As college kids move back to campus, one Ivy League insider says that elite universities aren’t producing independent thinkers, but high functioning sheep. On today’s show: the downside of being among the best and the brightest.
Then, oh, the tales bellhops and hotel maids could tell. And many have shared stories of walking in on or cleaning up after some unsavory scenes. Concierges, on the other hand, tend to get a more polite view of guests - along with some fairly ridiculous questions. Later in the show, an inside look at the concierge, including how to tip.
Listen to the full show.
Excellent Sheep
Former Yale professor William Deresiewcz argues that elite universities aren’t producing independent critical thinkers, but herds of like-minded graduates opting for predictable, profitable career paths. We talk about his new book: Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite & the Way to a Meaningful Life.
Following in Darwin's Footsteps
Producer Veronique LaCapra brings us the story of two women who are forging a new path in the Galapagos Islands. Listen to the story here.
This story was produced for the PRX STEM Story Project with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
How May We Hate You
Oh, the tales bellhops and hotel maids could tell. And many have shared stories of walking in on or cleaning up after some unsavory scenes. Concierges, on the other hand, tend to get a more polite view of guests - along with some fairly ridiculous questions.
Anna Drezenand Todd Dakotah Briscoe both worked as hotel concierges in New York's Times Square, and they heard some doozies. Their Tumblr – “How May We Hate You?” became so popular that they turned it into a book of almost surreal stories, fake quizzes, and an acute view of how people treat people who wear name tags. The book is How May We Hate You?: Notes From the Concierge Desk.
The Bookshelf: Poet Midge Goldberg
This episode of The Bookshelf, hosted by All Things Considered's Peter Biello, features poet Midge Goldberg. In her new collection, Snowman's Code, the Chester, New Hampshire resident embraces rhyme. It’s a rare for poets these days to use rhyme so frequently, but she does it with unusual grace and humor. Snowman’s Code won the recipient of the 2015 Richard Wilbur Award.
You can listen to this segment and read more here: The Bookshelf: Poet Midge Goldberg