Sunday, July 18, 2004

Academic Silliness Watch

Courtesy of Daniel Drezner, comes this ridiculous piece from a French literary scholar in the New York Times. Be sure you're sitting down as he reveals the shocking secret behind the Harry Potter books:
 
Harry Potter, probably unintentionally, thus appears as a summary of the social and educational aims of neoliberal capitalism. Like Orwellian totalitarianism, this capitalism tries to fashion not only the real world, but also the imagination of consumer-citizens. The underlying message to young fans is this: You can imagine as many fictional worlds, parallel universes or educational systems as you want, they will still all be regulated by the laws of the market. Given the success of the Harry Potter series, several generations of young people will be indelibly marked by this lesson. 
 
Further comment on my part is unnecessary.
 
 

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