Bret Devereaux

But they are reaching people and in doing so, claiming a public value for the work we do which is absolutely necessary for funding the work we do, be it via public funds or tuition dollars (which require butts-in-seats). In the end, we are reliant on the public. 5/16

(Don't misunderstand me, Eidolon was important, and outreach isn't the only kind of communication we need to do. Views aren't everything, but they *do* matter if the goal is to reach the public and we need to reach the public if we want to still have departments in a decade.)7/16

And yes, YouTube is different in views, but I can say with some confidence that even with a text-heavy blog, greater reach is possible. ACOUP does Eidolon's lifetime numbers each year and I know a committed public engagement classics publication could beat that handily. 8/16

This all comes from a place of real concern - I know we debate a lot on Classics Twitter (TM) about what Classics should be (and that's important!) but I find myself mostly worried about 'will this field - whatever its better form is - survive at all?' 9/16

We're set to lose at least two important classics departments (UVM and Howard). How many more are on the chopping block at SLC that don't make national news? How many Latin programs? Folks, the Classics apocalypse (LBAC?) isn't coming - it's here. Troy is burning *now.* 10/16

Absolutely we need to be having discussions about the shape of the field we want to save - but we also need to save it for that to matter. It does us no good if we settle on a more inclusive classics which only survives in a handful of elite institutions and nowhere else. 11/16

So we've got to come out of our crumbling towers and meet the people where they are. If we're going to have a new, better classics, public outreach is the place to build it - not endless faculty debates. For better or for worse, the courses will have to follow demand. 12/16