Thou Shalt Not Bore Thy Readers

It is always good to blog out of the blue, spontaneously, even verging on “stream of consciousness”, letting your thoughts flow on the page. Better still is writing in response to the writing of others, such as colleagues; or in response to others’ concerns. That way you may abide by the commandment “Thou shalt not bore thy readers.” Today, I would like to reflect on blog entries by colleagues of mine, fellow composition instructors at the American University of Beirut.

Two of my colleagues have recently written on the subject of ghost writing. Having reflected on the subject myself in the past, their postings grabbed my attention. One of them mentioned that public figures set a bad example by using ghost writers while behaving as if this were normal practice. She reminded us that it happens at both the undergraduate level and the Master’s and PhD thesis levels. Then she compared cheating in writing to cheating in relationships: when trust is shaken, that undermines the student-teacher relationship, discouraging teachers. It creates a “disconnect with students” and, in her words, is “why we hate going to work, or not love it”.

My other colleague took photographs of advertisements posted on both roadside billboards and less obvious university walls. Ghost writers are not ashamed to advertise publicly while working in the shadows and claiming no credit for their writing. She wondered what drove students to avail themselves of their services. Was it the economy, the job situation, or desensitization to corruption; a combination of these factors; or some other mysterious reason?

Today as I write, students are protesting the economy and the corruption of leaders. Let us hope they return to their classrooms soon and remember that all forms of corruption are to be frowned upon, not merely that of the leaders they are accusing in their demonstrations. It is wise to look closer to home as well.