The Future of the Humanities: A Discussion with Heather Cox Richardson and Brian Naylor

On October 14, 2022, the University of Maine, the Clement and Linda McGillicuddy Humanities Center, the UMaine Alumni Association, the University of Maine Foundation, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences hosted a public discussion about “The Future of Humanities” at the Collins Center for the Arts on the campus of the University of Maine.
The event celebrated the Clement and Linda McGillicuddy Humanities Center’s first decade of operation.
The discussion featured Heather Cox Richardson, professor of history at Boston College, and author of the "Letters from an American" Substack newsletter, and Brian Naylor, veteran National Public Radio correspondent.

[@TheEnergydoc]

I read and value Dr. Cox- Richardson's daily letters and FB posts

[@MichaelDamianPHD]

She offers pure propaganda for the Dem bubble nothing else.

[@matthew-jy5jp]

She has her own TH-cam channel that is excellent as well

[@matthew-jy5jp]

​@@MichaelDamianPHDyou dope

[@matthew-jy5jp]

​@@MichaelDamianPHD Telling the history of the Republican party doesn't mean you are a propagandist for the Democratic Party mate. You're a Doctor and the fact that the Doctor can think that way shows you you're not really a professional. Many doctors have disagreed over the history of medicine what is good and what is bad correct ? This talk about the virus and the vaccines being harmful should offend every single medical person on the planet. Because what people are saying that have no experience in the medical field is they are smarter than you. Just like you are saying you are smarter than Heather, and that's not true. If she is a specialist in her field, the same way a Doctor is. I'm sorry that when you look back at the history of your counthree and it looks down on republican values that you blame not on democrats and not see that the republican values are the real problem. Golden to William f Buckley junior a man who professed to be a religious person call somebody a queer on national television. You people have stopped worshiping God a long time ago and worship America and celebrity

[@goatladygletha792]

The volume on this is exceedingly low. I have my volume in both places up as high as it can go, and can barely hear the audio.

[@clayfoster8234]

Dr richardson will be remembered with the like of Elijah Lovejoy; lesser known but absolutely crucial to our turn away from fascism.

[@MichaelDamianPHD]

The Democrats are the fascists. That's why they want to control speech and create a Ministry of Truth. Unfortunately you're all a bit too dim-witted to grasp that fascism comes from the left and depends on big government.

[@matthew-jy5jp]

Love joy is only remembered for being shot dead. What are you talking about ?

[@clayfoster8234]

@@matthew-jy5jp Lovejoy was instrumental in putting abolition into the public consciousness with his newspaper and refusal to acquiesce to the authoritarians desire to scare the opposition into silence. And let’s be honest, should the christo-fascists take over, she’s one of the ppl they’ll look to settle a score with.

[@matthew-jy5jp]

I say it all the time to be weary of anyone who attacks the endowment for the arts and humanities. Public broadcasting is our national treasure

[@spikedaniels1528]

Heather is always a pleasure… but the volume is too low.

[@Orangecat0608]

Definitely too low.

[@anidadron]

No volume!

[@renzo6490]

Ms. Richardson is writing the history of the present times.

[@matthew-jy5jp]

Her importance is that she can look back at our country's history and notice Is the comparisons between then and now.

[@johnstewart7025]

People have built lives here in America upon a history of great suffering. (I agree. In fact, many people relish explaining how they "came from nothing." Now, that can be a great exaggeration, but that is a legitimate story. I suppose the tragedy is how some people came from nothing and are still "nothing" in the sense that they have been to prison, or don't own a home or don't have parents in their lives etc.)

[@reddyandre]

No, there's nothing wrong with your audio; wait 30 seconds

[@goatladygletha792]

However, my volume is at 100% in two places, and I can barely hear it.

[@guitrr]

30 seconds made no difference, it’s still barely audible

[@taoalexis]

If I want to listen to someone spew drivel and rose-coloured nonesense, I'll listen to Garrison Keillor. At least he's funny.

[@dogeared100]

I do feel this way at times when I listen to her.

[@MichaelDamianPHD]

It's not "book banning" gimma a break. That's a complete lie. There are countless books excluded from any given school curriculum. This woman is delusional.

[@clayfoster8234]

First they came for the books and I immediately said something because I’ve read the rest of the poem…

[@MRGO0OSE]

Not letting kids read Tom Sawyer because it exposes American racism is an example of restricting the access to information children have during their education.
She is not delusional because this type of information restriction is exactly what happens in the early ages of fascist states.

[@MichaelDamianPHD]

@@ruthhenry9577 You're absolutely clueless, sorry. Some materials are inappropriate for certain ages. That's what it's about. Curricula are not about including "voices and representation" of all groups. It's about instruction, not identity groups. Older children do learn about various groups. You have no idea what you're talking about. It's not even remotely about religion being imposed.

[@clayfoster8234]

@@MichaelDamianPHD to say the right wing in America isn’t driven by religion is as inaccurate and deceitful as saying southern support of slavery was not the cause of the civil war.

[@clayfoster8234]

@@MichaelDamianPHD and your supposition that education is about “instruction not identity groups”
*I.E. groups you feel shouldn’t have their existence acknowledged*
Is the calling card of authoritarians, theocrats, and fascists since time began.

[@matthew-jy5jp]

Carl Sagan wrote a lot about the dumbing down of our society before he died. He was very frightened by what he was beginning to see.

[@zeenuf00]

From a humanities major:
at this point, anything besides a STEM degree is worthless.

[@guitrr]

In terms of dollars, yes. But money should not be the only valuation of merit in or to a society

[@zeenuf00]

@@guitrr I didn't mention money.
think about it.

[@matthew-jy5jp]

Stop complaining about the volume. And try to focus and listen to what she is saying.