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Camelia Kelly
Sabrina Vargas-Ortiz
EN106FirstYearWritingSeminarII:AcademicResearch&Writing
November 8, 2015
Mark Edmundsons theory of Education as a Culture of Consumerism
In Mark Edmundsons On the Uses of a Liberal Education: As Lite Entertainment for Bored
College Students Edmundson contends that students view their education as a consumer. During
the evaluation process Edmundson describes the students as being infiltrated by theattitudeof
calmconsumerexpertisethatpervadestheresponses.(Edmundson4)He maintains a sense of
anxiousness throughout the student-instructor evaluation. However, he is well aware of the end
result, and realizes that he will not be satisfied with the same monotonous responses. He hungers
for more, something more tangible. Edmundson states, Iwantsomeofthemtosaythattheyve
beenchangedbythecourse.Iwantthemtomeasurethemselvesagainstwhattheyve
read.(Edmundson6)
EdmundsoncontendsthatLiberalartseducationisinastateofcatastrophe.Universitieshave
stifledthetraditionaltheoriesheldbyprofessorswhodesiretoteachgenius,andhavereplacedit
withaformoftechnicalmulticulturalismandidentitypolitics.Edmundsonthenelaborates
with,itsthatuniversityculture,likeAmericanculturewritlarge,is,toputitcrudely,ever
moredevotedtoconsumption(Edmundson9)
Edmundsonsassumptionforthelackofenthusiasminstudentsrevertsnottothestudents
themselves,buttotheinfluencehadonthemfromtheirparentswhocreatedthiscultureof
consumption,thathasledtothecurrentstateofhigherlearning.Hestates,Itsmygenerationof
parentswhoshelteredthesestudents,keptthemawayfromthehardknocksofeverydaylife,

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makingthemcautiousandoverfragile,whodemandedthattheirteachers,fromgradeschoolon,
flatterthemendlesslysothatthekidsareshockediftheircollegeprofsdontreflexivelysuckup
tothem.(Edmundson19)Universitiesactivelysolicitstudentsandmarketthemselvesasa
producttobepurchasedbystudentsandprofessorsareobligatedtoentertainandselltheir
coursestostudentsinordertomaintainanenvironmentofconsumerism.
Withtheintrusionofconsumerismasaculture,studentshavelosttheirpassionforlearning.The
demandtocatertostudentshasledtotheloweringofstandardsandacreationofless
challengingenvironments.Thisculturehasproventobecounterproductiveinhelpingstudentsin
acquiringcreativityandindependence.
The voice of consumerism has infiltrated the quality of education received by students. However,
there is a solution for some who have not been clouded by the culture of consumerism.
Edmundson states, Ultimately,though,itisuptoindividualsandindividualstudentsin

particulartomaketheirownwayagainstthecurrentsludgytide.(Edmundson59)
Professorsmusttakeastandagainstthisculturebyinspiringandinstillinggenius.Studentsneed
toopentheirmindstotheworldandacceptmorethanthestatusquo.

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Works Cited
Edmundson, M. (2015). On the uses of a liberal education: As lite entertainment for bored
college students. In Greene, S. & Lindiskey, S. (3rd) From Inquiry to
Academic Writing
(389-403). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins.