Claiming an Education: Adrienne Rich’s Spectacular 1977 Commencement Address

THE KNOWLEDGE DOME

This is a wonderfully enlightening talk.

Excerpt: ” The first thing I want to say to you who are students, is that you cannot afford to think of being here to receive an education: you will do much better to think of being here to claim one. One of the dictionary definitions of the verb “to claim” is: to take as the rightful owner; to assert in the face of possible contradiction. “To receive” is to come into possession of: to act as receptacle or container for; to accept as authoritative or true. The difference is that between acting and being acted-upon, and for women it can literally mean the difference between life and death.”

For full article:

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/05/21/claiming-an-education-adrienne-rich-1977-commencement/

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