Op-Ed
A Disorientation Guide: The Cornell corporation and mental colonialism
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Praxis Makes Perfect
April 28, 2008 - 11:00pmHigh above the waters of Cayuga Lake on a hill stolen from the Cayuga people sits our beloved Cornell University, a high caliber institution, held in the highest esteem, respected throughout civil society in general and in the economic sector of knowledge production specifically. It is the University which “educates” and “enlightens” us (for no small fee). The other side of this proverbial coin: Cornell is also a highly effective, highly insidious agent of mental colonization. To spin off the title of this past Sunday’s ’08 Class Council organized political event called Diversity Kills Me, let me explain how Cornell kills us, condemning us to living the death of mental bondage.
The Cornell Corporation, not to be confused with the hard-working and good-hearted people of Cornell who in another world would be productive agents of societal betterment, is a slave master. No, I’m not referring to the many unemployed and working poor persons negatively affected by the Cornell Corporation (although let’s not forget them); rather, I’m referring to the social hierarchies that Cornell reproduces and makes seem natural. To the best of my understanding, this is how it works: Cornell creams the crop, accepting the young men and women of the immorally wealthy class, the TV-doped middle classes, and even a few trailer park and ghetto dwellers before tokenizing them and brainwashing away all organic (and by definition, subversive) knowledge they’ve been taught to shun. Cornell aborts our humanity while patting us on the back, whispering in our ears, “The world is yours to rule; you have earned it.” It patronizes us and tempts us with the fruits of domination in hopes that we abandon our solidarity with the oppressed peoples of the world (if we were ever so fortunate to know love) and become the colonial administrators of a down-trodden planet. Domination is humanity, they preach.
But this is a lie. Domination is not humanity. Liberation is. Domination confines us not only in concrete systems of oppression, but also in silent, invisible, and tasteless ideologies of dehumanization. Rarely is it discussed, but white supremacy oppresses white folks, patriarchy oppresses men, and heterosexism oppresses “straight” persons. In addition, nativism oppresses U.S. citizens and able-ism oppresses those without “handicaps.” We white persons are taught that we are not supposed to partake in the self-affirmation of dance, that we must convert the world to our “Enlightened” European ways of thinking, and that we should be distrusting of people of color. We “real men” are not supposed to have emotions and are kept from finding solace in public spaces while the tender persons behind our façades are silenced. We U.S. citizens are taught that we must have all the answers for a backwards and blighted “third world,” which is why so many of us are sent to die in racist imperial wars; we have been taught that U.S. civilization is morally superior to the “savagery” of other peoples (hence the pervasive imperialist language of human rights and the lack of honest self-criticism).
We heterosexuals (as defined in the false gender binary) are kept from intimate non-sexual same-sex relationships. You’ve heard the phrase “no homo” so often that you now can’t keep yourself from fixating on the subconscious messages that you’re putting out to your friends about your sexuality (pun intended). Take a long, hard minute to think about that (pun intended). “Real men” shouldn’t love other men; “real men” speak softly and carry a big stick (pun intended). Are you gay or are you paranoid? Or are you just made to feel neurotic by one of the many systems of oppression? My neuroses exist, but I will not submit myself to the pseudo-scientists in psychology who think they can heal me because my neuroses are not rooted in my brain. They are not my fault. They are the carcinogenic residues of exploitation under the aforementioned systems of oppression, the very ones the Cornell Corporation conditions us to believe don’t exist as systems, but rather as isolated incidents.
Thus Cornell names the world on my behalf. It names me, it names my relationships to the other beings of the world, and it does so with the false pretense of academic integrity and objective scholarship. It tells me who I am allowed to become, what I can choose as my purpose, and how I can choose to exist. It is a more clandestine colonizing power than even the United States government precisely because it, along with its peer institutions, has monopolized the right to produce valid knowledge. In 2008, one must have bestowed upon them the holy college degree if they are to have intelligent opinions and nuanced perspectives. It is not enough to survive and reflect in order to be an intelligent subject; no, we must be “educated” in the university. If, as Brazilian educator Paolo Freire wrote, “to be fully human is to name the world,” then the Cornell Corporation functions to prevent the realization of my full humanity.
Unilaterally declaring that only its language is valid, a language produced and reproduced in and for oppressive power structures, the Cornell Corporation has tried to castrate my tongue and neuter my ability to even think about dreaming about planting the seeds of an egalitarian tomorrow. The “peace” and “order” of the hierarchies Cornell covers up are tyrannies. The egalitarian “chaos” of undoing them is liberation, humanity, beauty.
To the Class of 2008, as graduation quickly approaches, let us begin the healing process to recover the possibility of realizing our full humanity. Let us learn the virtue of humility by holding our tongues and opening our ears to those who have cried out so loudly against the system for so long that they have lost their voices. They will forgive us when we begin to act in solidarity. They will love us when we speak of how we’ve wept so lonely for so long that we’ve forgotten how to love. And they will teach us how to create and survive in a more beautiful world, one worth raising children in.
To the Class of 2008: fuck the racist, classist, and sexist pig power structure that dehumanizes both the oppressors and oppressed. You are beautiful.
Author’s note: Because this is my last piece, I decided to write about the Cornell Corporation instead of the acquittal of the NYPIG officers who murdered Sean Bell. Peace and blessings.
Evan Baker Smith is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be contacted at ebsmith@cornellsun.com. Praxis Makes Perfect appeared alternate Tuesdays this semester.
This is a joke, right?
This is a joke, right?
Wow- you have really serious
Wow- you have really serious problems. If you were intellectually honest, you would never have applied to this college or any other. Instead, you (and Rev. Wright) would have left this awful country and gone to Africa. There, you would undoubtedly have found your calling in Zimbabwe, if you weren't beaten and arrested, or in Darfur, where you would probably have rejoiced at the prospect of getting a bullet in your brain. You have no idea or appreciation of how lucky you are to live in this country. People stow away in the wheel wells of jets to get here. I haven't heard of too many Americans trying to sneak into Panama or Burkina Faso because life is so wonderful there. One thing is clear: these past four years have been a waste of your time and your parents' money. And speaking of money, a MAJORITY of that "immorally wealthy class" you mentioned is receiving financial aid.
So, no graduation for you then?
Considering your well-thought-out and insightful screed, your decision to renounce Cornell and refuse your graduation is a noble one. Yessir! It would be totally hypocritical of anyone with such views to taint their resume with the words "Cornell University" after they have seen the true nature of such a social anathema. Burning your Cornell degree once you receive it (and posting the pics on your inevitable Facebook account) will be just what that damnable piece of worthless paper deserves!
Go you!
Seriously dude, you're bent. Your article makes it seem like you have no mind, no will, no backbone of your own. And worse, you write as if no other Cornell students do either. It must have been rough having a "Cornell Agent" holding a gun to your head and forcing you through your application process and your four years here.
an overly cooked specimen
I am writing this to try to open minds and to spread a peaceful message related to the above article. I hope you can respect that.
In today’s world we see a lot of changes all around us, you know our so called western advancements? We see them in the advancements of technology. Just look at all the new gadgets and gizmos the typical student has. I doubt any of us know exactly how powerful these tools really are.
We see advancements in the secret battlefield of politics as a seemingly monarchical democracy manifests itself. We see them in fashion trends and other superficial indulgences. We see them in quantum physics, reactions to terrorism, corporate media control, astronomy, astrology, history, philosophy... Yet the paradigm of most people remains stuck in a close-minded relationship to reality. An apathetic, overzealous, ego hungry, greedy perception. These weak emotions are buried behind our societal intentions. What astounds me is how seldom we take the time to see the changes manifesting within us.
It is either we repress this type of self reflection or we are truly unaware of such events taking place. For the few that do see the power of self change, it is usually too late and the time to control those changes have passed them by. This has driven me to write this. I am letting go of all religious binds and in doing so I am going to attempt to help you rediscover the true meaning and the power of being able to change yourself.
We all came into Cornell susceptible and weak. Years of right brain education and patriarchal thinking has led you to repress your emotions and to build an ego that is artificial and unnatural. This paradigm disunity has masked what’s really important and has blinded you with fear. You judge others for being different, for not making the status quo, you buy into the conformity that you are meant to fall in line and not deviate. As you slowly emerge to adulthood you can no longer see that you are an earthly animal that was created to live in harmony with the ecosystem. You lose the fascination of nature. Thus, you cling to the social structures of your government and religion (money worship) which are mostly built off of fear, in hopes to give your unstable world a little bit of security. And so you carry the connotations of fear into the future just as you were groomed to.
For those who really want to know themselves, to actually see their power, to clearly understand the truth of existence, you must learn to love and not fear. You must strip yourself of your ego and venture into the realm of unlimited possibilities. You must learn to love those who are different from you and see that, although they may be strangers, these people are all beautiful creatures. More importantly you must try to disassemble desires for material substance because this is a prison for the open mind. Never take for granted that you have learned the fundamental difference between spirituality and religion. You are the engine of the world and your experiences are shaping the potentials of the future. Rid yourself of fear, for then you will rid yourself of fearful situations, love those who stand with you and especially those who stand against you. Don’t look at your fears as a threat but as a form of consciousness alarming you to make a change within. Analyze your ambitions and inhibitions and get to know yourself. Don’t let your insecurities continue to support systems of thought that are disempowering. Analyze these systems and see that they have flourished throughout history at keeping man in an endless cycle of darkness and bondage. The truth is that you are the most important, vital, creative and beautiful actor in this world. For it is you consciousness that will manifests.
Your column this year has
Your column this year has been great, this one especially!
Nut Job
This is a rambling existential abortion of a column. What do you know about life that allows you to preach like you do? It's arrogant. And by paying for college for four years and playing into the system, you've only helped perpetuate it. Colleges and universities can't live on without tuition money, same as with any other organization-- fraternities and sororities, special interest groups, businesses, etc. So, good job in feeding the beast. Now go put your Che hat on and ramble your idiotic musings and go away.
You, Sir...
...are a hypocrite. Good day!
Don't even know where to start
Your editorial is so off basis that I cannot think of a single piece of evidence from my years at Cornell that even comes close to providing proof for your claims.
You do get points for colorful language and being able to throw just about every adjective known to conspiracy theorists into your piece.
On that note I'm going to go dominate the people of Africa while I avoid making eye contact with my best friend because it's "homo." Oh, and I can't forget to hide the silverware from any "people of color."