Social Rice University Offers ‘Afrochemistry’ Class To Address ‘Inequities In Chemistry’

[Fox by the Sea]

But no one is using these things to wedge break the country except the people who keep telling you that "They're trying to wedge break the country!!"

When I was in college I took an elective on blaxploitation film. I needed a liberal arts credit, I didn't want to wake up early and the idea of watching movies for a class seemed like an easy A. It was taught by a TA or grad student, someone who needed the teaching experience and was probably using it to pay for their grad school.

Nowadays, someone would jump on the internet going insane about how the blaxploitation course wastes university resources, drives a wedge between people, asking "why do they need a blaxploitation course anyway, can't it be covered in a regular film class", and host of other empty bullshit that serves no purpose but to, as you put it, create a "wedge to break up the country".

But at the time? No one fucking cared. It was a one semester class, it filled a requirement and was unlikely to be filled up like other courses.

To me, it was as valuable as the random "Sports & Economics" course I took another year. Meaning it didn't fuck matter so long as it helped me meet my course load requirements.

Wedge, lol. Think about this question: If no one brought your attention to this course being offered at probably 1 university in the entire world -- how would it have been used as a wedge? It fucking wouldn't. You nor I wouldn't know it existed. But someone, somewhere out there, found this non-issue course and is making you pay attention to it.

Who's more likely to be trying to drive a wedge in the country? The people at the university who offered the course? Or the people who are using it to fuel social media engagements?

sounds to me like you're describing a bloated system, that has grown so much to allow absolutely irrelevant "classes" that people get grants to teach because it fits a certain academic narrative of "progressive values" where any subject is equal to others. i can just invent one on the spot, say "the history of strawberries and the struggle of black women in early 20th century america" and it fits the idiotic worldview of academic relevance and might even get a grant for it.

what it actually means is waste - these spots in today's academia can only be filled by retarded activists (the non retarded ones work at disney), and by simply being present they lower the quality of education.

 

[ColemanwastheGOAT]

Presumably this course can be done alongside AfroPhysics?

Nigerian Student Uses Magnets To 'Prove' Gay Marriage Is Impossible​

Let me guess he isn't going to jump in with multi paragraph post 'explaining' why this one is a good thing.

 

[Yehudim]

"Afrochemistry" sounds like something a racist chemist would come up with to degrade the qualifications of their black colleagues.

It sounds like a the album from one of those shitty “conscious” (woke before woke) rap groups.

The album cover probably has a black woman with an Afro and Egyptian pyramids

 

[Hdfi]

You would be ok with a "White European Chemistry" course?

 

[Fox by the Sea]

You would be ok with a "White European Chemistry" course?

that's already around, it's called Chemistry.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

But no one is using these things to wedge break the country except the people who keep telling you that "They're trying to wedge break the country!!"

When I was in college I took an elective on blaxploitation film. I needed a liberal arts credit, I didn't want to wake up early and the idea of watching movies for a class seemed like an easy A. It was taught by a TA or grad student, someone who needed the teaching experience and was probably using it to pay for their grad school.

Nowadays, someone would jump on the internet going insane about how the blaxploitation course wastes university resources, drives a wedge between people, asking "why do they need a blaxploitation course anyway, can't it be covered in a regular film class", and host of other empty bullshit that serves no purpose but to, as you put it, create a "wedge to break up the country".

But at the time? No one fucking cared. It was a one semester class, it filled a requirement and was unlikely to be filled up like other courses.

To me, it was as valuable as the random "Sports & Economics" course I took another year. Meaning it didn't fuck matter so long as it helped me meet my course load requirements.

Wedge, lol. Think about this question: If no one brought your attention to this course being offered at probably 1 university in the entire world -- how would it have been used as a wedge? It fucking wouldn't. You nor I wouldn't know it existed. But someone, somewhere out there, found this non-issue course and is making you pay attention to it.

Who's more likely to be trying to drive a wedge in the country? The people at the university who offered the course? Or the people who are using it to fuel social media engagements?

I find it sort of annoying that in the presence of retardation, people elect to attack the reaction to said retardation, instead of conceding that it is retarded. It feels like cheap activism, TBH.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

You would be ok with a "White European Chemistry" course?

Well everything which is prevalent and worth a shit in western society comes from Europe and is therefore ipso facto "white". I get colonial guilt but water under the bridge, becoming retarded 150 years later won't change shit so accept it or emigrate to some 3rd world shithole and stop annoying everyone.

 

[panamaican]

sounds to me like you're describing a bloated system, that has grown so much to allow absolutely irrelevant "classes" that people get grants to teach because it fits a certain academic narrative of "progressive values" where any subject is equal to others. i can just invent one on the spot, say "the history of strawberries and the struggle of black women in early 20th century america" and it fits the idiotic worldview of academic relevance and might even get a grant for it.

what it actually means is waste - these spots in today's academia can only be filled by retarded activists (the non retarded ones work at disney), and by simply being present they lower the quality of education.

Bloated - maybe. Irrelevant classes - sure. "Progressive values" - absurd until you take the course and know what it actually covers.

This is what I meant when I said that some people have been conditioned to see anything with a reference to "black" as a negative indicator of societal resource use. Essentially, that anytime a place includes a specific element to explore black perspectives, history, etc. some people call it waste. But if you called your class strawberries and migrant workers in early 20th century America, you probably would bat an eyelash...it exactly why your go to example of waste requires an inclusion of blackness.

However, if you have a solid understanding of American history, your fantasy class is actually a real subject considering the role of sharecropping and agricultural labor in America following the end of slavery. Specifically, how the post-slavery South used sharecropping and similar arrangements to extend the dynamic of slavery in a legal fashion.

It's a real and important part of American history if you wanted insight into how post-slavery America eventually evolved into the Civil Rights Era.

But instead you've been conditioned to think that just because you added "black women" to your course, it couldn't possibly have any value. And that's where the true wedge is. Not the course but the belief that it is intrinsically worthless.

 

[panamaican]

I find it sort of annoying that in the presence of retardation, people elect to attack the reaction to said retardation, instead of conceding that it is retarded. It feels like cheap activism, TBH.

Where's the retardation? I haven't seen the syllabus so I can't say that the class doesn't teach anything worth knowing or that might be interesting. I'm guessing that you haven't either...because I looked it up and can't find it.

I don't know if you went to college but if you did then you'd be familiar with plenty of electives that are niche and serve little purpose other than helping people fill out their credit load. I doubt you call all of them retarded.

My point is that people are reacting to the inclusion a reference to blackness and then concluding that it's pointless and that's the retardation. Because this is hardly worthy of a thread at all.

 

[S Class]

Rice University, a prestigious academic institution, is currently offering a course on “Afrochemistry” that seeks to address “inequities in chemistry and chemical education.”

Inequities in chemistry... Chemical education...



These wannabe-activist "professors" are on some chemicals alright, lol.

 

[Fox by the Sea]

Bloated - maybe. Irrelevant classes - sure. "Progressive values" - absurd until you take the course and know what it actually covers.

This is what I meant when I said that some people have been conditioned to see anything with a reference to "black" as a negative indicator of societal resource use. Essentially, that anytime a place includes a specific element to explore black perspectives, history, etc. some people call it waste. But if you called your class strawberries and migrant workers in early 20th century America, you probably would bat an eyelash...it exactly why your go to example of waste requires an inclusion of blackness.

However, if you have a solid understanding of American history, your fantasy class is actually a real subject considering the role of sharecropping and agricultural labor in America following the end of slavery. Specifically, how the post-slavery South used sharecropping and similar arrangements to extend the dynamic of slavery in a legal fashion.

It's a real and important part of American history if you wanted insight into how post-slavery America eventually evolved into the Civil Rights Era.

But instead you've been conditioned to think that just because you added "black women" to your course, it couldn't possibly have any value. And that's where the true wedge is. Not the course but the belief that it is intrinsically worthless.

I could have said Chinese women instead. Would you have opposed my theory that's it's just a bullshit class then?and just because a class is about black something doesn't mean it's worth a damn. That type of thinking is self-worship. And for an educated person you should be acutely opposed to grift, even if it powders your ego. Especially then. Cause this is what the underlying debate is here - about obvious grift.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

Where's the retardation? I haven't seen the syllabus so I can't say that the class doesn't teach anything worth knowing or that might be interesting. I'm guessing that you haven't either...because I looked it up and can't find it.

I don't know if you went to college but if you did then you'd be familiar with plenty of electives that are niche and serve little purpose other than helping people fill out their credit load. I doubt you call all of them retarded.

My point is that people are reacting to the inclusion a reference to blackness and then concluding that it's pointless and that's the retardation. Because this is hardly worthy of a thread at all.

Come one dude. I know you are smart. How can you not dismiss "black chemistry" as absolutely retarded and even insulting for Black people?

 

[Dirt Road Soldier]

Sounds to me like a strange but probably a workable way to get people who normally wouldn't be into science and chemistry a basic intro to it to see if sparks some interest.

If it's an elective, and they want to burn the money on it, then whatever.

 

[Flower2dPeople]

I've been reading about Greek and Norse mythology my entire life without anyone being concerned. But if someone offered an course about Nigerian mythology, people would start talking about indoctrination, waste of resources, etc.

I think it would be better. Are there people complaining about African mythology/literature? At least they would have material for films instead of inserting themselves in anglo-saxon/norse shows.

 

[Cajun]

Are black people not insulted by stuff like this?

I wonder the same thing. Seems like an insult imo. Also a useless waste of time and money. They have remedial courses to get a base on a subject. Chemistry is chemistry and has no ethnicity or race attached imo. It just is what it is. Singling out black people in this case to learn special for whatever their rationale is doesnt make sense. I would be ok with something below the intro course to chemistry for everyone. Similar to HS when there was pre-calc or something. Rice is a hard school to get into so if you are accepted, then you arent an idiot typically. I would expect a low level intro course to be offered at a juco. Not at Rice.

 

[Cajun]

They have to fulfil some quotas. They don't get additional funding if they don't have these programs either. The real issue with high cost of tuition aren't really these programs or the teaching faculty but rather why the administrative staff is so big. For this small 15 person class; a dean/administrator needs to be appointed to be in charge of this program.

Rice is private so they dont get much fed assistance. The concept is just ridiculous imo.

 

[Cajun]

As usual, I came looking for the molehill that inevitably underpins these mountainous threads.

Not a requirement for the major. 15 student max enrollment. Sounds like any generic dumb college elective.

It's not even the worst college elective I've ever read about:

The Strangest (Real) College Courses

The stupidest college courses are the wackiest, most rudimentary, and oddest college courses actually taught at respected universities. From the things that you really should already know how to do, like getting dressed - something you can learn at a Princeton University course - to learning how...

www.ranker.com

But it mentions race so here we go...

Would say that things like this: "students will implement African American sensibilities to analyze chemistry" are terrible. Of course the racial aspect of this class is what makes it to our political side of the forum. Dumb college electives could be a whole other thread for debate haha.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

It sounds like a the album from one of those shitty “conscious” (woke before woke) rap groups.

The album cover probably has a black woman with an Afro and Egyptian pyramids

sounds like the name of a Jurassic 5 album, maybe Common

 

[SummerStriker]

I am sure they are going to talk at length about the nearness of Black communities to industrial areas and what contaminants are suitable for white neighborhoods vs. their own.

A big part of college is being able to be interesting and think about a wide variety of topics. It is especially important because most people, left to their own, can't talk about anything interesting.

So you take this class, not so you can get a job at DuPont, but so you can sound educated and interesting to management.

You laugh like "oh will that get you a job in chemistry" and let's see how far you get with a Sherdog "I ain't got know immigrant MRNA jab for what the kung flu done did to us when my electric car makes more pollution than a muscle car," talk. Sound like a fucking idiot.

 

[Morning Star]

Come one dude. I know you are smart. How can you not dismiss "black chemistry" as absolutely retarded and even insulting for Black people?

That's his entire gimmick. He has 2 settings.

A. He will spin any completely ridiculous story like this one in the most long winded way possible.

B. He derails the topic.