What does it mean to be "self-congratulatory?"
Dictionary.com defines self-congratulation as, "the expression or feeling of uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's own accomplishment, good fortune, etc." The definition can go beyond this generalization. Self-congratulation can also serve as an expression that one is superior to his peers, that he represents something higher.
I don't think that this addendum is unmerited.
I got to thinking about this when I read a recent Odyssey article written by Nick Budler '19. Its peal of the qualities of a few fellow Wabash students sparked a need for criticism. How can these four individuals represent what it means to be a Wabash man, and to be a product of an institution like Wabash College?
Moreover, how do they solely represent the liberal arts education that all Wabash men should receive?
One of the prerogatives of the Wabash experience is molding students into gentlemen. They are to be guided on how to collaborate with others across a wide spectrum, and to understand and respect them with their talents.
As I read Nick's article, I couldn't help but wonder if he had forgotten his other peers he has worked with. All he focused on was touting his interactions with a select few, graced with an opportunity only some could have.
"(Wabash) is made of people?" You bet it is, and it consists of a more diverse constitution of students spread throughout the divisions. Not just four special people you have become acquainted with through an internship.
I want to reiterate that the uncritical opinion of self and where you come from brings out the inattention of our most enthusiastic and opportunistic.
I have seen too much on the touting of Wabash College as an unfailing institution, where there seems to be nothing dissatisfactory or that which can be improved upon. I have also seen too many of my fellow Wabash men give unequal credit between the institution itself and the people that surround them.
It is necessary for us to think critically about inter-student relationships, about the relationship we will always have with our alma mater, and what we can positively do to make it all count.
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As such, I want every one of us to look upon the current state of the College and ask ourselves, "What is being done, and what is being done right?"
The concerns of students, the administration, and alumni should be focused on solidifying our Wabash connections, and on maintaining the integrity of the curriculum. These long-established elements have allowed the College to rest on its laurels.
However, this doesn't always mean that the institution should gild them.
More attention must be given to the perspective that Wabash College, through the fresh administration headed by President Hess, has been changing as a place of learning. Opinions differ on how this change has occurred, and whether the effects have been positive.
Even so, it seems that more emphasis has been placed on Wabash as a center of business as well as supposition.
Where does this leave the curriculum to teach its students in the real and practical tradition of the liberal arts? This is the question. However, it is one that could be addressed with a cautious focus on the College across the board. The virtue of the Wabash education is to be preserved by the checking of not just mediocrity, but also of "improvement."
I feel compelled to call on the powers that be, in the administration and even in organizations like Career Services and the C.I.B.E, to take a good look around to find what may be left behind.
More alumni must be engaged to give all these young men opportunities on a fair and regular basis. Equal share within the curriculum, across all Divisions and organizations, must be upheld. The aspect of close relationships between the students and faculty must be maintained.
As I see it, the college is now not just failing to live up to the hype. It is failing to live up to its time-tested potential as an all-male liberal arts institution. Wabash has become a place where change has complicated the focus towards transforming its students into well-rounded individuals.
I am certainly not suggesting that I have all of the support, or that I have the solutions to make our great college the best it can truly be. Ultimately, from a student's perspective, I am just suggesting that Wabash College is not perfect.
It's that simple, but this realization guides how we address these issues with honesty and with purpose.
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I want to also remark on a figment of the "Wabash Mafia" construct, one which influences the localized Little Giant mentality.
From my perspective, there is a powerful cut-throat attitude that resonates through what we do in and out of the classroom. All of us are smart and have something to work for. However, we are always in competition with each other for our own personal gain, mindful of aspirations of wealth or prestige.
It seems that everyday we betray what is meant in maintaining the brotherhood, and many of us don't recognize that we are doing this. How Wabash men possess their talents has never been, and should never be, about chewing each others' throats out to get ahead.
The Gentleman's Rule calls for us to think critically with our peers, and to live humanely for our communities. In the eyes of the spirit watching over her classic halls, we are all worthy to make a difference through our education.
Factionalism has no place in the liberal arts.
The Fiji must not boast that he rides in a helicopter to his internship. The science major must stop comparing his studies to those in the humanities, and saying that his work is demonstratively more challenging. The prospect in the law must never look down at his "rival" and question his worth.
What was promised to us when we entered into the brotherhood was that our peers would become our greatest teachers. God forbid that we let that promise go into oblivion because of antagonism.
When we stop being self-congratulatory, and strive to build a versatile network of Wabash men, we all work towards fulfilling our greater roles as some Little Giants. The true Wabash Mafia is all about giving back and paying it forward.
“The student is expected to conduct himself at all times, both on and off campus, as a gentleman and a responsible citizen.”
Let's live our code like we mean it.
