By Deanne Revel
“Europe has muses and America doesn’t.” In Stephen Geller’s debut (or finale) during the Last Lecture Series, he stressed the importance of romanticism and of all the facets of romanticism and considered love the greatest for artists. It’s gone in this country and it’s gone in this generation. The majority of women in this country are now living without a spouse and long-term relationships in college are on the decline. College used to be the place where the majority of people found their significant others, but now 20-somethings are maintaining their sociability while becoming less relational.
I don’t think our generation is loveless, but I was surprised at the lack of enthusiasm for dating when I came to SCAD. I didn’t expect every student to want or need a muse, but I did assume dating would be more popular – even if male adolescence is being pushed into mid-30s. Geller called it. The majority of us get focused on our art to the point that in creating something, we achieve a diluted dualism that skews our priorities. I had a professor last year refer to our generation as “The Entitlement Generation.” It was a low blow, but it was true. This student body is proud. We do have a lot to be proud of, but it is not an excuse to estrange ourselves from other generations – and our urban style campus can not be blamed for marginalizing student relations.
SCAD students typically do not present themselves as affable. Big sunglasses girl: A guy friend once called them the new brown bag. iPod earbud-wearing kid: Why would anyone strike up a conversation when you’re clearly in the zone, chief? Texter gal: Virtual or not, you are already engaged in a conversation and it would be rude to interrupt. I’m not saying don’t indulge in the latest accessories or technology. I walk to all of my classes and on the longer walks it’s nice to listen to music. I’m certainly not endorsing cataracts; I love my oversized Turbo shades, but consider this Southern Belle etiquette rule: If in an indoor and public place, put the phone away, take off the shades (rockstars are exempt) and remove the headphones. If you are approachable, then you can and will be approached. Go back to two dimensional fundamentals. Design precedes execution as congeniality precedes attraction.
