Word: socialism
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Observing Harvard seniors flocking to consulting and investment banking, I am devastatingly aware that our society suffers from acute self-hatred. How else can one reconcile the social valorization of these careers with the social stigmatization of so-called "socially responsible careers"? The predominant perceptions are clear enough: a stated intention to pursue a socially responsible career frequently elicits a "How come?" whereas the intention to pursue a consulting or investment banking career seldom requires justification. It is increasingly difficult for Harvard students entering socially responsible careers to wrest themselves from the unsettling inertia of the University's cultural norms...
What's more, the number of opportunities for social interactions on campus has grown tremendously in recent years. Consider ethnic and cultural groups: In the early 1980s, just five ethnic groups represented the entire campus; today over 50 groups are recognized by the University. Social capital among the student body seems at first glance on the rise...
...what kind of social capital is it? Everyone and her roommate may be in several student groups, but does that necessarily translate into greater interaction and more comprehensive social networks? The answer, I fear, is no. While some of the new groups are public service organizations (which bring people together in common purpose), most are very specific in their target audience (see "The Texas Club") and feature long lists of inert members. A telling example is the Asian-American Association (AAA), which is one of the largest ethnic organization on campus. This distinction is based on the size...
...fact, social capital at Harvard College is in a pretty deplorable state. The Undergraduate Council is perceived to be a joke, so much so that in Adams House in the latest election, only eight brave residents dared to exercise their right to vote. Support for athletic teams is non-existent. The only things that motivate people to attend sporting events are the prospect of getting free stuff (Midnight Madness) or the prospect of getting drunk (the Harvard/Yale game...
...what is to be done? Should we throw our hands up and admit defeat? Are we condemned to living forever without a sense of community? In fact, that attitude is precisely what leads to a decline in social capital. So many of us are caught up in complaining about how the University won't let us party and how the school has no spirit that we do not pause to do anything about...