across the universe

[freckles_and_doubt]

You know, I meant to rant about students and adolescent narcissism and what have you, but in fact I think this is just about people. Why is it that you can spend fifteen minutes patiently explaining to someone that the system does not permit them to have what they want, and have them ask at the end, "But can I have what I want?" Humanity's sense of entitlement boggles my mind. (Not to mention its ability to close its ears to unpalatable truths). I bet you orang-utans wouldn't hanker after an Economics major when they clearly don't have the maths. I am also coming reluctantly to realise that my alignment is probably, despite all attempts to the contrary, Lawful Good.

While on the subject of exactly the opposite, I feel I need to record for posterity the at best Chaotic Neutral attempts of the actors involved to turn my small, rather silly SCA medieval miracle play thingy into an even more bastardised version of itself. To date, apart from the Shylock impersonations, this includes William Shatner impersonations, the suggestion that we wander a clearly lost and confused Captain Kirk across the back of a scene depicting Da Gama's landing in the Cape, and a demand for tribbles. Onna stick. You can see the theme here. I remain firm in the face of this relentless Trekkism, looking at no culprit in particular. (first_fallen!)

And, in the Department of Random Linkery Especially For librsa: Bookhunter! With SWAT team librarians, mysterious book robberies, forensic binding experts and incredible gun battles in libraries! Pleasingly deadpan.

Last Night I Dreamed: I was in charge of a whole school full of little boys, in a huge, concrete-block sort of building up on the side of a mountain somewhere. Also present were two beautiful little Indian girls who were under some kind of threat from Unspecified Evil Out To Get Them. Fortunately all the little boys were adepts with a weird sort of martial art that involved skimming small, flat stone circles (like mini UFOs) capable of stunning people when they hit. We set up watches to protect the girls through the night. Later I was taking part in a mad fantasy war, assisting my brother, who was a prince over several island cities protected by dragons. There was a volcano, and baths in associated hot springs.

Comments

"But can I have what I want?"

[veratiny.livejournal.com]

I think it might have to do with the idea that the customer is always right. If you are paying to be at university (or mum and dad are) it puts the dear little student in the frame of mind of consumer and as consumer the little dear feels as if they have an entitlement to service regardless of there capabilities....just a thought.

When I studied here most of the other students were on a system where their uni fees were paid by the government and they then paid them back through tax during their working life (if they don't earn more than a certain amount they don't pay it back). I on the other hand paid triple the amount they did and was required to pay up front. I felt that gave me some form on entitlement....and complained when not provided with a supervisor for 6 months of my honours...the department did not like that and gave me a hard time....but I felt I had paid for it. Slightly different to someone wanting to do economics who failed standard grade maths but still the feeling of entitlement when having paid for something is where I see the similarity.

Consumerist societies give people airs!

(...perhaps pointing out that taking a subject they are not capable of will result in failure and failure will cost them money...might get it through their little wooden skulls)

Re: "But can I have what I want?"

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

Yes, you're right, of course it's consumerism. They can't get it into their heads that they haven't purchased an education, they've purchased a chance to acquire one. "Two-way contract" is my favourite phrase in curriculum advice: they give us money, we give them a chance to prove that they're up to our standards.

The scary thing is that it's a mere matter of time before the consumerist paradigm takes over higher education until we're obliged to give out the degree regardless of performance. And then high marks regardless of performance. And then, mark my words, civilisation is over.