I’ve been reading over the two sentences Molissa italicized and trying to make sense of them. I’m not sure that I can distinguish between the two ideas very easily (i.e., becoming something I can envision versus my true self). I think we define ourselves in part by what we can envision. And to a certain extent then, our “true selves” inherently include the idea that what we show to the world matters, as I think Veblen would agree. Instead, therefore, I propose that we talk about the ways in which we wish we could act, and then discuss the ways we actually act, and attempt to understand why they don’t overlap more often. Likewise, in thinking about law school generally, we can distinguish between the CLS experience that we’d hoped for and the one we’re experiencing.

On that note, like Helen I noticed that Eben’s class was not listed in the Admitted Students program. I found it interesting because when I visited classes at different schools last year, I found some of them to be excruciatingly bad, and noted the professor to myself as one to avoid if I attended that school. I wondered why the Admissions Offices would bother to list classes that would not depict the school in the best light in a program for Admitted Students. They certainly weren’t a selling point for the school. Looking down the list of classes that CLS did advertise to Admitted Students, I saw one elective in particular for which I’ve yet to hear a good review on the substance or style of the class.

I wish CLS would advertise our class instead of the other. I agree with what Aaron said about why it likely was not included, but I’m still disappointed. The fact that it was not walks the line for me between sale and con. While I don’t always agree with what Eben says, I value the fact that he says it and that I have the opportunity to hear it alongside my other, more typical classes, and I think that would be a selling point for CLS. I remember talking with other admitted students last year at various schools about whether or not the professors were open to different ideas and perspectives. I think it says something about Columbia that taking a class like ours is an option in our first year. I told a few students yesterday about Eben and our class, and gave one student the information to attend today. Unfortunately, I didn’t see her in the room.

-- CarolineElkin - 26 Mar 2009