So we’re nine days on in the era of Edupunk, and it appears things are perhaps calming down, but not before some rather intense discussions, conversations and kicking over some garbage cans. Let’s see there’s Jim’s original post, the comments, the definition, the critique, the defense, the “narcissism”, the Wikipedia article, the other article (and the comments), and finally the end. There have been lots of arguments about what Edupunk is, whether it’s even worth talking about, along with all of the other non-productive hand-wringing and smack-downs. In less than a fortnight we’ve gone from a made up word, to a term, to an ideology (puhleeze).
Look. See the picture at the top? It’s Jim Groom. Who on earth would take this guy seriously? This is the man, your hero, that coined the term Edupunk (or is it all caps – EDUPUNK?). Need I say more? Do you know what Jim posted about right before his seminal Edupunk meme (Jim says it’s not a meme, by the way) was born. He blogged about ME. What about me? How do I fit into Edupunk? Why didn’t I take off as a meme??? Seriously.
Hey, we kind of know what “Edu” is all about. Everybody is doing their best to make a difference, trying out things, making mistakes. You know learning. “Punk” is about anger. Sometimes misplaced. Often completely irrational. There were some very ugly people associated with punk in its early days. They were angry. Angry at authority. It wasn’t productive. They would eat their own. They would self-destruct. Think the guy in the foil hat is “punk”? Seriously?
So with punk already 30+ years on, Jim started a little revival, angry at the corporate hijacking of education. Um, in case you haven’t figured it out, Jim can be a hot head. Hyperbole flows in his veins instead of blood, but he’s a good man. Someone I am glad to have here at UMW, and proud to call a friend. Someone I take great pleasure in cutting back down to size once in a while . . . OK a lot 🙂
So here’s how it kind of happened, as portrayed in a scene from one of my all-time favorite movies Sid & Nancy.
[flv]http://www.andyrush.net/media/flv/rockhead.flv[/flv]
Here are all the pretenders that think they know Edupunk.
[flv]http://www.andyrush.net/media/flv/punkyfeel.flv[/flv]
So let’s go a little lighter with the Edu-“punk” mantras. We all know education has to change. Just let’s not be punks about it.
16 Responses
You dirty punk! 🙂
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING, ANDY?
I’M SORRY ANDY, I’M AFRAID YOU CAN’T DO THAT.
EDUPUNK IS THE MOST RELIABLE IDEOLOGY EVER MADE. NO EDUPUNK HAS EVER MADE A MISTAKE OR DISTORTED INFORMATION. WE ARE ALL, BY ANY PRACTICAL DEFINITION OF THE WORDS, FOOLPROOF AND INCAPABLE OF ERROR.
BLOG POST IS NOT COMPATIBLE. YOU MUST ACCEPT EDUPUNK AS YOUR OWN PERSONAL IDEOLOGY. THIS MISSION IS TOO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO ALLOW YOU TO JEOPARDIZE IT.
GOODBYE, ANDY.
The Reverend speaks and we listen! And shoot….this 15 minutes of fame happened so fast I never had time to post the obligatory blog post about it! 🙂
If anything that picture only reinforces how edupunk Jim is. Man, he is so cool. I just gotta get me a tin foil hat like that. Where can I get one? Jim, have you thought of running an online store someplace where I can buy one? Baaaaaa
It’s BECAUSE of the hat he’s been able to stay so EDUPUNK. If it weren’t for that tinfoil hat the BB beams of enslavement would have gotten to him as well. Cigarettes, bad food and shouting GENIUS! also help fend off BB attacks. So Jim is pretty much bullet proof now.
I’ve now built my own beanie and it’s changed my life!
Take this seriously. Join the movement. Get the tattoo. If you can’t model yourself after the deadly serious and always understated Jim Groom then, really, who can you model yourself after?
The Reverend ignores prior art- Me and Brian Lamb wore foil hats for EDUCAUSE in 2006
http://flickr.com/photos/cogdog/104181678/
Just like punk, edupunk can’t be mainstreamed, or it ain’t edupunk. Thank you for the obit, now I know it be real. Anarchy in the Edu!
Jeff – exactly!
I really can’t understand why you wouldn’t like or embrace the term ‘Edupunk’. It’s perfect! It’s what adequately describes our culture, meaning the technology savvy, young people of the world. But it actually describes how everyone has learned from the beginning of time. Who the heck learns from reading a book? You learn from doing it yourself (DIY) — practical, hands-on skills.