If you didn't already think college today was an absolute waste of money since universities have become centers for left-wing indoctrination and offer degrees in useless categories like "gender studies," the latest offering from a number of universities, including the once prestigious Harvard, should push you over the edge.
Come this spring, the University of Florida, Harvard, and UC Berkeley, will offer a course about pop sensation Taylor Swift, arguably the highest-grossing and most influential musician of our time. Yes, that's right; parents are paying thousands of dollars a year for their kids to go to college and learn about a pop singer. I'm ready to get off the ride now.
Of course, none of this is Swift's fault, though she is a Democrat and probably loves the idea of major colleges and universities studying her. No, this is a sign of the times we live in, where celebrities are elevated high above normal people and worshiped for their contributions to society, which consists of entertainment and not much else.
According to a report from the Harvard Crimson, Stephanie L. Burt, a professor and "diehard Swiftie" with the Ivy League school, is all set to teach a new course entitled, "Taylor Swift and Her World," which will make its debut in the spring at the institution's English Department. Yikes.
“In this class, students will earn college credit for their deep dives into Swift’s lyrics, music, and influence, dissecting her catalog and reading a host of authors Burt finds relevant to understanding Swift’s artistry,” the newspaper revealed about the course.
“I try to teach only the courses that I think our students can really use — either because students want them or because our curriculum needs them," Burt said.
Okay, wait a second. Do you mean to tell me that this "professor" actually thinks that a college-level course exploring Taylor Swift is going to be useful to students? How? I'm sorry, but I just don't get it. I don't see how this could possibly be applicable to the real world. Can someone explain how knowing more about Swift will help someone land a good job or enhance an individual's chances of succeeding when it comes to receiving promotions?
Here's more from Breitbart:
Burt added that she plans to explore the “Cruel Summer” singer’s shift from the country genre to pop — which coincided with her move from Nashville to Manhattan — in the context of what the professor believes is the South’s shifting relationship with the rest of the United States.
“Taylor Swift is someone who establishes complicated and changing relationships to the idea of Americanness and to the idea of white Americanness and of middle America,” Burt said.
The professor believes that such concepts are worthy of study and analysis at an Ivy League institution.
“Taylor Swift is a good way to think about what it’s like to have a lot of eyes on you and to wonder what you do with your privilege,” Burt said. “To look around and ask, ‘I’m pretty ambitious and I got to this place when I was pretty young. What do I do next? What do I do with all this attention?'”
The Swift course to be offered at UC Berkeley, which will be for credit, is called, "Artistry & Entrepreneurship: Taylor's Vision." The class will be taught by a graduate of the college, Crystal Haryanto, who is teaching the class as a means of addressing the "stereotypical critiques" of the pop singer and her rise to superstardom.
“I had the most fun dreaming up the unit on personas, perceptions, and personalities,” Haryanto said during an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “There’s so much to unpack in terms of the relationship between Taylor as an individual and an image in the media, and how she constantly reinvents her music and style.”
The University of Florida is following suit with an offering called, "Musical Storytelling With Taylor Swift and other Iconic Female Artists." Honestly, this one actually could have some practical value, especially for those interested in pursuing an actual career in music or writing. The others are kind of useless, but I can see the application for the UoF class. A philosophy student might also benefit from a class concerning the thematic material contained in Swift's music.
However, outside of those areas of study, a student just randomly choosing these courses is going to be wasting money. But then again, just about every dime spent on a college education today is essentially flushing cash down the toilet.
There's never been a better time to consider learning a trade. Just throwing that out there. Not everyone has to go to college to earn a good living.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member