Reflections on November 8, 2011 Class

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

As I was going back through my class notes I thought today would be a good time to comment on the November 11th class (plus time is running out). I was intrigued by Kublai Kahn and how much he may have influenced the way many modern American presidents interact with the public. Khan went out and travelled around China. Thus, he could be characterized as an activist ruler. We expect the same today in America and the Chinese expect the same from their ruler. I guess that explains why presidents and heads of state go out personally to inspect natural disasters. But where did this start? I asked my students when did US presidents start being activist leaders. After a deadening silence and many blank faces, one student suggested that presidents became more activist oriented with the advent of technology, like the radio. But we have even more technology today, yet we expect presidents to be physically present when something goes terribly wrong in this country. Yes, students did point out how George W. Bush was seen as non-sympathetic when he didn't travel to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. They even reminded me that Lil' Wayne has a song talking about Bush being MIA. I knew that. Students also said that even though presidents today do show up and pat people on the back, they don't really do anything. Okay sometimes leaders sign bills that give aid to people affected by disasters, but it's not their money, it's ours. Students ultimately concluded that leaders do it to win political points, not because they really care. I introduced Kublai Khan to my students and after discussing him for about five minutes one student pointed out that Khan may have influenced the way modern US presidents interact with the public. Really? After a spirited debate (between two students), the class suggested that maybe Khan was motivated by the fact that he was a conquering ruler who did not really know the Chinese landscape. They also concluded that Khan travelled around China even when there wasn't a natural disaster. However, if a US president is traveling around the country, there must either be some sort of disaster or he is campaigning. Okay, so at this point I asked my students couldn't Khan have also been campaigning? Once again I faced a sea of blank stares until one student responded that Khan didn't have to campaign because he was a conqueror.
edited by straylor on 1/2/2012

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