It’s been five minutes ago, I swear, when I’m listening to a talk radio show (Mitch Albom), a native Detroiter of some celebrity, relating a story about his trip to St. Louis University.
Albom, if you’re unfamiliar, began as (and still is) a sports writer for the Detroit News/Free Press newspapers, whose has also written the novels; Tuesday’s With Morrie, The Five People You Meet In Heaven and Have A Little Faith, many of which have been made into movies.
Anyway, he goes on to tell the story about his speaking engagement at the university, beginning with the arrival at the hotel near the campus. It seems his hotel check-in was accompanied by a swarm of 12 to 15 year olds of a similar motley appearance – not one seemed out of place with a tidy, well-kept, or physically attractive appearance. Scruffy hair, old scraggly t-shirts, dirty jeans was the motif…ALL seemed to subscribe to the same fashion construct.
Albom inquired about the group and was informed it was a convention, gathering, assembly or supreme powwow, of the persuasion greatly influenced by robotic image caricatures.
Yes, they were game coders.
A elevator trip to the twelfth floor with a dozen or so in tow, Albom distinctly identified an pungency unlike he had ever experienced. He said, ‘It couldn’t have been adult body order as they were too young. I finally realized it had to be some mystic brain omission.’ The group had, not only a look and a distinct behavior but also a characteristic odor about them. Albom later admitted to embellishing his encounter.
The point Albom was making; was that here was a group of very young people who were brainiacs, who wrote computer code and who came together to fraternize with similar ‘transformer’ coders, not unlike any other meeting of professional types and kinds. He found that interesting.
Okay, I’m getting to the point, just wait a minute.
The point is: there is no way you can capture the attention of individuals like this in a typical college setting. It’s not them. They’re the unique (however you define unique), population of young students who must have a different path toward education. They are the square peg not fitting the round hole. Typical doesn’t define them. And, that’s a good thing.
Knowledge, understanding, education doesn’t always have to be acquired inside the ivory towers. Self study, apprentice studies, independent research, et. al., will produce the same result. Perhaps more.
Winter 2012, look for my book: ‘College ? How You Can Make More Money And Lead A More Rewarding Life Without A College Degree In the 21st Century.’
