Get to know your DBO - TEACHERS! *sOT* (Off-Topic)

by SonofMacPhisto , Monday, May 12, 2014, 10:10 (3854 days ago) @ INSANEdrive

In college, I had the pleasure of knowing Drs. Alexandre Pantsov and Jacqueline Bussie. They were professors of Russian and Chinese history, and religion and Christian Ethics, respectively.

Dr. Pantsov was a Jewish Russian from near Moscow. He first became an expert in Chinese history, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, moved to the United States, studied Russian history, and became an expert in comparitive studies. He not only helped teach me to think, but to look at the actions of individuals in their historical context. Understanding was more important than judgement.

Jackie focused most of her professional efforts on what she called "the laughter of the oppressed." She made it ok for my to question my dogmatic faith, and sowed the seeds for my eventual rebellion.

Thanks to the miracle of books, Noam Chomsky and Carl Sagan have been my most recent influences. They both build on what I've learned before, and help encourage me to say the things that can't be said and ask the questions so few do.

There's also that boundless love and pity for humankind in their writing, which I try to remember as often as possible.

Speaking of which, Teju Cole is pretty awesome. I haven't read any of his books yet, but if you have Twitter, do yourself a favor and follow him.