Low Class

For two hours each week, I sit in a room with a professor and Master's students, and discuss Britney Spears, Hollywood, and "kids these days."

There's the occasional nod to Adorno, postmodernism, and political economy. But mostly, the dialogue is uninformed by any academic underpinnings. Comments are often reductive to the point of being offensive, and incorrect statements are passed off as hard-nosed facts.

None of my undergraduate courses were this facile. Fifteen years ago, this wouldn't have bothered me. Today, time and money are not exactly in abundance. And I hate having to spend a lot of both on something that provides less intellectual stimulation than a random conversation with one of my media geek friends.

What's even more frustrating is that there's intelligent discussion to be had here. The topic of mass culture is ripe with academic controversy. And the dominant theories have holes so big that you could drive a truck through them. The professor has the intellectual chops, and I know that at least some of the students can operate at a higher level.

Grrr.