The New "Oppression"
USC students can submit a video related to "oppression" on campus, reports Anthony Gockowski, for a chance at a $500 prize:
"Have you seen, heard, or experienced oppression on a college campus?" a poster advertising the contest states. "Many would answer yes. What would you do to change that? Submit a skit for a campus wide diversity training led by USC Student Affairs!"Students were encouraged to participate when a campus-wide newsletter promoting the contest was sent out earlier this week.
The contest will award three winners $500 each. At least a portion of the funds allocated to the Office of Student Affairs is derived from student tuition fees, according to The Tab. The prize, however, is likely only a small fraction of a budget distributed to diversity initiatives.
To borrow from Marc Randazza, "Jesus Hello Kitty Christ on a Rocket-Powered Toboggan!"
If you are, in 2016, privileged enough -- yes, privileged -- to attend USC (annual undergrad cost, $67,212), which I got into but by no means could fucking afford, you are not oppressed.
You are something way, way, WAAAAY different from oppressed.
via @adamkissel
The college students' solution to oppression is oppression.
Ken R at February 25, 2016 6:53 AM
I'm just old enough to remember a TV show "Queen For A Day". It was a contest-type show, women would come on and tearfully describe their horrible, dreary, depressing lives, and the worst one would get selected to win fabulous prizes and experiences and attention. This reminds me of that, "I'm worse off than you, I win!"
bkmale at February 25, 2016 7:17 AM
Interesting. These types of contests are usually used to find marketing content. The manufactured oppression industry must be seeing some good times ahead.
Canvasback at February 25, 2016 7:18 AM
They are so hard up to find real examples of oppression they need to make short movies about it? I guess no one ever told them Hollywood isn't real.
Ben at February 25, 2016 8:23 AM
Oppression is becoming a fetish now; an object to be worshiped, cultivated, and now rewarded. The purpose of this action is being lost and soon only the fetish will remain.
Shtetl G at February 25, 2016 8:33 AM
As long as they're not filming the police, says the court.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at February 25, 2016 11:04 AM
"diversity training"
This exists at the corp level as compliance... so this college stuff exists as an onramp. They'll goose the workworld stuff as they move up.
SwissArmyD at February 25, 2016 11:05 AM
Fetish. That's a good way to describe it.
Remember when you were a little kid and there was a certain comfort in crying that the world was against you and that's why you failed the test, the teacher hated you? You imagined that all your oppressors would be sorry when they saw what they had done to you. "Soap poisoning! Noooo!"
So, now we have what should be adults whining that the world is against them and that's why they can't succeed.
Conan the Grammarian at February 25, 2016 12:27 PM
So, now we have what should be adults whining that the world is against them and that's why they can't succeed.
At U$C?
That there is prime comedy material. The students of U$C are the very definition of privileged elites, West Coast version.
I guess they need to show us that they're down for the struggle. Virtual signalling to their "tribe" of like minded individuals.
I R A Darth Aggie at February 25, 2016 1:23 PM
As someone who went to another Pac 10 school (U-Dub) we always assumed USC stood for University of Spoiled Children.
David Crawford at February 25, 2016 4:34 PM
"Have you seen, heard, or experienced oppression on a college campus?" a poster advertising the contest states. "Many would answer yes. What would you do to change that?"
"Yes! Low grades are oppression. Especially when they are given by white male professors. I would ban this practice. All students would get As. No, scratch that. All students would get A+++s, a true measure of how important we all are."
JD at February 25, 2016 7:05 PM
Swiss Army D; you aren't kidding - these types of "events" are happening at the corporate level.
Those folks running this event while in college are just practicing for when they enter the workplace and get paid to stick it to the rest of us "oppressors."
Attendance at these events in the corporate world is often becoming mandatory.
And if you are a white male, who is not an executive, you just sit there, keep your mouth shut, and let your co-workers bash away.
If you dare to speak up you are part of the problem. You cannot even speak up to agree as that is taking the "voice" away from those oppressed.
So, not only is this happening at a college near you - it is coming to a workplace where you work.
charles at February 25, 2016 9:09 PM
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