next »

[frogfactory]

So far mine have made me feel old (at 28) by not knowing:

Sonic the hedgehog
Freddie Mercury/Queen
Space Invaders
The War of the Worlds (okay, not old, but you'd expect at least a few 18 year olds in a science majors classroom to be familiar with HG Wells)
Richard Dawkins (again, not old, but surely you'd have to have had your head buried in the sand for the last decade not to know who he is).

Yours?

[galactic_hedgehog]

Star Trek
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Monty Python

[helpful]

Well, I am much older than 28 and have no idea who or what Sonic the Hedgehog is, nor who or what The Space Invaders were invading.

[alleyoxenfree]

Referring to a book that takes place in the '90's, they said, "things were a lot different then."

They didn't realize that before computers, you had to type a paper over.

[systeme_d_]

Monty Python

Today in class (yes, the same Foucault class mentioned on another thread) I was trying to remember in which Monty Python film the line "We're all individuals!" was uttered.

Three of my students called out "Life of Brian!"  Since they're mostly religion majors or minors, I was mightily relieved.

[galactic_hedgehog]

Monty Python

Today in class (yes, the same Foucault class mentioned on another thread) I was trying to remember in which Monty Python film the line "We're all individuals!" was uttered.

Three of my students called out "Life of Brian!"  Since they're mostly religion majors or minors, I was mightily relieved.

Whew!

I also get a lot of blank stares when I mention specific comic books.

[concordancia]

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Yeah, only two students had even heard of it on Tuesday. One of my accommodation attendees appreciated it, though and even sent me an email after class.

Even fewer had heard of The Persian Letters.

I don't remember them all, but pretty much every reference I made in class on Tuesday went over like a lead balloon. And some of the students are older than I.

[frogfactory]

Ah, yes.  Two of my students were amazed when I caught *their* reference to Victor Creed.  Yes, even women TAs read comics, my dears, and the character has been about longer than you (and I, in fact) have been alive.

[der_gadfly]

"live long and prosper"

[ucprof]

Sonic the hedgehog
Freddie Mercury/Queen
Space Invaders
The War of the Worlds (okay, not old, but you'd expect at least a few 18 year olds in a science majors classroom to be familiar with HG Wells)
Richard Dawkins (again, not old, but surely you'd have to have had your head buried in the sand for the last decade not to know who he is).

OK I had to look up sonic and Dawkins.  Dawkins I never read but heard about his writings.  Sonic I never heard about - mainly because I'm TOO old.  But space invaders, yes of course, ditto queen and WoW. 

Now how many of them know the expression "Danger Will Robinson" (and do they understand when you flap your arms about when you say that line).  Also "same bat time" etc.  Now I am feeling very old.

[ucprof]

Well, I am much older than 28 and have no idea who or what Sonic the Hedgehog is, nor who or what The Space Invaders were invading.

Space invaders was a popular video game in the 70s - you played it in an arcade not on your own computer.  Simple game with a central shooter you control and "space invaders" that would try to attack you from all sides, so you rotate the gun and shoot them before they hit you.  Space invaders came after the famous "pong" which you could buy a module for to play on your TV.  Pong was like "tennis" only the ball was a dot and the thing that hits the ball was just a short line that you move up and down.  Another popular arcade video game was Donkey Kong.

Now how many of you have seen the "Gilligan's Island" episode where they perform Hamlet as a musical set to the music from Carmen (Bizet).  Absolutely a classic.  They don't make tv shows like that anymore....

[frogfactory]

Sonic the hedgehog
Freddie Mercury/Queen
Space Invaders
The War of the Worlds (okay, not old, but you'd expect at least a few 18 year olds in a science majors classroom to be familiar with HG Wells)
Richard Dawkins (again, not old, but surely you'd have to have had your head buried in the sand for the last decade not to know who he is).

OK I had to look up sonic and Dawkins.  Dawkins I never read but heard about his writings.  Sonic I never heard about - mainly because I'm TOO old.  But space invaders, yes of course, ditto queen and WoW. 

Now how many of them know the expression "Danger Will Robinson" (and do they understand when you flap your arms about when you say that line).  Also "same bat time" etc.  Now I am feeling very old.

Careful, WoW means something different nowadays...

[galactic_hedgehog]

Now how many of you have seen the "Gilligan's Island" episode where they perform Hamlet as a musical set to the music from Carmen (Bizet).  Absolutely a classic.  They don't make tv shows like that anymore....

Neither a borrower nor a lender be
Do not forget, stay out of debt...

[systeme_d_]

Well, I am much older than 28 and have no idea who or what Sonic the Hedgehog is, nor who or what The Space Invaders were invading.

Space invaders was a popular video game in the 70s - you played it in an arcade not on your own computer.  Simple game with a central shooter you control and "space invaders" that would try to attack you from all sides, so you rotate the gun and shoot them before they hit you.  Space invaders came after the famous "pong" which you could buy a module for to play on your TV.  Pong was like "tennis" only the ball was a dot and the thing that hits the ball was just a short line that you move up and down.  Another popular arcade video game was Donkey Kong.

Now how many of you have seen the "Gilligan's Island" episode where they perform Hamlet as a musical set to the music from Carmen (Bizet).  Absolutely a classic.  They don't make tv shows like that anymore....

Ah, yes.  Phil Silvers as Harold Hecuba.

<clears throat and sings>

Hamlet, dear, your problem is clear, avenging thy father's death;
You seek to harm your uncle and mom, but you're scaring me to death.
While I die and sigh and cry, that love is everything;
You're content to try to catch the conscience of the king.

Since that day when your dad met his fate,
You just brood and you don't touch your food;
You hate your mom, mad at my pa,
You'll kill the king or some silly thing.

So Hamlet, Hamlet, do be a man, let rotten enough alone.
From Ophelia no one can steal ya, you'll always be my own,
Leave the gravedigger's scene, if you know what I mean.
Danish pastry for two, for me, for you.

Yes, I was a Gilligan freak as a kid.

[barred_owl]

I've told my Gilligan's Island story elsewhere (glad you liked it, systeme_d!), but I do worry that were I to use the reference again that students won't know it. 

I've used Star Trek: Next Generation quite a bit, excerpts from Saturday Night Live (older episodes), one old Andy Griffith show clip (where Andy explains "the facts of life" to Opie), pieces of really old Oprah shows, music videos (90s), and the like from time to time with decent success.  Usually, I give a little background info about the clips or excerpts first so that students won't be completely in the dark about why I'm using them.  I think it's the spontaneous use of references--quoting Monty Python, for instance, without a context--that can throw students sometimes.  I'm not saying it shouldn't be done (who doesn't love Python!?), but it's getting harder and harder to expect today's students to relate.

I'm more worried that I won't know some of the students' references--I try to keep up, but it's a challenge to do so sometimes.  I dread the thought of having to consider Barney as a cultural icon, versus, say, Captain Kangaroo...

Also, FWIW, I know who Dawkins is (and have shown videos in which he is a featured commentator facing off against Jerry Falwell), but I'm not as clear on Derrida, despite the fact that references to Derrida seem to form a running joke here on the fora.   What's that they say?  Different strokes...?  (a bonus point for you if you thought I was referring to the TV series!)