contract-based system as a successor to tenure. I say ‘attempts’ because he never actually engages with it, or with the reasons behind it. His method seems to be to drip contempt from on high and hope that enough sophistry and attitude will make up for the lack of an actual argument. This, from someone whose job it is to teach textual interpretation.

Well, yes, that has been my method for some time now.  But as DD admits, he hasn’t been paying attention, because ... hey, didn’t the phrase “jump the shark” jump the shark in 2005?

I’m not sure how seriously I can take a provocation from someone who thinks I made my “professional name” by “duking it out with Horowitz,” so I decided to respond by simply referring Dean Dad to my lawyers (the ones with guns and money), by reminding him that the AAUP’s Garcetti report does not support the conclusions he wants to draw from it, and by wishing him and his family a happy Thanksgiving.  That’s not snark, either!  That’s a real wish.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of all times, and this year we’re hosting twenty people for a couple of days.  It should be a madhouse.  I only hope that my old house’s water system holds up.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.  When I’m not cleaning up, finding lost clothing, refilling drinks, and making remarks about stuff, I’ll be working on that Story of the Broken Stick.  See you soon!

_______

When Black Friday Comes update:  I was unaware that Dean Dad’s reply was also posted at Inside Higher Ed.  The IHE version of DD’s post is 20 percent more delicious, because it mocks my photo in the upper right corner.  Twice!  In fact, DD takes that photo as evidence of my great big huge ego.  Apparently I think I am saving the planet from David Horowitz.

I think this might just be the best interpretation of anything ever.  I hereby apologize for nominating DD for the Richard Cohen Award.

But the really funny thing is that I do not look like Vladimir Putin in the least.  Everyone knows that I bear an eerie resemblance to Charles Kinbote.

Posted by Michael on 11/24 at 02:59 PM
(66) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Page 1 of 1 pages