Now, there’s an academic controversy mildly storming on higher ed news sites about English Professors and how English departments are terrible at interdisciplinary work or something. I haven’t been paying attention to the details.

That’s not what interests me.

In a rebuttal, the original author uses an analogy that exemplifies a certain type of person:

Some English professors appear to feel about interdisciplinary work the way I feel about chocolate. I am among those who are skeptical that the category of bad chocolate exists. When I offer someone a bite of my Hershey’s bar, and they say they don’t like bad chocolate, I suspect they don’t really like chocolate at all.

Is it possible to have an entire category that is so good that we are unable to distinguish quality within that category? Doubtful.

Yet many people in this world act like “doing something” is the same as “doing something well.” Just like Hershey’s chocolate is the same super-refined, dense, rich, hand-milled chocolate. (Which it’s not.)

The girl who wears sloppy eye makeup, rather than the girl who build up her wrist strength blending her eyeshadow to perfection.

The music producer who slaps three notes over a beat and rhyme the same word five times, rather than Kanye or Dynamic Duo who actually produce music that is thoughtful and interesting.

The guy who add a fedora (excuse me, trilby) to an outfit with the expectation that it makes them dressed-up, rather than the guy who take the time to work out and find clothes that fits his style and his body.

These people are everywhere.

And to be fair, whenever we start something new it can be really difficult to skip directly from “doing it badly” to “high quality.” Quality is something that takes refinement, which does not come automatically.

I’ve recently gotten back in the gym, and I’m the person who barely squeaks through my reps rather than the person who finishes each set like a dancer. That’s okay. I’m learning, and I’ll get better as I get stronger.

The problem comes when you stay that way.

Always strive to get better at what you do.

Interdisciplinary studies is all well and good, but there is a difference between cross-referencing a literary work with neuroscience and half-assing research because there’s nobody to call you on your BS.

 

“I am among those who are skeptical that the category of bad k-pop exists. When I offer someone a headphone to listen to BTS, and they say they don’t like bad k-pop, I suspect they don’t really like k-pop at all.”