“Many authors don’t write their own books. Some don’t even read them: sports fans will remember when the basketball player Charles
Barkley complained that he was misquoted in his own autobiography.” §
“The fact that the environmental crisis is being recognized as a moral
issue across the religious spectrum is a huge change. This is the most important
moment in human history and there’s no doubt about it.” §
“When men express anger they gain status, but when women express anger
they lose status.” §
“The dominance of the research ideal has obscured an older responsibility
of the humanities — to train students in what used to be called ‘the
art of living,’ an enterprise larger than any career. ... As a result,
American students graduate from college well-prepared for their careers, but
under-educated in the meaning of life. In a world where the freedom to explore
life’s meaning is greater than ever, students are less well-equipped
for this challenge than those in past generations — and if they want
help in meeting it, they must look beyond their universities to the churches,
which now have a dangerous monopoly in questions of spiritual importance.” §
“[T]he secret to becoming globally dominant is tolerance. Not tolerance
in being very pro human rights, but in terms of allowing people of all religions
and ethnicities to participate in your society. Sadly, persecution and apartheid
and genocide can get you a lot of power. But they are too inefficient to get
you global power. … When Hitler went into the Ukraine and Soviet areas,
there were tens of millions of soldiers who were eager to go onto the Nazi
side. Instead Hitler said, ‘We have to exterminate these Slavic cockroaches.’ It
was a waste of resources to attempt extinguishing them. Meanwhile, Rome would
conquer and dominate all these people but then they made all those foreign
peoples part of the Roman Empire and made the elites and soldiers into citizens.” §
“It’s easy to fire a CEO. But when you clear the deck in the guise
of good governance, you create a lot of confusion and the internal hiring process
can become more like a municipal city council meeting.” §
“Exactly 10 years ago, during demonstrations in November 1997, students
held up placards pleading ‘Europe where are you?’ Europe remained
silent while Serb police and paramilitary groups inflicted another brutal crackdown
on the Kosovo Albanian majority. European diplomats from Stockholm to Madrid
frantically warned of an ‘escalation of violence’ and yet another
conflict in the midst of Europe. The European Cassandras were proven right,
yet then as now, Europe simply stood by and watched.” §
“I think that there is a class of kids … who are very bright and
creative and whose inner theater is so much more interesting than what’s
going on in the classroom that they turn off the classroom. And the problem
is that they suddenly discover that they’ve missed stuff that other kids
have gotten, and it makes them doubt their own capacity. And it gives them
a sense of anxiety about themselves, and that anxiety really interferes with
their ability to focus.” §
“It used to be that workers hung their religion on a coat rack alongside
their coats. At home, their religion mattered. At work, it was idle. That is
no longer the case. For many people religion has something to say about all
aspects of life, work included.” §
“United States universities, renowned for producing top researchers,
scientists and economists, welcome talented students from around the globe.
However, thanks to an inefficient and antiquated visa policy, foreign students
contribute fewer long-term benefits for the U.S. economy. ... The H-1B visa
allows U.S. firms to hire foreign workers for specialty occupations on a temporary
basis. But an increasing pool of international students in the United States
combined with growing demand for skilled-labor visas in many sectors make that
visa hard to come by. Meanwhile, other nations have fine-tuned their immigration
policies, devising point systems to attract the most talented workers. As a
result, some U.S. offices of highly competitive multinational firms could eventually
shrink in size and relevance.” §
“I’m sure that wise veterans [of the voting process] will miss
the tactile sensation of throwing the lever, but I’m sure they’ll
quickly get over it.” §
“This [belief in spirits] is universal, seeing minds as separate from
bodies. Kids have no trouble believing stories in which people exchange bodies,
for instance. And since supernatural beings like ghosts are without material
bodies but with minds, our belief in dualism makes them totally plausible.” §
“‘Gone With the Wind’ was published in 1936, and despite
heroic efforts over the last seven decades to transform it into something else,
the novel stands as an apologia for the Old South — the South of gallant
white plantation owners and darkies too foolish for anything but slavery, a
civilization ruined by a vengeful North that subsequently flooded that idyllic
world with rapacious Union soldiers, greedy carpetbaggers and the despotic
power of the Freedmen’s Bureau. That Mitchell was able to defend this
vision in a novel of such power, beauty and depth is a tribute to her literary
genius. But the vision is no less terrifying for having been brilliantly presented.” §
“The role of the university in society has changed dramatically over
the past five decades. ... The world is more interconnected and it is no longer
satisfactory for a student to graduate with a university degree and to not
possess the critical skills to function in an interdependent world. Universities
were also more cloistered 50 years ago. Now there is an expectation if not
a responsibility for institutions to use their enormous resources to be more
socially engaged.” §
“School is not about learning math alone, or reading alone, or science — the
purpose of school is to prepare the child to be a successful worker, family
member and an effective citizen.”
T H I S
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE NEWS
— Mark Oppenheimer, student services officer at the Writing Center, in his article, “The Turning of
an Atheist,” The New York Times, Nov. 4, 2007.
— Mary Evelyn Tucker, senior research scientist at the School of Forestry & Environmental
Studies and the Divinity School, “Climate Issues Have Implications for
Religion,” Blade (OH), Oct. 28, 2007
— Victoria Brescoll, postdoctoral associate at the Yale Rudd Center, “Sentiments
About Crying Divide Along Gender Lines,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Oct.
28, 2007.
— Anthony Kronman, Sterling Professor of Law, “The University of
Life,” Guardian (UK), Oct. 30, 2007.
— Amy Chua, the John M. Duff Jr. Professor of Law, “American Power,” Forbes.com,
Nov. 7, 2007.
— Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean of executive programs
and the Lester Crown Professor in the Practice of Management, “The Sum
of Its Parts,” The New York Times, Oct. 30, 2007.
— Verena Knaus, 2007 Yale World Fellow, calling on European leaders to
take an active role in the conflict over the Kosovo Albanians’ demand
for independence, “Europe Are You Ready?” Express Newspaper (Albania),
Oct. 29, 2007.
— Dr. Sydney Spiesel, associate clinical professor in pediatrics, on
the increased number of youngsters diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, “Academy Issues New ADHD Guidelines,” “Day to Day,” National
Public Radio, Oct. 30, 2007.
— Miroslav Volf, the Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology
and director of the Center for Faith and Culture, “O Come All Ye Faithful,” The
Economist (UK), Nov. 3, 2007.
— Hassan Siddiq, senior in Yale College, and Susan Froetschel, assistant
editor of YaleGlobal Online, in their article, “U.S. Losing Talent Due
To Visa Caps,” Korea Herald, Nov. 3, 2007.
— Donald Green, the A. Whitney Griswold Professor of Political Science
and director of the Institution for Social and Policy Studies, “Lever
Machine Era Ends with Switch to Optical Scan Devices,” Associated Press,
Nov. 3, 2007.
— Paul Bloom, professor of psychology, “The Ghosts We Think We
See,” New Zealand Herald, Nov. 3, 2007.
— Stephen L. Carter, the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law, in
his review of “Rhett Butler’s People” by Donald McCaig, “Almost
a Gentleman,” The New York Times, Nov. 4, 2007.
— Richard C. Levin, University President, “Beyond Being a Renowned
U.S. University, Yale Is Becoming a Leading Global Institution,” Munhwa
Ilbo Daily (Korea), Nov. 5, 2007.
— Dr. James Comer, the Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry, “Mayo
Slams ‘No Child’ Law for Ignoring Social Development,” New
Haven Register, Nov. 6, 2007.
W E E K ' SS T O R I E S
Restoration of iconic Rudolph building is key step in . . . Arts Complex
Three faculty win nation’s highest award for beginning researchers
Bulldogs, Crimsons both bringing undefeated Ivy records . . .
A grateful nation
New technology allows view of protein interactions in living cells
Monkeys and children share adults’ tendency to rationalize choices
Noted composer Benjamin Lees donates his archive to Yale library
Museum joins with area public schools to promote ‘visual literacy’
A conversation in China leads to successful research collaboration
Junior faculty earn second terms in endowed posts
Study: Simple measures could prevent spread of . . . tuberculosis
Erol Fikrig, specialist in vector-borne diseases . . .
Physical and emotion stress linked to aortic rupture
Groundbreaking scientist joins Yale Stem Cell Center
Team develops blood test for deadly aneurysm disease
Workshop will showcase new Positron Emission Tomography Center
Four decades of readers in Yale libraries are featured in exhibition
Video installations by Ori Gersht on view at British Art Center
Reception will celebrate United Way donors as campaign continues
Yale Books in Briefs
Benefit event to feature noted neurosurgeon
Workshop to feature Ohio State law professor
Reminder: Open enrollment period ends Nov. 18
Campus Notes
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