When I was at University, we used to joke and say that my International Relations and political science course were a bit like an underwater basket weaving degree. I am not sure if we understood where that came from, but it is an idiom that has been used a long time in the English language.
Underwater basket weaving is an English language idiom used to describe a fictional college course or degree that is entirely useless. The term was first used in print in the 1950s; since then, it has been used to describe university classes or degrees considered useless. The term underwater basket weaving is in the Urban Dictionary.
Table of Contents
- How Underwater Basket Weaving May Have Come About
- Where To Learn Underwater Basket Weaving
- 10 Reasons Underwater Basket Weaving Is Almost Impossible
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Content
At Mondoro, we manufacture baskets, even though we don’t do them underwater, so I became interested to discover where this term came from. Why do people use it to describe a college degree many see as useless? And why do many people think that baskets are woven underwater?
How Underwater Basket Weaving May Have Come About
In many types of weaving, you soak the material in water to become more pliable and be ready to use in the weaving process. Softening the material is familiar with many types of material, especially the less pliable materials such as weaving willow baskets.
In the American Philatelist Magazine, which is considered one of the world’s oldest magazines, the term “underwater basket weaving” was used to explain how some Eskimos wove some of their baskets; the American Philatelist Magazine in 1956 wrote:
“Underwater basket weaving is the principal industry of the employables among the 94 Eskimos here. By way of explanation – the native reeds used in this form of basketry are soaked in water and the weavers create their handiwork with their hands and raw materials completely submerged in water throughout the process of manufacture.”
American Philatelist Magazine – 1956
The Eskimos weaving these willow baskets will soak the willow in water to make the willow reed pliable. They will then use the water to help them easily weave the baskets.
The Eskimos are not submerged underwater and are trying to weave the basket while underwater. When most people think about underwater basket weaving, they usually think someone is underwater trying to weave a basket.
The truth is that the Eskimos used a technique many other weavers use worldwide. Water makes some materials more pliable so the basket weavers can easily weave the baskets.
Urban Dictionary And Underwater Basket Weaving
Throughout the 1950s and 60s, there were many times that underwater basket weaving showed up in newspapers. In particular, the term is most often associated with the academic decline of college football programs and the college courses the athletes are majoring in.
Many use this term in editorials, newspapers, or articles; they refer to underwater basket weaving as athletes taking a useless course and elementary program to continue playing football or another sport.
The urban dictionary defines the term underwater basket weaving as:
“fictional college course that is used to mock the typical course load taken by the average Division 1 basketball or football “student-athlete”.
Urban Dictionary
(Example Of How It Is Used)
Advisor: This semester I’m gonna have you take Basketball Theory 101, Geography 100, College Seminar 101 and Underwater Basket Weaving 101 so we can keep you eligible.
Athlete: I don’t know if I can handle all that
Advisor: It’s okay, we have individual tutors for each of those classes that will do your homework for you.
You can see from this definition that underwater basket weaving was a term used to question the ability of many Division I college athletes and their ability to keep up in their college grades and play a sport.
No doubt, there are many Division I football or basketball players who were accepted into top-rated colleges or universities even though they may not have had the educational background.
But many athletes did train very hard in both their athletes and their studies. The famous San Francisco quarterback, Steve Young, played as a quarterback for Brigham Young University.
Steve Young graduated from Brigham Young University, my alma mater; I can testify to how academically challenging and rigorous a school like Brigham Young University is.
He could graduate and had good enough grades to get into Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. Steve Young attended law school while playing full-time professional football as the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
Tom Brady played college football for Michigan, another very academically rigorous school. Tom Brady graduated with a 3.3 GPA from the University of Michigan. He played college football and worked part-time, and did some community volunteering.
Tom Brady and Steve Young show us they have the brains to complement their athletic abilities. I do not care how much people think they could cheat through university with some so-called underwater basket weaving classes – I know from my experience that top-rated schools like Brigham Young University or the University of Michigan will not allow athletes to cheat their way through school.
Underwater Basket Weaving And The Vietnam War
During the Vietnam War, the phrase “underwater basket weaving” describes a major that someone might take to evade the United States draft for the war. In 1968, US Senator Jordan L Allott criticized some University courses that allowed young men to find a way to get an exception from the US draft to fight in the Vietnam War.
Senator Allott said this about underwater basket weaving:
“…the situation that we were in after World War II where we had universities setting up courses in underwater basket weaving, and all this sort of thing”
US Senator Jordan L Allott
Where To Learn Underwater Basket Weaving
Some colleges and universities have taken this popular idiom to the next level by offering underwater basket weaving courses.
Most of the courses are offered as electives, but this shows that colleges and universities offer courses for what was once an utterly fictional class.
Here are some places you can learn underwater basket weaving:
- Reed College, Portland, Oregon – Each year in January before the second semester, Reed College holds an intermedium period known as Paideia. One of the classes they offer is underwater basket weaving.
- The University of Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona – The University of Arizona has offered underwater basket weaving classes occasionally.
- Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey – Rutgers offers an underwater basket weaving course.
Most of these courses are not ongoing courses. Sometimes the Universities have offered the underwater basket weaving course as a joke. Check out your local University, and you may find someone has decided to jump on board and teach a completely useless course as underwater basket weaving.
These elective courses are useless because weaving a basket on land is much easier than wholly submerged underwater. All the basket weavers I know are happy to weave the baskets on dry land.
10 Reasons Underwater Basket Weaving Is Almost Impossible
Underwater basket weaving is often cited as a fictitious or jokingly trivial course, but when we take the idea literally, there are indeed challenges that would make it almost impossible. Here are ten reasons why:
- Buoyancy: Baskets and their materials, especially when filled with air pockets, will tend to float. They are maintaining a consistent depth while weaving would be challenging.
- Water Resistance: Water provides resistance to movement, meaning every weaving motion would require more effort than doing it in the air.
- Limited Dexterity: Even with diving gloves, the underwater environment can reduce the fingers’ dexterity, challenging weaving’s intricate movements.
- Material Saturation: When saturated with water, basket-weaving materials may behave differently than dry or damp materials. They might become too pliable or lose their structural integrity.
- Visibility: Water, especially at deeper levels, can distort colors and reduce visibility. This can be problematic when following patterns or distinguishing between different materials.
- Breath Control: Staying underwater for extended periods requires breath control (for freedivers) or specialized equipment (for scuba divers), which could distract from the task of weaving.
- Temperature: Water dissipates heat faster than air. Even in relatively warm water, prolonged exposure can lead to hypothermia, making it uncomfortable or even dangerous to stay submerged for the time it would take to weave a basket.
- Water Currents: Natural water bodies have currents that can move materials or the basket itself, disrupting the weaving process.
- Environmental Concerns: Disturbing underwater habitats could be harmful to the aquatic ecosystem. Dropping materials or tools might also contribute to environmental degradation.
- Practicality: The process would be slower and more cumbersome underwater. The idea of weaving a basket underwater, when it can be quickly done on land, lacks practicality.
While the concept of underwater basket weaving is whimsical and humorous, these challenges highlight why it’s not a practical or feasible activity.
If you are interested in seeing how Mondoro can help you with your weaving needs– we would love to talk to you about how we can help you. We help you with most of your weaving needs, except we do not weave underwater.
Find out more about how Mondoro can help you create, develop, and manufacture excellent home decor and furniture products – don’t hesitate to contact me, Anita. Check out my email by clicking here or become a part of our community and join our newsletter by clicking here.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is underwater basket weaving?
Underwater basket weaving is a tongue-in-cheek term that refers to a nonexistent or impractical course or activity
What is the origin of the term u0022underwater basket weavingu0022?
The origin of the term is unclear, but it is thought to have originated in the 1940s or 1950s as a humorous reference to a course or activity that is considered useless or impractical.
What does u0022underwater basket weavingu0022 mean in a job or career context?
In a job or career context, u0022underwater basket weavingu0022 is often used as a humorous reference to a position or role that is considered unnecessary or unproductive.
What is the meaning of u0022underwater basket weavingu0022 in popular culture?
In popular culture, u0022underwater basket weavingu0022 has become a catchphrase or meme that is often used to describe a course or activity that is useless or impractical.
Is underwater basket weaving a real course or activity?
No, underwater basket weaving is not a real course or activity. Some Universities have started to have an Underwater basket weaving course but more as tongue-in-cheek course.
What is the purpose of using the term u0022underwater basket weavingu0022?
The purpose of using the term is to poke fun at or criticize courses or activities that are considered impractical or unproductive.
Is underwater basket weaving a common expression?
Yes, underwater basket weaving is a common expression that is often used in a humorous or sarcastic context.
Why is basket weaving used in the term u0022underwater basket weavingu0022?
Basket weaving is often used in the term because it is a practical and useful skill that is unlikely to be useful underwater
Can underwater basket weaving be used as a metaphor?
Yes, underwater basket weaving can be used as a metaphor for any activity or project that is considered impractical or unlikely to be successful.
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