Toy situation:
Duke hires you do admissions work. You've got a bunch of applications that are right on the line. You google the names. You Google "Sam Lamott from Marin County California" and it turns up this essay. Would you be as likely to admit him?
Keep in mind that you have already called him a "jackass" and a "little troll."
Assuming that you are willing to look past this essay and not let it color your perceptions of the kid, do you think that every admissions officer, every job interviewer, every potential date, Sam ever has will be as reasonable as you are?
CC
10 comments:
That makes me wonder. Young folks (or their parents) who are about to go off to college could put tons of good stuff about themselves on the Internet.
You don't think I do everything I can to make the time I was quoted in the New York Times google well?
CC
LOL. Makes sense, makes sense. There is so much stuff on me on the Internet, I think anyone would just be confused if they googled me. The consequences of an uncommon name, I guess.
Yeah. I ran into trouble at work through google once. Since then, I'm careful to consider these things.
(Also, I met Linguist Friend for the first time at church. The next Sunday, he wanted to talk about some of the things he'd found out about me by googling me.)
CC
You have a FAR more optimistic view of these things than I do.
I would assume that ANY negative information would be a strike against him in such a competitive process.
All other things being roughly eqaul, surely if you see that one kid has acted immaturely recently, the other kids start to look mature by comparison.
Maybe you would be able to view him the same way. I don't think lots of people would have.
CC
If you're a movie star.
If you're just trying to lead a normal life, however...
CC
That's strange... when I look up Sam Lamott, I get your blog, which points out the essay in question.
Also, I have friends who work in admissions in colleges. What they look for is:
1. grades
2. clubs person has belonged to
3. volunteer work
4. teacher recommendations
Now if they had to not have someone because their mother lost their temper with them, slapped them, or they were obnoxious with a parent, then they wouldn't have any student at all.
Also, think about this: Anne Lamott is a well known writer. If her son applied to a college, they could see dollar signs. She could do readings at the school, or (in the case of a private college) can give a mometary gift.
Also, UC Berkeley admitted a young man who watched his best friend murder a child and didn't do a thing about it.
So unfortuately, your argument does not hold up.
If you don't believe that admissions offices and employers are googling people, why are you posting anonymously?
CC
Because I was at a library terminal and my time was almost up, so I had to do it in a hurry.
I hope this answers your question.
Also, I liked your post on Martha. She needs to embrace her inner Oscar, darnit.
That was a rerun from her old show.
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