<p>I think Deresiewicz is the one sitting around congratulating himself- that someone is willing to print what he writes, that he has tapped into the “college fears” nerve. In his own way, he perpetuates class warfare and poses as some “elite” observer.</p>
<p>Of course the elites miss out on some alternatvely brilliant kids- they can only take so many and want the group to be, to some extent, proven. They aren’t in the biz of- and I’m not sure they should be- taking kids on some off-chance he’ll turn out to be a genius, playing by his own rules. If you want to play by your own rules, go where that is appreciated and encouraged. To succeed in a highly challening academic environment does require some rule-following, a pattern of motivation, per the standards that exist. If you think you are a brilliant budding whatever, go to a school that reponds to your self-assessed brilliance.</p>
<p>And, yup, of all Prof DH’s friends, the one most into the intellectual and cultural is- the plumber. Just random, I think- or is it secretly something about plumbing? He once spoke to me about the art of tying pipes, creating that perfection.</p>