The Plight of the Young Harvardian
Posted on February 26th, 2009 in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
In the Crimson, junior Eugene Kim writes that the current economic crisis should prompt students to reconsider “the trade-school mentality that has characterized our campus in recent decades.”
In particular, the annual ritual of the junior-year finance internship search—which has given rise to a disturbing sense of entitlement—must be reined in. It is one thing to offer valuable pre-professional opportunities to interested students; it is entirely another to create a disturbing subculture of hyper-competitiveness that destroys the very foundation of the liberal-arts education Harvard claims to offer.
A worthwhile thought. But in times of crisis, will people take Kim up on it? Or will they try even harder to nail down that still high-paying finance job?
2 Responses
2/26/2009 9:33 am
Another Harvardian Kim, Christopher, a brilliant graduate of the College who served as special assistant to President Summers recently passed away in his early 30s.
Chris undertood that life was about much more than making money, and his untimely departure is a reminder to other undergraduates that life is short.
2/26/2009 11:47 am
I’m very sorry to hear that news.