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| 16 October 2001 Dear Marc, It's been an idyllic Summer, writing A History of Media in Balconville. One of the highlights of my Summer was reading your book: Ingmar Bergman: Magician and Prophet. I had hoped to talk to you about it but the Gervais eminence has not yet been sighted on the campus this term. So here's the next best thing. It was very inspiring for someone in his 60s to see that you in your 70s and Bergman in his 80s are still both very productive. Especially when, at my tender age, I'm already experiencing a little ageism. Our university in cleaning out deadwood are barking up the wrong tree by focusing on older faculty members. Surely the wisdom that may come with age is relevant to the academy? I've tended to see our function in the university as passing on the operating manual for species homo sapiens. However, the metaphor which emerged this Summer was to help students unwrap the conception-day gift. When the sperm of their father met the ova of their mother to create the zygote, the single cell which unfolded into them, they received all the wisdom the species has acquired over millions of years of survival in a harsh arena (plus "three score and ten years" to add their footnote to this wisdom). As professors, we can pass on whatever wisdom has been added by the wise people who have preceded our students and suggest where they may add their contribution. |
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