Back to How to Make a Bubble

Matthew Reed Class of 2009 Ujamaa

Yeah, Stanford is definitely a bubble. I mean, I dont know (or usually care) what goes on in the outside world. I feel like it's partly because of the time commitment that Stanford requires doesnt allow time for certain things taht could burst the bubble like watching the news or reading the newspaper because you need to be reading IHUM or...well...reading IHUM. Basically I never feel the need to break the bubble because I never have time to think about it really. I often forget that I'm so isolated from the "real world" until I'm in it. I find that Stanford is very insulated against real problems. Not that it doesnt have problems, but there is so few things to worry about here and it's hard to find reminders of the real problems at Stanford. Like I never see bums here, or dirt for that matter, I never here about who died until the day afterwards, things like that.

9:56 PM

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Sarah Vick 2009, Larkin

I pride myself as one of the freshmen in my dorm who happens to break the bubble more often than most. Unfortunately, my version of breaking the bubble is taking the 20 minute car ride to practice and seeing 101 in its full glory (rush hour traffic and all). But isn't that better than not knowing that Town and Country has a Longs and a Coldstone? (One of my fellow freshmen didn't know Town and Country existed, much less that we could walk there in 12 minutes.) I try to read the new summary, and watch the Oscars, but sometimes that slips too.

For the most part, I realize the bubble has remained unbroken. Because of time constraints, (aka I love my sleep) I've missed the majority of true Bubble-Breakers. Those are the speakers on global issues, politics, science... the whole spectrum. Maybe someday I'll actually fit a meeting the CEO of eBay into my schedual, but for now I'll just look at a poster, and say, "Wow, wish I had time for that."

6:42 PM

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Melissa Luu-Van, 2006, Larkin

Having been here for four years, I definitely think that there is such a thing as the "Stanford Bubble." Students here are kind of lost in their own world of school, extracurriculars, campus events, what have you. They generally seem to have much less awareness of outside events - especially ones of national or global importance. Occasionally when something particularly large happens and it gets a lot of media coverage (for example, Hurricane Katrina or the tsunami in Southeast Asia), it might find its way into campus consciousness, but in my opinion this is fairly rare compared to the number of events worthy of our attention.

Living in a bubble certainly has its advantages and disadvantages. I suppose it allows us to be much more focused and provides an environment that is sheltered and thus very safe and relatively untroubled and happy...but at the same time, "ignorance is bliss" isn't really the best policy. Lacking information about what's beyond the extent of campus leaves us lacking a realistic perspective of the world in general.

2:48 AM

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anon said...

Melissa said it so well -- "ignorance is bliss".

I think this massive lack of knowledge of global issues is why so few people go into public service. If people really understood what is happening around the world they would take action. I think this is evidenced by people who completely change paths when they get a glimpse of the outside world. If we all heard more on a regular basis this school would actually achieve it's stated mission of creating public service leaders (paraphrased)