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We're strong believers in making informed decisions, and having never read the "Twilight" books, we have no idea what to say when asked if we're "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob." Thankfully, California State University is reportedly adding a "Twilight"-themed course in its women's studies program. Some of you might be saying, "DERRRRRRRP? WOMEN'S STUDIES?!" But let's not rush to judgment. Twilightology promises to delve into relationships, race, sex, gender issues and more.
One a student told a reporter that she deemed the Edward character to be "dominant and abusive," so don't expect the class to attract a bunch of Pattinson Superfans. At the very least, we hope they'll dissect the romanticism of the books and help us figure out why so many people are completely obsessed with the non-sex-having teens contained within (and whether or not that whole "I love you, but I want to eat you" thing is some kind of unhealthy metaphor).
Whether you love the series or think it's the trashiest, most anti-feminist thing ever (or both -- it's 2010, do what you want), anything that captures so many hearts and minds probably deserves academic scrutiny. What say you, guys?
Related: Under what heinous form of torture would you consent to watch the "Twilight" movies?" (Asylum)
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Friday 15 October
By Apostate
This is,without a doubt,the most asinine idea I've ever heard of.
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Friday 15 October
By James
Bella saves everyone else in the entire series. She is the hero, and winds up being a godlike figure, more powerful than any other being on earth.
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Friday 15 October
By Estelle
this sounds really interesting. I would be curious to know what chemical in the brain they switch on to make them so addicting. But I'm wondering? What kind of professor is teaching twilightology?
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Saturday 16 October
By geomcd
And that lunatic state wants people with sanity to pay their bills. This ridiculous waste of money is just one example of why that state is so in debt. We left there 30 years ago. The university where my husband was a professor offered such courses as basketweaving and belly dancing ala the tax payers. The state has let the loonies rule, especially in LA and San Francisco.
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Saturday 16 October
By sunny
Why didn't any schools offer a Xena themed course???
It was one of the best television shows ever made, had (and still has) a rabid fan base ans had some of the most intense and interesting sexual subtext on the planet.
I would sign up for Xena 101.
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Saturday 16 October
By makeredhappy
Well, why not another dumb course...not like kids today really learn anything anyway. And I can guarantee that this course will not be paid for by any student working to pay his/her own tuition, but only by some indulgent, unsuspecting parent!! This course I'm sure will go far in getting the kid a job. Oh, why bother with a job...they all end up moving back home with the indulgent parents anyway!!
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Saturday 16 October
By gail
leave it to CA............
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Saturday 16 October
By gail
frankly, I think it's the beansprouts........they really need to get a grip on reality
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Saturday 16 October
By California Native
There is a California that people like you know nothing about. This beautiful state is a fascinating blend of places and people -- there is so much more to see than L.A. and Frisco. I know. I'm third generation Southern Californian. Guess what? ALL members of my family are good, decent, ethical people -- well learned, well spoken and hard-working. Please don't belittle yourself by carrying a stereotypical torch against the many fine people who call California home.
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Saturday 16 October
By james
This is not surprise. Ca, colleges have been slowly moving away from actual educational goals and into the most ridiculous offerings ever. Unless you are going to attend the cream of the crop out here you are mostly wasting your time trying to learn anything from the so-called professors as they are only into research and not any real teaching anymore. Most of the colleges out here would not know what a real education was if it slapped them in the face.
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Saturday 16 October
By james
"Well learned"??????? California native, it looks like maybe the rest of your family is "Well educated", but you seemed to have missed the boat on that one. Well learned is lousy grammer, but then you wouldn't know that now would you???
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Saturday 16 October
By Jane
Education for the last 20-30 years has gone down the tubes. The US used to be in competition with Japan, Germany and other nations with high education standards. We were on the cutting edge. Now professors/teachers are paid salaries equivalent to CEOs of moderate size corporations (but only work 2/3 or a year), and students are so lacking it is pathetic. A 2 year degree is the equivalent to what a person with a high school degree had learned 40 years ago. A bachelors degree is now comparable to an associates degree or less. The students graduate with poor vocabularies, poor grammar, an inability to think rationally. And many of those teachers get to slide into retirement at full pay. Their unions make the unions of the auto industry or mining look like pussy cats. And, it has been at the expense of the children/young people. Everyone involved in education, except maybe 5%, should be very ashamed. But, of course they won't be. They are only as intellectually capable as the students they passed along without earning the right. SHAMEFUL!!!!
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Saturday 16 October
By Bob
The sad thing is, courses like this are rated equally with highly advanced math and science courses when it come to computing a student's grade point average - so a student that takes these kinds of classes could easily graduate with a 4.0 GPA - while the brilliant kids struggling through a "real" program of study might end up with a 2.5 beacuse their classes are so difficult.
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Saturday 16 October
By TED
Gotta watch out for those "Sleeper" courses. Sometimes they can demand a great deal of time and effort on the student's part, then the GPA may slide "down" a bit if you dawdle.
Saturday 16 October
By john
There goes that colledge's credibility.
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Saturday 16 October
By Spikeritz
With California in a budget crisis a public university wastes time on this crap? what kind of degree does this course contribute to? More garbage out of the liberal left wing waste my time and money state.
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Saturday 16 October
By Gabby
I am sure there is a "Twilight" Fan Club that one could join and have dialogue with other like minded people.. without paying tuition. Get real.
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Saturday 16 October
By Lisa
Coming from CA, I can tell you this isn't such a strange idea. Read the article and you will see it is a Women's Studies class, and will therefore most likely delve into the issues women face in today's society. Yes, we still are not equals, still making less for the same exact job. Women's Studies is not just a bunch of hairy arm pitted libbers complaining about men. It deals with women in society, past and present. The issues in government, laws etc. Like abortion, safety, equal pay, etc. Sometimes current literature is used. Twilight is a terrible book, and series, for young women. The main female character is weak, submissive to an abusive, dominant male, giving up her individuality and freedoms for her "love" for him.
I doubt this class will be an easy A, as some think. They won't just read the book, watch the movie and discuss it like a women's book club!
On a personal note; people, please lumping LA with northern CA! We are NOT the same place!
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Saturday 16 October
By steve b
CAN YOU SAY WASTE FRAUD AND ABUSE..............
PROGRESSIVES GONE WILD.....
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Saturday 16 October
By guy
Spoken like a true ignorant phuk. They're doing this same thing at most colleges-including Univ of Texas. Why are so many people jealous of CA? Oh yah! they're not smart enough to live their! They can't compete, they just wait for someone to hand them a check for doing a simple repetitive task job and bitch about everything.
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