49 CommentsTonight’s Actual Wisdom: Gary Okihiro, Comparative Ethnics professor and expert on the Department of Social Formations, humility, and how many times a person can die.
That Hawaiian shirt is all of the cools
1. Justify your existence in 30 words or fewer.
Throughout my over thirty-year career, I’ve had to justify my field of study, comparative ethnic studies, repeatedly. Now I’ve got to justify my existence?
2. Your claim to fame (what makes you special?):
I am the sole member of Columbia’s Department of Social Formations. I serve as the department’s chair, secretary, faculty member, and dog walker of the department’s chair.
3. What’s your most valuable or unexpected college experience?
College administrators told me God was not pleased with interracial dating.
4. What’s the craziest student excuse/extension story you’ve heard?
“My grandmother died.” But, four times in a single semester?
5. Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese?
Easily, cheese. Oral sex teaches us humility. It is best performed on one’s knees.
6. Back in my day…
Back in my day, Columbia was a temple of pure learning. Since 1968, the barbarians have overrun the place.
7. Three things you learned at Columbia:
The core curriculum is God’s gift to (hu)mankind. God is not pleased when we tamper with the core. The core is God’s gift to (hu)mankind.
8. What’s your advice to students/academics/the human race in general?
Be extremely skeptical of advice.
Gary Okihiro via Gary Okihiro
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49 Comments
@kaneohe boy it’s called an aloha shirt
@resizr.com! BWOG, Y U NO PROPERLY FORMAT YOUR HOMEPAGE THUMBNAILS.
@Anonymous HE IS THE BEST.
@Ethnic Studies Student What I’ve learned from Okihiro’s class:
The oral sex answer is oppressing me as a marginalized member of society, forced into subservience by the colonialist mentality of the fellatio-receiver.
@Your Girlfriend Oral sex is a social construct.
@Anonymous LOVE THIS GUY. Intro to Comparative Ethnic Studies was a bummer while I was in it–mostly because I just didn’t want to do the reading. But I can honestly say it is one of the most valuable classes I’ve ever taken. DO IT.
@Student This guy changed my whole view on education and life. He’s awesome.
@Anonymous This guy changed my whole view on oral sex. He sucks
@Japanese Hawaiian American I thought his comparative ethnic study of Pearl Harbour was tragically ironic
@Anonymous brilliant man, wonderful professor, amazing human being.
@UCSC Slug I will NEVER forget this joker.
He got the students at UCSC all riled up to get him “hired” there but the joke was on them. He just used their fury to get a better gig Not At UCSC. He played them so good.
Ah well if it isn’t on the Internet or if the Millennials don’t recall, it never happened, RIGHT?
Whatever.
@Gary Okihiro You are merely a pawn in my quest for world domination (and interacial dating)
@MPD? track
@Tastemaker Well, necessarily. If it’s not on the internet, I don’t want to hear about it.
@umm LOOOL @ HOW LOW-RATED COMMENTS ARE IN COMIC SANS
@YEAH forreal I thought I was going crazy when I saw the different fonts! COMIC SANS LOLOL
@Thanks you #BASED BWOG
@yeah. how heteronormative of you. obvs, GYO is thinking outside of and beyond these social paradigms.
@Anonymous my mind blows up every time i try to take “don’t take people’s advice” advice
@CC'11 Keep fighting the good fight for comparative ethnic studies! I can’t look at you the same, though, after #5….
@Anonymous This chinese guy seems pretty cool. What classes does he teach??
@Jokes? Is this supposed to be funny? Messing up the comparative ethnic studies professor’s ethnicity?
@Anonymous bro .. he’s Korean
@Anonymous All these microaggressions, man. He’s Hawaiian.
@Former student of Okihiro I took Professor Okihiro’s “Intro to Ethnic Studies” class back in the fall of 2009. And he is one of the most brilliant and nicest professors I’ve been taught by during my time here. The intellectual content of ethnic studies is very politically charged but Professor Okihiro’s personality always made the atmosphere light-hearted, which made for a more honest and transparent dialogue for students to participate in. I wish I could take his course again. It was such a remarkable experience and changed the way I thought about race, class, etc. Please take his class. You’ll love it!!!!
@In his class now And I can’t stand it. I am busy writing a paper on how my “whiteness” has caused me to have the best of everything, and passively accept all injustice and racism the world has ever had to offer. If you are a straight white male, this class demands that you apologize for your life.
@dang haha! you are basic as fuuuuck!!
@Anonymous Did I just laugh during finals week?! Thanks, stranger.
@Alexis Martin lemme read your apology when you’re done!!
@Salonee yo, me too!
@Conrad Tao SNAPS. ALL THE SNAPS.
@Anonymous sorry, I don’t speak Chinese
@Farts McDuck Why are we using our real names!? What’s happening?!
@Beyonce Pad Thai Never again.
@Andrew Morrow As you should.
@Anonymous u mad? STAY MAD.
@Anonymous “…how my “whiteness” has caused me to have the best of everything, and passively accept all injustice and racism the world has ever had to offer.”
Uhm, it has
@NSOP '13 Welcome to Columbia, where our community rejects prejudice and believes in being proud of who you are!*
*As long as you’re not a cis-gendered, straight, white male
@I agree with you, And I’d add that I don’t really understand how this is a Global Core class, since most of what we’ve talked about are minorities within the United States. I’m an international student, so I haven’t related to anything we’ve read except during the first month.
@Same as above, Sorry, this was supposed to be a reply to “in his class now”
@Xavier Lee There were four units of fifteen on so-called minorities within the United States. A unit on Asian-American Studies, Latino/a Studies, African-American Studies, and Native American Studies. In addition, there was a unit on white studies. The rest dealt with concepts from colonialism to labor migration to Identities/Subjectivities. Also, the last class, more than anything, justified why this class was global core and why the scope of this course, while grounded in the nation-state, has global implications.
@Anonymous he sassy as fuqqq
@hmm clever answers. snarky bastard. but…does it only teach women humility? Or does he do it differently than I have…? Or have I been misguided?
@Anonymous heteronormative much?
@dear guy, there are a lot of ways you can be on your knees (even if she’s not standing up)…