I am a university student who must write a letter to an editor of a reputable newspaper. Well, I don't have to, but it will give me an extra five per cent (in my critical-thinking class) if the newspaper chooses to publish this.
I suppose I should write about some issue or other, but I don't know what to write about. I am not really a newspaper reader. However, I can promise that if this letter is published, I will subscribe to the Free Press every day for the rest of my life.
Mr. Editor, I am just a regular young man. I have dreams, I have hopes, and I really want to contribute to the world. I really hope you will consider helping me out this one time. If so, thank you very much and I'll read more of your edited work. If not, then thank you for the time you took to read this rather long and pointless letter.
RAYMOND MICHAEL MAXWELL
Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Well, it seems young Maxwell was wrong on both counts: his missive was neither long nor pointless...
ReplyDeleteWhat a useless, infuriating, turd. I'm so sick of hearing about how my students have "dreams," and how my demand that their writing contain actual substantive content "crushes" their precious fantasies about themselves.
ReplyDeleteHey Rayturd Maxfuck: I hope your professor pukes all over your "letter to the editor" and gives it back to you. Fresh.
And once again, spoiled little turds learn that being a smart ass will bring rewards.
ReplyDeletehe did what he was challenged to do by his lazy professor. the kid wins.
ReplyDeleteI hope the editor runs the story next week that the kid didn't keep his word to subscribe. Then when potential employers google him it will come up that not only is his an annoying student/employee but that he is also a liar. This could backfire on him big time.
ReplyDeleteOh, God, I have done this assignment, but no student has ever quite taken this approach. Creative genius or just another example of flakedom?
ReplyDelete@Darla, both.
ReplyDeleteIt continues to amaze me how these kids can be absolute geniuses when it comes to avoiding work, but absolute morons when it comes to actually completing said work.
Now, I wonder if the kid then cut out this letter to the editor to show his prof for the EC. Did the prof accept it? It hardly shows "critical thinking" so one can assume it did not in fact adhere to the assignment....
@Mrs. C
ReplyDeleteIt's long inasmuch as it is three times longer than the longest Twitter post possible.
After a quick Web search I discovered to my astonishment that Raymond Michael Maxwell's letter was actually published by the Winnipeg Free Press on Nov. 16. Mr. Maxwell's professor will have to remind him that the assignment was to get the letter published in a reputable newspaper, which by definition excludes any newspaper that would publish his letter.
ReplyDelete(Oops, sorry, I missed the first line of this posting.)
ReplyDeleteI was born in Winnipeg...it's a great paper...but I get your point entirely. I just pray that a very cheeky editor published the letter to amuse us!
ReplyDeleteGood to know young Raymond is already contributing to the world in his own special way ... landfill.
ReplyDeleteI was just reading snopes.com last night (after a long hiatus from it -- I guess people aren't passing around Urban Legends to me so much) , poking in the college area mostly.
ReplyDeleteThere are many "revenge/wish-fulfillment fantasy" type ones. Some are student-centric ("Please choose 1 of the 3 questions below." student circles one, hands it in, got an A. Now they all say "Please choose 1 of the 3 questions below and complete it.") and some are professor-centric ("I will always announce quizzes." Quiz announcement is an ad in the local paper. Students have no grounds for complaint.)
Oh, come on, seriously? I'm a hard-ass, but if one of my students did this, I'd laugh and give the kid the extra credit. It's smart, funny, and fulfills the requirement of the assignment as it was set out. He'll do just fine.
ReplyDelete