Readers have responded to Emma Brockes’ piece on social media influencer degrees, with one former academic defending such courses against “Mickey Mouse” jibes and another recalling his own student days.
Defending the ‘Mickey Mouse’ label
Bill Gabbett from Newham, London, said he enjoyed Brockes’ article and was reminded of the last 30 years of his working life spent teaching media, communications and cultural studies in two university departments. He said he got used to such courses being called Mickey Mouse degrees, “mostly by people who seemed unaware that Mickey Mouse was one of the global top 10 recognised images, or even that the Walt Disney Corporation was valued at billions”.
Gabbett added: “I consoled myself then, and do so now, with knowing that my Mickey Mouse acolytes seemed quite averse to wrecking the economy, global or national, treating people as ciphers, or being intent on exploitation come what may. Perhaps such people were elsewhere studying PPE.”
Studying under the influence
Michael Fuller from Ampthill, Bedfordshire, offered a lighter take, saying he did not know about degrees in influencing, but back in the 1970s when he was a student, most of them were “studying under the influence to some degree”.
