Of academic ritual and beautiful letterhead.

[Noble Savage]

In France, after May 1968, many “bourgeois” rituals, old fashion customs and dress codes were abandoned overnight such as faculty and students wearing ties and jackets, or applauding after each lecture, or wearing gowns. Graduation ceremonies were suppressed in all French establishments — primary, secondary and in higher education. Until 1968, that “prize awarding day” on the last day of the school year was even more important than in the United States. It was a family event gathering all parents and students from all the classes when children or young adolescents received books as rewards for academic achievements (few were forgotten; students with the lowest grades received books for scoring well in gymnastics, community service or other non-academic achievements). When I graduated from the French high school system at 18, in 1975, the only rite of passage into adulthood was to receive a copy of my baccalaureate diploma in the mail. No graduating ceremony or even any informal get-togethers to say good-bye (why bother with such bourgeois distractions?). When I received my BA diploma from the Sorbonne a few years later (no graduation ceremony either), a registrar handed me a typewritten transcript. "University of Paris IV, Paris-Sorbonne. Degree achieved: Bachelor of Letters". Ashamed of its reactionary ritualistic past, the 13th century institution did not even bother to use its beautiful letterhead. — Oleg Kobtzeff

[rodes]

It has often been noted that our sense of occasion has been eroding over the last 50 years or so. This is a shame and not good for society. And what occasion is more fitting than one that honors academic achievement? I am quite thankful that the liberal arts colleges of America, that generally could care less about tradition, seem to be steadfastly upholding this one. Let us all hope this continues.

[Luca]

Like Gothic spires, classical mouldings, a well-tailored suit or the sweep of a sports car, the accreted adornment with which our lives, our institutions have been vested are standing reproaches against the arrogance of tabula rasa merchants. They had to go.

Both the US and Britain, in different ways and occasions, seem to have retained a greater sense of ceremony. I agree it is altogether a good idea to mark special days and events. In my personal experience, even cynics who love to scoff and mock, once swept up by the moment, will grudgingly admit that it's worth it.

In the history of ideas, clearly the Marxist war against "cultural hegemony" fought traditional ceremonies quite heavily in the 20th century but by now it seems to me that banality is endemic and not particularly politically motivated.

[hectorm]

..the Marxist war against "cultural hegemony" fought traditional ceremonies quite heavily in the 20th century.

Hey, Luca, one does not need to be a Marxist to recognize that even in our very culturally diverse societies, there are always those in power who (at least try to) impose their values and beliefs as the norm in order to justify the status quo as "natural". Despite the coining of the phrase, fighting cultural hegemonies is not the monopoly of Marxism.
I would go along with the ceremonial -and even truly enjoy it- provided it does not hide a fundamental falsity that perpetuates privileges or discrimination. As you well pointed out, I used to be one of those cynics who loved to scoff and mock, but now I admit that some of the greatest moments of my life (including academic achievements in an environment open to ideas) were significantly enhanced by the rituals of celebration.

[culverwood]

Surprisingly some of the Nordic countries which could be considered among the most egalitarian countries have elaborate dress codes for the awarding of doctorates.

[couch]

Indeed. You remind me of a true story. A friend of mine who's an anthropologist (born South London, grew up New Zealand, Ph.D. Harvard, field work in the long houses of Borneo, Visiting Fellow of All Souls, longtime faculty U. of Virginia, now emeritus) invited an academic colleague from Scandinavia to attend the dissertation defense of one of his students at UVA (the colleague was going to be in town for another purpose). The visitor showed up in white tie, having packed his full fig solely for attendance at the defense. According to my friend, the visitor was astonished to see that in sweltering Charlottesville, several of the examining committee were in shorts! My friend, a bandy-legged sailor who once showed up in a Dewar's ad (left rear) even though he was not part of the Royal National Lifeboat crew, thought the whole thing was hilarious.

[Luca]

Hey, Luca, one does not need to be a Marxist to recognize that even in our very culturally diverse societies, there are always those in power who (at least try to) impose their values and beliefs as the norm in order to justify the status quo as "natural". Despite the coining of the phrase, fighting cultural hegemonies is not the monopoly of Marxism.
I would go along with the ceremonial -and even truly enjoy it- provided it does not hide a fundamental falsity that perpetuates privileges or discrimination. As you well pointed out, I used to be one of those cynics who loved to scoff and mock, but now I admit that some of the greatest moments of my life (including academic achievements in an environment open to ideas) were significantly enhanced by the rituals of celebration.

Absolutely. The Marxist critique of "tradition" was not the only one; just the most sustained and ultimately successful.
Essentially, all progressivism inherently places limited (or no) value on tradition, mistique and ceremony per se.
While respect for those things can be taken too far, subverting them entirely, I think, was a grievous mistake.
Particularly because, in the end, all we did was replace one set of hegemonies with another, coarser, less natural one.

[rodes]

Gentleman, I delight to engage you for philosophy is one of the few things I know something about. Perhaps "know" is not the right word considering the subject. I do "know" that I have given much to it, hold three degrees in it, and love it. Karl Marx has always struck me as a tragic genius, all the more sad for having written his own character into his own life's play. No doubt the world is better for him having lived, it would be better still had he redirected his remarkable talents and not questioned tradition merely for tradition's sake at every turn in life. A brilliant intellect, astute historian, tireless scholar and gifted writer, his philosophy has been a disaster for millions of people. Brought up and married Christian he came to reject every reality save material reality. Well educated in the imprint of Hegel he had nothing but disdain for the traditional philosophy of history. Marxist thought in this discipline has somehow found its way even to America where it continues to undermine collegiate study. Thankfully, his economic theory has not crippled the west. Saddest of all is the Marxist penchant to hold the institution of the state as being prior to that of the family. This last is incredible, considering that the beloved and loving family of Karl Marx was his one true happiness.
And now to cultural hegemony and contempt for the ceremony of occasion. Small perhaps, considering the abysmal failure of everything else, yet still important.

[hectorm]

Marxist thought in this discipline has somehow found its way even to America where it continues to undermine collegiate study.

I´m not convinced that using the tools of historical materialism undermines the level of academics in America (if this is what you meant; maybe you meant pervasive). On the contrary, I can see contributions if we sometimes approach history as the growth of human productive power and the form of societies as its result. Marx´s philosophy of history is a theory that -as any other theory- is as good as it can explain or predict. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn´t.