Confessions of a Community College Dean: Thoughts on DIY U

Posted: 27 May 2010 09:00 AM PDT

“Kamenetz unreflectively buys into the anti-institutional prejudice that infects and discredits so much techno-utopianism. The whole “edupunk” conceit — represented on the cover by a clenched white fist clutching a pencil, and a black wristband with a “DIY U” logo — is based on the image of the heroic loner sticking it to The Man by going it alone. But when you look at the examples she cites, they’re all economically parasitic on the institutions they propose to supplant. (To her credit, Kamenetz actually acknowledges this in passing, though she doesn’t go anywhere with the observation.) They’re like the punk rocker living in Mom’s basement. I’d be a lot more impressed if he paid his own rent. (Old joke: what do you call a drummer without a girlfriend? Homeless!)”