A couple of months ago, I got all interested in Evergreen College (public college in Washington state) and their various issues with out-of-control students. I've essayed two or three pieces on the college and their woes.
Yesterday, I sat and read over two particular days of each calendar year that the college seems to recognize in some fashion.
There is the Day of Absence...which is recognized as a local community day for discussing and getting hyped-up about 'identity groups'. Naturally, if you were white....you aren't among the 'identity groups'.
You can join up with various groups....just to mostly sit around and talk....excessively from what I can figure. All of this is supposed to lead in some way to anti-racism. The evidence of such? Well....it's best not to ask for facts or evidence.
The second day in question is the Day of Presence. This one is interpreted in various ways by different people. It's mostly the day after the Day of Absence discussions and supposed to be when students show 'strength' and 'power'....although again, it's best not to ask how or why, nor should you suggest any debate over the topics.
After some reflection, I came to ponder this idea...that this college needs a full calendar of days to think, discuss and reflect a lot of things.
They need a day of pestilence (to reflect upon disease), a day of Apocalypse (to reflect upon coming evil times), a day of Anhedonia (to reflect upon the lack of pleasure), a day of gluttony (to reflect upon over-eating), a day of fragility (to reflect upon the chaotic times upon us), and even a day of fatuousness (to reflect upon the sad state of stupidity in the world today).
There's probably over 250 days required for folks. You could have a day of harvest (to reflect upon the hard work of farmers), a day of asininity (to reflect upon craziness around us), a day of indomitable (to reflect upon stoic nature), and perhaps even a day of beer (to reflect the essence and wonder of beer).
