To the Editor:As a male student at Brandeis, I take exception to many of the tenets of typicality set forth in Ilya Sobol's '08 Forum article. I am not offended by this piece as much as I am surprised by it.

Ignoring the assumptions laid out in the title that there is a "typical college guy" and that this archetypal figure finds his motivation solely in a quest for sex, this stereotype does not hold, especially at Brandeis.
What troubles me more is a set of norms that this article perpetuates. First, that every Friday begins with drinking and then proceeds to a party. Brandeis and the greater Boston area hold a myriad of cultural, artistic and social events each weekend. To limit oneself to "pre-gaming" and partying is a limited, and, in my experience, atypical state of mind for a Brandeis student.

I take exception to the suggestion that an evening cannot be successful without sex. Ignoring the fact that Sobol mentions only heterosexual intercourse in his article, the argument still holds numerous flaws. Most importantly, it suggests that an evening of dancing, theater, spending time with friends, or (God forbid!) homework cannot satisfy a "typical college guy." To suggest this is an unfair (and ridiculous) generalization, and it does not do justice to the Brandeis community.

The scariest element of this article is the portrayal of women, whom Sobol depicts as objects. This suggests that they serve at best as achievements for male students and at worst as their victims. The metaphor of sexual conquest as a game takes on dangerous undertones in this context, as this game takes place not between equal competitors or teammates, but rather between one player and a hapless target.

This article perpetuates dangerous social norms. Though it contains a few humorous elements, it does not satisfy the reader as a satire. There is no shift in tone from the reasonable to the unreasonable. The author excuses the acts he outlines as necessary social rituals. He comes off as an apologist rather than a satirist. Although this may be the worldview of some, it hardly suffices to describe the "typical" male experience, the existence of which is debatable anyway.

-Josh Gondelman ' 07