Serve or Fail by Dave Eggers: Summary and Response

Introduction

In his article, "Serve or Fail" (New York Times, June 13), Dave Eggers argues that "colleges should consider instituting a service requirement for graduation," and notes that "some colleges, and many high schools, have such a thing in place." Why? "College students are, for the most part, uniquely suited to have time for and to benefit from getting involved and addressing the needs of those around them." This paper presents the summary and my reading response of the article Serve or Fail by Dave Eggers in a concise and comprehensive way.

Serve or Fail by Dave Eggers

Why are they so "uniquely suited"? Because, as Mr. Eggers asserts, at present they have nothing better to do between classes and semesters and after finals than indulge themselves in private pursuits. Or, as he puts it, citing his own wasted college days, "because a good deal of the four years of college is spent playing foosball," (Eggers, 2004) or otherwise amusing themselves with whatever else entertains college students.

Regardless of how students spend their free time, and regardless of what anyone thinks of how or on what that time is spent, what Mr. Eggers is proposing is to supplant it with involuntary servitude, extorted from students as a requirement for graduation. Others' needs should outweigh a student's needs, he asserts, and the student must be inculcated with sensitivity to those needs and imbued with a desire to satisfy them.

"…[T]hey're at a stage where exposure to service -- and to the people whose lives nonprofit service organizations touch -- would have a profound effect on them," Mr. Eggers assures us. "Volunteering is by nature transformative -- reluctant participants become quick converts every day, once they meet those who need their help" (Eggers, 2004).

After describing how his mandatory "volunteerism" might ...