It’s been a while since I have posted
some thoughts into this NACWR blog. I’ve been a bit busy and many things have
happened. For instance I was tenured. After several years in academics, some
folks decided I was worthy of a permanent job.
My Dean at the time of tenure, Eddie Lawlor, said something like…tenure
is a very unique thing, it is a contract between you and the university that
guarantees employment for the rest of your working life. It is a great gift.
I agree. It is a great gift. While
tenure means different things to different people, the most common
understanding is that tenure means “…you can’t be fired.” Or at least a tenured
person would have to basically commit a serious, on-the-job crime before being
fired – and still there would be a process to determine if it impacted tenure.
An acquaintance, who has the basic
understanding of tenure and who thinks on the level of an uninformed teenager,
learned I got tenure while we were at a university fund raiser, surrounded by
students, faculty and community folks, and stated in a loud voice, “Oh dude…you
got tenure?...you could F@#k a student right here on this table and they could
not F@#king fire you!”
Yes. Tenure can protect against poor,
inappropriate, unethical, dishonorable behaviors. And it most certainly has in
the past. Anyone who uses the gift of
tenure to pursue unethical actions, is…well…I’m not sure what that is.
eMotions
My thoughts about tenure is more in line
with its original intent, guaranteeing the right to express opinions (academic
freedom) that might go against community norms or expectations. Similar to why certain judges receive
lifetime appointments/tenure – they can express their views without worry of
community or political pressures.
Words are very powerful. They have the
ability to influence. Why write something for the sake of nothing?
With social media it is now much easier
to gather and direct a mob/movement with words. We have the ability to connect
with several hundred of your closest “friends” who also have their own pod of
“friends.” These eConnections allow for unmet, fragile emotional needs to be
medicated with the number of “likes” clicked.
A good measure of the size of an
emotional hole in someone is to count the number of social media “eFriends” one has.
Words
will never hurt me
Words [clicking “like”], have the power
to heal. And the more Likes the better. The potential impact of this simple,
one word, can be significant. There are other words that have the capacity of
an improvised explosive device (IED).
These words are so powerful I hesitate
to write them here – even with the protection of tenure!
Recently, there was a presentation
delivered by a tenured professor who used a certain word (the n-word, used as to avoid the full, exact
spelling word). It seems our ears are ill-equipped to deal with the n-word, than our mind, which is able to
understand it fully.
Imply the word – Yes. Speak it – Never!
Natives have their own word – the r-word. A football team in Washington DC
uses this word, along with a visual. This word is the team’s brand – it’s their
trademark.
There are off-limit words for other
communities as well.
Please know…I am not arguing if these
words should be spoken or not, I am making a case that these words have
power. Perceived power for the speaker and potential harm to the hearer.
There was a saying I recall using and
being used on me during my youth that goes: Sticks and stones may break my bones - but
words will never hurt me.
This statement and stance is used to
castrate the power from the word. Its
message is: Yes…my bones being broken would result in excruciating pain and
suffering. Some injuries resulting from being battered by sticks and stones
could have lifelong consequences. I could be physically and/or psychologically
disabled. I could be killed as the result of your beating -- I may not ever
recover.
However, your words have no consequences
for me – none.
Mother Nature designed my bone structure to break under certain physical pressures. She also designed me so that my emotional structure, is not at all impacted by words.
Mother Nature designed my bone structure to break under certain physical pressures. She also designed me so that my emotional structure, is not at all impacted by words.
The emotional impact that results from a
spoken word landing on my eardrum is equal to the physical impact of a
butterfly landing on my forearm.
Words are not harmful as I am a strong
human being and I know who I am. What you think, believe or say has no impact
on me – even if it is about me. Your words have the weight and impact of
butterflies. If one happens to land on me, I do not feel it. No marks…no
worries.
What does worry me?
Sticks
and Stones…
