This came via e-mail yesterday:
The NEH Enduring Questions grant program supports the development of a new course that will foster intellectual community through the study of an enduring question. This course will encourage undergraduates and teachers to grapple with a fundamental question addressed by the humanities, and to join together in a deep and sustained program of reading in order to encounter influential thinkers over the centuries and into the present day.
Deadline(s): 09/15/2011
E-mail: enduringquestions AT neh DOT gov
More information here on the web site, which also includes some samples of successful “enduring questions:”
- What is good government?
- What is the value of work?
- What is friendship?
- What is evil?
- Are there universals in human nature?
- What are the origins of the universe?
This got me thinking about other Enduring Questions that span the ages of humankind:
- Why do I have to go to bed when it’s still light out?
- How do I look?
- Am I popular?
- Does ze LIKE me like me, or does ze just like me?
- When will ze call?
- Why did I have that fourth glass of wine last night?
- Why do 10% of the people I work with make 90% of the trouble?
- Does that person ever shut up?
- Is too much really never enough?
- Will I have enough money ever to retire?
- Is that a mole/lump I should get checked out?
Leave the Enduring Questions on your mind in the comments below.
Historiann 
I’d add: is that really all there is?
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Why patriarchal equilibrium?
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What’s for dinner?
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Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?
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Which side are you on?
Also, a series:
Where have all the flowers gone?
To be followed by youn girls, young men, soldiers, and graveyards.
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Where did I put my keys again?
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Does this make my butt look big?
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Really? It’s morning already?
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Did I really agree to that?
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AGAIN?????
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Why didn’t anyone tell me this was a bad idea at the beginning?
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Who peed on the toilet seat?
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What the hell happened here? (My personal favorite)
Do we really have to read ALL that? (from my students every semester)
Ditto on Leslie’s question.
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You all crack me up. And yet no one has yet asked, “WTF?” I think I’ll add that illustration to the post above. . .
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What part of “NO” don’t you understand?
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So what is the goal of this committee, exactly?
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Are we there yet?
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Will I get the neh enduring Questions grant I have been working on?
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How impartial would a sitting governor be, in tackling for-profit educational institutions’ problems, when he’s on the board of one himself?
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_18506834
And why does Western Governors’ University sound like a mighty-fine way to influence governments through sinecures?
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* I dunno, what do you want to do tonight?
I can only second Spanish Prof and Feminist Avatar.
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Why isn’t this blog this funny always?
This reminds me of the Reagan “star wars” period when Darpa, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, sought proposals for grants (7 digits) for work that improves everything 1000 times. I laughed hard then too.
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“What the hell is *that?*
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What’s the point of General Education curricula?
How badly do you have to treat faculty before they do more than complain?
If workers riot over bread prices, and peasants over taxation, what will get the Amerikan workers of the so-called middle class into the streets against the wealthy?
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Why does Froggy wear a sword and pistol by his side when he goes a-courtin’?
(And, I’m glad that *someone* *occasionally* finds this blog funny!)
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Does this “prerequisite” actually have to be taken *before* the seminar, or can I take it next summer, online, at the community college near my home?
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Is this a load bearing wall ?
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Why is “abbreviation” such a long word?
Why is there no umlaut in “umlaut”?
When will the Chicago Cubs win the World Series?
Do you want fries with that?
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Why do you suck your thumb?
Why do they hate us so much?
What is the difference between a monkey and me?
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how can w-o-m-e-n spell secretary?
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Oh, I know!
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?
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Will this be on the test?
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Janice FTW.
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What did I miss?
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Make it a double?
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What were you thinking?
Heck, what was *I* thinking?
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Are you gonna eat that?
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Did I miss anything important in class today?
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What’s this rash?
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How long should this paper be? And do you want footnotes, endnotes, or MLA style?
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Why do you drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?
Why does my car have so many issues?
Why do my classmates ask complicated questions in the last 2 minutes of class?
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Who wrote the book of love?
You’ve got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?
Why didn’t I think of that?
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What is the point of this grant?
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What could possibly go wrong?
I wonder what would happen if I touch th–?
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Are we there yet?
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English, motherfucker! DO YOU SPEAK IT!
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Paper or plastic?
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Where are the snows of yesteryear?
These are great!
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Is it your testimony that the starting center actually wrote that paper on “Physiocrats versus Mercantilists” during your six-day trip to the Regional Finals last year up in Buffalo Falls?
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Was that strictly necessary?
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Dr. J beat me to “What could possibly go wrong?” so I’ll add “Does this look infected to you?” and “What’s that puddle on the floor?”
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