Though Loren Balhorn may not be capable of such simple actions as focusing on a lecture rather than the 13 inches of MacBook two rows in front of him, or checking e-mail while simultaneously listening to the professor, it would be nice if he didn't project his inabilities onto others ("Skip class more often," Nov. 17). His column in Monday's Daily implores laptop-toting multitaskers to just skip class altogether rather than subject him to any lecture hall distractions.
Interestingly, he argues that he coughs up enough tuition money to deserve a classroom free of students "screwing around" on laptops. This may come as a surprise to Mr. Balhorn, but I pay the same $35,000 a year that he does. I'd say that ought to give me the right to check ESPN.com when and wherever I darn well please.
It's not that I don't empathize with his situtation; the Tetris-playing sorority girl often wins my attention as well. To be honest, the cute ones can win out over the prof even when there's no laptop involved. What makes us different is that I don't take the narcissistic step of blaming my own lack of focus on other people. Whether I'm using my own computer for some decidedly non-academic purpose or just spacing out staring at the latest Flash game that my neighbor is playing, I don't forget that we all ultimately have to take responsibility for our own actions. So unless he wants to start handing out screen-concealing privacy filters to laptop users in his classes, I think Balhorn should just get over it.
-NATHAN CARROLL Weinberg junior
Be the first to comment on this article!