April 08, 2007
Harrison Bergeron
Well,
Ironically enough, the Kurt Vonnegut short story "Harrison Bergeron" has now appeared in my life three times in the last month. Such a coincidence merits an entry into my blog at 1:30 in the morning. After all, there comes a point where reading a treatise on Contracts begins to slowly (but very effectively) melt your brain.
First, about a month ago, I decided to pick up my copy of Welcome to the Monkey House one night before going to bed. My favorite story in that book is actually "Long Walk to Forever," for sentimental reasons. But the story I read on this particular evening was "Harrison Bergeron."
For those who have not read it, "Harrison Bergeron" is a story, set in the not-too-distant future, where absolute equality has become a matter of national priority. Therefore, those who possess skills above the average are required to compensate by taking on artificial burdens that bring them down to the norm. Persons of higher intelligence are fitted with devices that intermittently make loud noises in their ears to distract them. Those who are more physically fit are required to wear weights to slow them down. Get the picture?
Then, a couple weeks later, an acquaintance (jokingly) referenced the story in relation to having children. The idea there was that, even if you're a person of some intelligence, with young children around you can hardly ever fully form a thought because they function much like the device that intermittently make loud noises to distract you*.
Finally, just last week in my Sports Law class, I read a dissent by Scalia in PGA Tour, Inc. v. Martin. This was a case decided by the Supreme Court in 2001, where the golfer Casey Martin sued the PGA, alleging that their ban on the use of golf carts at certain tournaments was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Casey Martin, for any sports fans, was a pro golfer who suffered from a circulatory disorder that made walking significantly more difficult. While the Court held that allowing Martin to use a golf cart would not "fundamentally alter the nature" of professional golf, Scalia disagreed.
Are you seeing where this is going? I'll let Scalia speak for himself:
"[The Court's] Alice in Wonderland determination that there are such things as judicially determinable 'essential' and 'nonessential' rules of a made-up game; and its Animal Farm determination that fairness and the ADA mean that everyone gets to play by individualized rules which will assure that no one's lack of ability (or at least no one's lack of ability so pronounced that it amounts to a disability) will be a handicap. The year was 2001, and 'everybody was finally equal.'"
That last quote? Yep, "Harrison Bergeron." You've got to love Scalia. Even if what he's saying may be completely distasteful to you personally (though I respect your right to agree with him if you so choose), he manages to stick three literary references (including Vonnegut) into one long, incisive sentence that pretty much lays out his opinion.
Well, this entry didn't have a point. But they're kicking me out of the reading room so I'm going to post it.
Until next time,
Be well,
Sam
* Of course, children play a very valuable role in our society, and I don't mean to minimize this by characterizing them as noisemaking impediments to meaningful thought. I myself love kids. Most of the time.
March 28, 2007
The Big Thaw
So, my first spring in Ann Arbor seems to (knock on wood) have finally arrived. Yes, the rain has been a presence the last few days, but the sun as well has been prominent in the sky for long, much-appreciated stretches.
The other day I was out on the quad, and it was filled with people throwing footballs and frisbees, hitting wiffleballs, playing toss, or just laying around basking in the sun. It was like a little piece of paradise, walled off from the rest of campus, and full of relaxation. Sure, the library was just up the steps. And yes, after a couple hours outside I went in and locked myself down with a laptop and a casebook, but the fact that the quad was available to me was a huge comfort.
I think that the bitter cold of the Michigan winter actually made me appreciate the springtime even more. Last spring, I admit, was a fairly nice one for me. New York has wonderful Aprils, before it gets too hot. But Ann Arbor is pretty nice when it warms up, and I can feel my winter self thawing out a little bit.
And it can't come too soon. With the semester winding down, and more and more time being spent in the library, it's good to have nice weather to greet you when you step outside. Study breaks are much more productive when you can walk a few blocks and be in the sun.
So, I'm about to go enjoy a little more of the weather.
Until next time,
Be well,
Sam
February 27, 2007
Spring Break(?)
So, we're on Spring Break (or Winter Break?) and I'm sitting again in the Espresso Royale taking a break from studying while I write this. Things have changed since I wrote my pilot post back in November.
For one, I've got a complete semester under my belt. This means several things. First, I'm learning how to better budget my time. Second, I know what a law school exam looks and feels like. Third, I know what my grades for the first semester are. Some of you might want a detailed analysis of life after you get your first grades. I'll leave that topic for someone else to dissect, since everyone seems to have a different theory about it.
Another change is that the second semester is quite busy. 1Ls get to pick an elective for this semester, on top of the required course load. So, I'm required to take Contracts, Torts, Property, and Legal Practice this semester, and I was able to choose my fifth class. There was a seminar on public interest litigation in the area of education, which appealed to me because I have a number of unanswered questions after teaching for 3 years in the Bronx public schools. Unfortunately, the seminar didn't fit into my schedule, so I'll have to remember it for next semester. After deliberating over other course offerings, I selected Sports Law.
Because I'm a casual sports fan, the subject matter is interesting enough. The first case we studied was Pete Rose v. Bart Giamatti, which struck close to home since I'm a Reds fan (maybe one day, Pete). Overall, the course is a good survey of various areas of law - notably antitrust, labor, contracts, and copyright - within the context of sports. It's actually a lot of work, because I don't have the background in those areas yet, but it's not overwhelming.
More than anything, though, the new semester finds me adjusting to the inevitable stress of law school. I wouldn't be able to make it through without taking time to hang out with the great new friends I've made here. Sure, sometimes the conversation finds its way back to the law (we're all still trying to figure a lot of things out), but more often I get to find out about amazing experiences that my friends have had. Also, thanks to the law school bowling league, I've come very close to breaking 200, which I never thought possible at the beginning of the year.
Do I miss New York? Do I miss the school, my coworkers, the kids? Sure, of course. I still get emails from my coworkers, from the New York City Department of Ed., even the teacher websites that I used to subscribe to. Every once in a while, a former student sends me an email. The past three years were incredible. Still, I'm happy to be here in Michigan, learning all of these new things and meeting so many new people. I know I've been given a great opportunity and I want to make the most of it.
Now that we're all caught up, I plan to update every week or so, with some sort of focus for each post so it's not just a meandering collection of thoughts.
Until next time,
Be well,
Sam Zun
November 12, 2006
So, to begin, hello. My name is Sam Zun, and I've been asked by the law school to blog on their website. As you can probably tell (because you're reading this), I decided to go ahead and do it.
In middle school, I was taught that a good story often starts in the middle, and catches you up on the past as it moves along. I'm not sure how I feel about that philosophy, but I see no better jumping-off point, so I'll begin where I am right now.
I'm sitting in the Espresso Royale (ERC) on State Street, which has become like a second home to me. It's strange that three months ago I had never heard of the ERC, and now I'm here almost every night until they close (midnight). Before settling on this as a study spot I tried, in chronological order, Starbucks, the law school reading room, the sub-basement of the library, and home. The library in particular was a challenging place to study. Perhaps this is counter-intuitive, but I found that when there is no noise, I tend to actively look for distractions. At least here, I have to focus on my work in order to zone out the noise around me.
Studying in law school is different from the “studying� that I used to do in undergrad. On a nightly basis, I probably read and study about as much as I did during finals week. Then again, this may just be a function of being a little bit older and being way more invested in my education now. A mountain of student loans will do that to you.
At the same time, I'm learning about a number of fascinating things – most of which I'd never had the opportunity to study before. My first degree was in psychology, and I have a Master's in elementary education. Suffice it to say, I did very little reading on the US Constitution or criminal law while earning those degrees. Therefore, the first few weeks were pretty intimidating. Classmates who had majored in political science or history rattled off facts and names as if those things should have been obvious to everyone in the room, and I found myself wondering more than a few times whether I was in over my head.
After the first month or so, though, things evened out a little bit and I didn't feel nearly as overwhelmed. Being in law school is almost like learning a new language. At first, you struggle to express yourself because you simply don't have access to the proper vocabulary. Then, your language begins to almost mimic that of your professors, as you become more familiar with the jargon but still perhaps lack the confidence to use it independently. Finally (hopefully), you can not only exchange ideas in this common language, but you can actually use this language to express your own thoughts and not something someone else came up with. Frankly, I'm not sure if I've reached this third step. But I guess these things take time.
The funny thing is, as you start to become familiar with legal jargon and begin to use it more frequently, you may also start gaining an appreciation for fictional prose. In comparison with some of the dry legal texts I read, a good short story or a novel takes on an almost lyrical tone. I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine, who actually brought up this point, and I was surprised to realize how much better Vonnegut sounds after I've just finished reading a particularly wooden opinion. Then again, there are plenty of very articulate, very well-reasoned opinions that are fairly pleasant to read. And I never thought I'd be saying that.
Anyway, I'd better get going. I have a stack of Crim reading to do for next week and it's getting late.
Until next time,
Be well,
Sam Zun