We are required to take a lot of classes here at N.C. State, and many of them are completely worthless. English majors are required to take precalculus, graphic design majors are required to study a physical science, electrical engineering majors are required to study sociology, anthropology, or psychology. In this column I’d like to list a few classes which ought to be removed from the general curriculum, and suggest some replacement classes which ought to be made compulsory for all students here.

The first class that ought to be dropped from general education requirements is sociology. In my brief experience with the subject, I found it to be a silly, humbuggy, feel-good sort of field, unworthy of the name of science.

I was taught in sociology that, as a white male, I cannot be a victim of racism or sexism. Does this mean that if a black girl slaps my arm and calls me “cracker,” I am not experiencing racism? Does this mean that when I’m talking to a pretty girl and a pair of lesbians give me the evil eye, I am not experiencing sexism? Folks, racism and sexism are racism and sexism, no matter who the victim is and any field which claims otherwise is a pseudo-science, on par with creationism. In place of sociology, I suggest that logic should be added to the general curriculum. Logic is the foundation of all scientific disciplines and unlike most other classes here, has a real application to everyday life. It is the art of thinking, of transforming truth into more truth. If all students were trained in logic, their ability to argue would be much improved, they would be more inclined to converse about substantial things, and they would, perhaps, be prevented from making some catastrophically illogical decision later in life.

In addition, a citizen schooled in logic is a much more discerning and intelligent voter, better equipped to evaluate the plans and promises of candidates, and spot the fallacies which riddle their speeches. Indeed, by neglecting to educate its students in logic, the University is doing a disservice to America. Another requirement which ought to be dropped is the physical education requirement. P.E. classes are a joke. It is very annoying to study such useless facts as the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise, the calculation of body mass index and the value of drinking water when you have real work to do. Or even worse, to get up at 8:00 a.m. on some God-cursed Saturday morning and run a 5K. Physical education is not profound; it does not enrich a person’s mind. It is not, properly, a form of education at all. It is more like the Army than a class, in which some power-tripping middle-aged man is given the authority to force students to do painful things to their bodies. I do not believe that it is the domain of a college to regulate a student’s body. If a student wishes to be fat and not exercise, that is his choice, and the University ought to respect it. Also, dressing out is a loathsome practice, which I would rather have left in middle school. In place of P.E., students should be required to study the history of Rome. In high school, coordinators cram the entire history of the world into a single class, “World Civilizations,” with the result that the student picks up a lot of dates and a lot of names, but no real understanding of history. The study of human events requires time, and it would be good for students to gain a thorough understanding of at least one historical period. In studying Rome, students would learn the danger of irresolution from Hannibal, the power of teamwork from the triumvirate and the general fact that great nations rise to power, grow bloated and lazy, and fall. The last class which ought to be dropped from the general curriculum is chemistry. What benefit does chemistry offer anyone, except a chemist? Most students take chemistry in high school, discover that they hate it, and wish to be rid of it forever. The octet rule, the completed electron shell in noble gases, the fact that bases are slippery — what use is this to anyone? And what value does chemistry have as wisdom or how does it enrich a student’s life? Certainly there is no wisdom to be found in CH 101, no profound truths about human life. Chemistry is necessary, and fine for chemists, but we shouldn’t force English majors to study it. In place of chemistry, all students should be required to take a class on Nazi Germany. They should be obliged to look at pictures of starving Jews being rescued from concentration camps, read the autobiography of Rudolph Hess, commander of the camp at Auschwitz and learn about the Treaty of Versailles and Hitler’s rise to power. It would not be a pleasant class, but it would be highly educational, and if nothing else it would give students a new appreciation for the Bill of Rights and America in general.

E-mail Jeff at [email protected]