NationStates Jolt Archive

So today in class, we were assigned to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and my teacher was talking about how the book was an allegory about communism and the Vietnam War.

So she decided to give us a little background info on the war, which apparently came about because the Communists in North Vietnam attacked and attempted to invade South Korea.

Then she decided we needed to learn what communism was, so she asked this kid if he knew. So a kid in our class said yes, its a political system where "you are meant to work as well as you can, and receive everything that you need." Now, admittedly that's not a very full description, but I think its a decent base.

Not my teacher, she looked at the kid like he was crazy, told him he was wrong, and went on to describe that communism is a "classless society that represses individuality and advocates conformity, like the mental hospital in One Flew Over." Not completely wrong, but the first one was closer, no?

This woman is my English teacher, yet the class constantly corrects her spelling. She has told me that it is a fact that I am bisexual. She has told me that, without a doubt, I wanted to have sex with my mother when I was a toddler. She's 24, the last person I met that was her age bought me a six-pack of Heineken.

I am supposed to be at a top-tier college prep boarding school (thank god I get to go to public school next year), where all of the kids get into well respected colleges and about 1/3 get into Ivy League ones. What the hell is this woman doing teaching here?

=nepotism.

My guess:p

She sounds like a flake.

Also, why are you using the word retard to describe anyone?

complain to another member of staff and if there is one thing I have learned from Freud its that when one person uses his "theory's" you can certainly use them right back (say she is in fact Bisexual)

So today in class, we were assigned to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and my teacher was talking about how the book was an allegory about communism and the Vietnam War.

So she decided to give us a little background info on the war, which apparently came about because the Communists in North Vietnam attacked and attempted to invade South Korea.
This is actually lies, it came about because the US kicked off a war so that the Vietnamese wouldn't get to elect a communist government to rule over the whole of the country, basically.
Then she decided we needed to learn what communism was, so she asked this kid if he knew. So a kid in our class said yes, its a political system where "you are meant to work as well as you can, and receive everything that you need." Now, admittedly that's not a very full description, but I think its a decent base.

Not my teacher, she looked at the kid like he was crazy, told him he was wrong, and went on to describe that communism is a "classless society that represses individuality and advocates conformity, like the mental hospital in One Flew Over." Not completely wrong, but the first one was closer, no?
The first is hopelessly idealistic, also not very informative, the second is a better picture of what communism has so far attained. And aye, I know that's "not what Marx would call communism", but there we go.
This woman is my English teacher, yet the class constantly corrects her spelling.
Unsurprising, seeing as if look at people spelling English wrong all day long during your teacher training, your own English gets worse and worse. I had to correct my (actually French) French teacher earlier in the week for about the same kind of reasons.
She has told me that it is a fact that I am bisexual. She has told me that, without a doubt, I wanted to have sex with my mother when I was a toddler.
Rightio, then.
She's 24, the last person I met that was her age bought me a six-pack of Heineken.
And my Assistentin for German is the same age and is teetotal. What's your point, squire?
I am supposed to be at a top-tier college prep boarding school (thank god I get to go to public school next year), where all of the kids get into well respected colleges and about 1/3 get into Ivy League ones. What the hell is this woman doing teaching here?
She's a new teacher. You don't come out of training absolutely perfect in any area.

So today in class, we were assigned to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and my teacher was talking about how the book was an allegory about communism and the Vietnam War.

Fair enough.

So she decided to give us a little background info on the war, which apparently came about because the Communists in North Vietnam attacked and attempted to invade South Korea.

Meh, her understanding of history is off. Especially if she really said that North Vietnam attacked South Korea :p

Then she decided we needed to learn what communism was, so she asked this kid if he knew. So a kid in our class said yes, its a political system where "you are meant to work as well as you can, and receive everything that you need." Now, admittedly that's not a very full description, but I think its a decent base.

Yep. decent base. Except that its an economic system not political.

Not my teacher, she looked at the kid like he was crazy, told him he was wrong, and went on to describe that communism is a "classless society that represses individuality and advocates conformity, like the mental hospital in One Flew Over." Not completely wrong, but the first one was closer, no?

Well, see, she was closer until she got past the classless society part. The bolded part is just her bias and her attempt at selling propaganda.

This woman is my English teacher, yet the class constantly corrects her spelling. She has told me that it is a fact that I am bisexual.

Thats her business how? Id be a little miffed.

She has told me that, without a doubt, I wanted to have sex with my mother when I was a toddler.

Ok, shes a Freudian. That right there should set off the sirens that she knows jack shit. Its safe to say that 90% of everyone with even a basic understanding of psychology, and an even higher percent of psychological experts, think Freud was a moron.

She's 24, the last person I met that was her age bought me a six-pack of Heineken.

I think you should drink better beer. :p

I am supposed to be at a top-tier college prep boarding school (thank god I get to go to public school next year), where all of the kids get into well respected colleges and about 1/3 get into Ivy League ones. What the hell is this woman doing teaching here?

Low standards?

Also, why are you using the word retard to describe anyone?

Because in this case it is an accurate term.

Then she decided we needed to learn what communism was, so she asked this kid if he knew. So a kid in our class said yes, its a political system where "you are meant to work as well as you can, and receive everything that you need." Now, admittedly that's not a very full description, but I think its a decent base.

Yep.


Not my teacher, she looked at the kid like he was crazy, told him he was wrong, and went on to describe that communism is a "classless society that represses individuality and advocates conformity, like the mental hospital in One Flew Over." Not completely wrong, but the first one was closer, no?

Oh course. Haven't you read the Communist Manifesto? It's right there.... er.... thumbs through pages.... I know it's here somewhere.

How the fuck can you have "classless society" when people are being repressed? That seems to imply a class doing the repressing.


This woman is my English teacher, yet the class constantly corrects her spelling.

Funny story. I had an English teacher in 8th grade who claimed up an down that "it's" means "it is" and never "it has."


She has told me that it is a fact that I am bisexual. She has told me that, without a doubt, I wanted to have sex with my mother when I was a toddler.

Sounds like I want to fuck my dad in the ass. I mean. *ahem* I seem to have had a Freudian slip. Dammit, Freud was so full of shit....



She's 24, the last person I met that was her age bought me a six-pack of Heineken.

Age is not the guarantor of wisdom.

She's not a retard, she's just plain old ignorant.

Or republican ;)

Because in this case it is an accurate term.

It is?


Main Entry:
1re·tard Listen to the pronunciation of 1retard
Pronunciation:
\ri-ˈtärd\
Function:
verb
Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French retarder, from Latin retardare, from re- + tardus slow
Date:
15th century

transitive verb 1 : to slow up especially by preventing or hindering advance or accomplishment : impede 2 : to delay academic progress by failure to promote intransitive verb : to undergo retardation
synonyms see delay



Huh.

Perhaps she'll become a better teacher over time by gaining experience.
________
The wiki opening paragreph to communism is this: Communism is a socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of a classless, stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production.[1] It is usually considered a branch of the broader socialist movement that draws on the various political and intellectual movements that trace their origins back to the work of theorists of the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution[2]. Communism attempts to offer an alternative to the problems believed to be inherent with capitalist economies and the legacy of imperialism and nationalism. Communism states that the only way to solve these problems would be for the working class, or proletariat, to replace the wealthy bourgeoisie, which is currently the ruling class, in order to establish a peaceful, free society, without classes, or government.[3] The dominant forms of communism, such as Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, Trotskyism and Luxemburgism, are based on Marxism, but non-Marxist versions of communism (such as Christian communism and anarchist communism) also exist and are growing in importance since the fall of the Soviet Union.

I seem to have had a Freudian slip.
A Freudian slip is when you say one thing and mean mother.

A Freudian slip is when you say one thing and mean mother.

No, a Freudian slip is when you claim to have misspoken, however in reality you said something in your subconscience.

Bad definition. That's not what people mean when they use the word "retard." They mean something more like this: "idiot, a person of subnormal intelligence."

Yep.

Oh course. Haven't you read the Communist Manifesto? It's right there.... er.... thumbs through pages.... I know it's here somewhere.

How the fuck can you have "classless society" when people are being repressed? That seems to imply a class doing the repressing.
The Communist Manifesto is a bunch of empty platitudes and nothing more. If you disagree this, it's because you're not thinking beyond the whole "NEED TO REBEL" issue.

No, a Freudian slip is when you claim to have misspoken, however in reality you said something in your subconscience.
Read the post properly, KoL ;)

Read the post properly, KoL ;)

D'oh.

Liberal arts teachers younger than 40 are usually idiots and shouldn't be teaching.

The Communist Manifesto is a bunch of empty platitudes and nothing more. If you disagree this, it's because you're not thinking beyond the whole "NEED TO REBEL" issue.
Oh, of course. I totally agree. Nevertheless, it is fun to be sarcastic. I still think her definition of communism is self-serving and inaccurate.

Liberal arts teachers younger than 40 are usually idiots and shouldn't be teaching.

How quaint.

Liberal arts teachers younger than 40 are usually idiots and shouldn't be teaching.
They need to teach for a bit or they'll simply be rubbish at teaching and a bit old.

She sounds like a flake.

Also, why are you using the word retard to describe anyone?

Because she is a fuckwit of the first order.

Truth be told, bad teachers, of a certain form, can be found in the highest educational establishments. I attended the best state school in the UK, and a good number of teachers would, I am reliably informed, have been abject in less salubrious environs.

How quaint.
Maybe if they wern't all still enchanted with the magic of teaching and how awesome they are for doing it they wouldn't be such idiots.

Truth be told, bad teachers, of a certain form, can be found in the highest educational establishments. I attended the best state school in the UK, and a good number of teachers would, I am reliably informed, have been abject in less salubrious environs.
Question - do you have your exams up soon or somesuch?

Question - do you have your exams up soon or somesuch?

Either that or he discovered the joys of thesaurus.com.

https://www.livejournal.com/create.bml

https://www.livejournal.com/create.bml

Youre one to talk.

Question - do you have your exams up soon or somesuch?

Nope. I do history remember; I have 5 hours a week tuition, 3 of which are compulsory, and 2 essays. In truth, given the quality, and quantity of tuition I've recieved this year, I do find the claim that tuition fees are a necessity a little odd.

Because she is a fuckwit of the first order.

Truth be told, bad teachers, of a certain form, can be found in the highest educational establishments. I attended the best state school in the UK, and a good number of teachers would, I am reliably informed, have been abject in less salubrious environs.

If she is a fuckwit call her a fuckwit. To call her a retard is not only inaccurate it's just rude.

It annoys me so much, more than when people say "that's so gay" but less than when they say "I had to put my life on hold".

If she is a fuckwit call her a fuckwit. To call her a retard is not only inaccurate it's just rude.

It annoys me so much, more than when people say "that's so gay" but less than when they say "I had to put my life on hold".

Ask me or TBC if we care. Seriously. Ask "KoL/TBC, do you care if I find this term rude?"


I can already tell you our answer. I think you know it too.

Ask me or TBC if we care. Seriously. Ask "KoL/TBC, do you care if I find this term rude?"


I can already tell you our answer. I think you know it too.

It is nice to know some people are brave enough to self identify and give the rest of us a free pass...



:)

Nope. I do history remember; I have 5 hours a week tuition, 3 of which are compulsory, and 2 essays. In truth, given the quality, and quantity of tuition I've recieved this year, I do find the claim that tuition fees are a necessity a little odd.
Ah, right. It's just that around the exam period in May-June, your tone usually changes from "a bit overly pretentious" to "actually up your own arse", which I have previously attributed to practising for the exams and all that.

It is?
*snip*

To be fair, you should be looking at the noun, not the verb.

Ask me or TBC if we care. Seriously. Ask "KoL/TBC, do you care if I find this term rude?"


I can already tell you our answer. I think you know it too.

:rolleyes: Everyone cares about what I think. Everyone hangs on my every word.

Nope. I do history remember; I have 5 hours a week tuition, 3 of which are compulsory, and 2 essays. In truth, given the quality, and quantity of tuition I've recieved this year, I do find the claim that tuition fees are a necessity a little odd.

If it is not too rude...

Where are you taking the degree?

Ah, right. It's just that around the exam period in May-June, your tone usually changes from "a bit overly pretentious" to "actually up your own arse", which I have previously attributed to practising for the exams and all that.

Haha. Perhaps.:D

If it is not too rude...

Where are you taking the degree?

York. Let's not get into it, I'm supposed to be laughing at Ed Miliband at 7.

Ask me or TBC if we care. Seriously. Ask "KoL/TBC, do you care if I find this term rude?"


I can already tell you our answer. I think you know it too.

Quite true.

York. Let's not get into it, I'm supposed to be laughing at Ed Miliband at 7.

I always thought York was quite respectable.

Saying that though, I went to an ostensibly respectable university, which frequently causes me to cringe.



But laughing at Ed Miliband. All good, not sure if he is good for anything, judging from stuff I've read in Private Eye recently.

I always thought York was quite respectable.

Saying that though, I went to an ostensibly respectable university, which frequently causes me to cringe.



But laughing at Ed Miliband. All good, not sure if he is good for anything, judging from stuff I've read in Private Eye recently.

Define respectable; the problem is, of the universities I applied to, I got into 5 of 6 (Oxford rejected me. Warwick, St. Andrews, Kings, UEA and York did not.), and of these, Kings and St. Andrews are infinitely better suited to me academically. Socially, I suspect St. Andrews may have proved a little frustrating, but in terms of course, both would have provided an education both of greater quality, and more suited, to myself. Also, given I'm a nastily ambitious and well qualified bastard, who's been getting mid to high firsts thus far despite being bored beyond measure, I have decided that academically York is beneath me, and, if I do not get an mA from a decent university, I will have sold myself short.

She's not a retard, she's just plain old ignorant.

Or republican ;)

Well that's a new and fresh joke, thank you for your incredibly smart and good "joke". :rolleyes:

York. Let's not get into it, I'm supposed to be laughing at Ed Miliband at 7.
Oh please. As if one needs a set time and reason to laugh at the Milliband brothers :p

She has told me that, without a doubt, I wanted to have sex with my mother when I was a toddler.

Heh, people still take Freud seriously?

Oh please. As if one needs a set time and reason to laugh at the Milliband brothers :p

Well, true, but generally one doesn't have the chance to do so in person. Or miss that chance, actually.

I'd argue that "calling" the allegory before you've even begun to read the book is a bad idea, because a lot of kids are going to be put off by the idea that the book is "about" politics. It's actually a very entertaining book quite without that.

Sounds like the teacher didn't prepare the lesson properly, and just assumed that her casual knowledge of Soviet "communism" would be adequate. IF the book is an allegory for the Vietnam war, the definition of "pure" communism isn't very relevant anyway.

She'll learn that there are some subjects (politics, sex and religion, basically) where it's best to stick to a dry and uncontroversial definition, unless the lesson is specifically about that.

In the meantime, have fun with the noob teacher. When you've wred the book, it might be worth trying to build a case that it's an allegory for school itself!

Define respectable;

Established and generally well regarded in the particular field (by those with a worthwhile opinion) has generally been a good rule of thumb for me.

Define respectable; the problem is, of the universities I applied to, I got into 5 of 6 (Oxford rejected me. Warwick, St. Andrews, Kings, UEA and York did not.), and of these, Kings and St. Andrews are infinitely better suited to me academically. Socially, I suspect St. Andrews may have proved a little frustrating, but in terms of course, both would have provided an education both of greater quality, and more suited, to myself. Also, given I'm a nastily ambitious and well qualified bastard, who's been getting mid to high firsts thus far despite being bored beyond measure, I have decided that academically York is beneath me, and, if I do not get an mA from a decent university, I will have sold myself short.

If you really do find it so easy, it doesn't matter, since getting a good degree from York University still looks really good on your cv.

If you really do find it so easy, it doesn't matter, since getting a good degree from York University still looks really good on your cv.

Not good enough. At all.

Not good enough. At all.

It's quite easy to academically challenge yourself, you don't NEED university for that. You could try reading some incredibly complex book, join a debating society etc...

It's quite easy to academically challenge yourself, you don't NEED university for that. You could try reading some incredibly complex book, join a debating society etc...

Well, yes, but that doesn't guarantee me the £17,000 extra per annum mean salary an Oxbridge degree does, does it? And since the career resulting from university, and the status provided by the institution, is relatively important to me, I'd say I've cocked up massively.

She sounds like a flake.

Also, why are you using the word retard to describe anyone?

Good point. Retard is a verb, not a noun. If you had a GOOD English teacher, you would know that the correct form would be: "My English Teacher is Retarded."

Yep.


Oh course. Haven't you read the Communist Manifesto? It's right there.... er.... thumbs through pages.... I know it's here somewhere.

How the fuck can you have "classless society" when people are being repressed? That seems to imply a class doing the repressing.

.

Easy. Claim very loudly that your society is classless, and machine gun anyone who disagrees. Very soon, everyone in your nation will agree that it is truly classless, and they will be supported by the intelligentsia around the world.

Good point. Retard is a verb, not a noun. If you had a GOOD English teacher, you would know that the correct form would be: "My English Teacher is Retarded."

"Retard" is both a verb and a noun. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retard) If you had had a "good" English teacher, you would have known that there was no error in the OP's title, apart from an unorthodox capitalisation. Next time you want to correct someone, try not to. You're obviously not "good" at it.

Well, yes, but that doesn't guarantee me the £17,000 extra per annum mean salary an Oxbridge degree does, does it? And since the career resulting from university, and the status provided by the institution, is relatively important to me, I'd say I've cocked up massively.

As long as your university is in the top 25, its much easier these days to get your foot in the door for a high earning job, as long as you are the right material for the job. My brother in law went to greenwich uni studying bio-chemistry, which is something like 50th, and he still managed to get a very high earning job in big business, and working in canary wharf!

As long as your university is in the top 25, its much easier these days to get your foot in the door for a high earning job, as long as you are the right material for the job. My brother in law went to greenwich uni studying bio-chemistry, which is something like 50th, and he still managed to get a very high earning job in big business, and working in canary wharf!

Perhaps. It doesn't help that a good quarter to a third of people I was at sixth form with are at Oxbridge, many of whom I know damn well I'm better than, and hence hate myself for having been a self-harming, unmotivated, apathetic twat in year 12, and the start of year 13.

the teacher's problem is that she is currently sleeping with a bisexual who looks like her mother and THAT is how she got the job in the first place.
Though I my self am not a licensed therapist, so , I can't really say. Oh, she isn't one either so what the crap is she doing trying to diagnose students in the first place.
As for myself. My high school history teacher went on to become a state representitive and was featured for a whole 30 seconds on the "Daily Show".


Braging rights.

"Retard" is both a verb and a noun. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retard) If you had had a "good" English teacher, you would have known that there was no error in the OP's title, apart from an unorthodox capitalisation. Next time you want to correct someone, try not to. You're obviously not "good" at it.


How about if I correct you? Used as a noun, it is

1) A colloqialism, and
2) considered offensive (as per YOUR LINK)

and so would not be taught by a GOOD English teacher.

As for correcting people, well, I'm the best there is and ever was, Fass, so consider yourself honored. Now go untwist your panties, I was having a little fun, twas all.

How about if I correct you? Used as a noun, it is

1) A colloqialism, and
2) considered offensive (as per YOUR LINK)

and so would not be taught by a GOOD English teacher.

As for correcting people, well, I'm the best there is and ever was, Fass, so consider yourself honored. Now go untwist your panties, I was having a little fun, twas all.

Nice one. This should be fun.:)

Perhaps. It doesn't help that a good quarter to a third of people I was at sixth form with are at Oxbridge, many of whom I know damn well I'm better than, and hence hate myself for having been a self-harming, unmotivated, apathetic twat in year 12, and the start of year 13.

But then think about the fact that you're probably going to a better university than more than the majority of the student population. Also you could always do a masters at Oxbridge if you get a good grade.

How about if I correct you? Used as a noun, it is

1) A colloqialism, and
2) considered offensive (as per YOUR LINK)

and so would not be taught by a GOOD English teacher.

As for correcting people, well, I'm the best there is and ever was, Fass, so consider yourself honored. Now go untwist your panties, I was having a little fun, twas all.

A good English teacher teaches you more than just the good things to say. They also teach you what not to say. Otherwise it's just not a full education.

1) A colloqialism, and

Nope. Do you even know what a colloquialism is? Because if you knew what one is, you'd clearly be able to see that "retard" is not one, especially not nowadays. Also, notice that the dictionary linked to does not label the noun usage as a colloquialism, probably because the people who wrote it know the meanings of words. Regardless of all that, even if it were a colloquialism, which it isn't, that still does not change the fact that it is a noun and that your "correction" of the OP was at best uninformed.

2) considered offensive (as per YOUR LINK)

Irrelevant, especially as it was the OP's intent to be offensive.

and so would not be taught by a GOOD English teacher.

"Good" English teachers teach the language and do not censor what they teach due to some puritanism of their own. They may point out the offensive nature of some expressions, but they do not shield their students from them, but in fact let their students be the judge of what register they wish to use.

As for correcting people, well, I'm the best there is and ever was, Fass, so consider yourself honored. Now go untwist your panties, I was having a little fun, twas all.

1. It's spelt "'twas".
2. "Having a little fun" is a novel way of saying "I was wrong. Pardon me, OP, for trying to impugn your correct usage as incorrect. I obviously don't know what I'm talking about". I guess the latter is harder to dispense than a sanctimoniously erroneous rebuke.

I don't like the appellation "retard" any more than that of "idiot."

There isn't much anyone can do about their level of intelligence. "Insulting" someone by implying they have low intelligence to the point of disability (the origin of both words) is hardly better than racism or sexism.

But calling something (not someone,) retarded is a bit different. It attaches to the simple meaning of "to retard" -- it is held back by something, or is a remnant of the past.

Define respectable; the problem is, of the universities I applied to, I got into 5 of 6 (Oxford rejected me. Warwick, St. Andrews, Kings, UEA and York did not.), and of these, Kings and St. Andrews are infinitely better suited to me academically. Socially, I suspect St. Andrews may have proved a little frustrating, but in terms of course, both would have provided an education both of greater quality, and more suited, to myself. Also, given I'm a nastily ambitious and well qualified bastard, who's been getting mid to high firsts thus far despite being bored beyond measure, I have decided that academically York is beneath me, and, if I do not get an mA from a decent university, I will have sold myself short.

If I remember rightly, you're still in your first year? From friends who have done history (at York) and what I know of marking advice, the difficulty curve between first and second year is somewhat steep.

Also University is as much about teaching yourself using the resources available as anything. If the key reading isn't taxing you, do the further reading. If that isn't taxing you, do more reading around the topic or related topics that interest you. Not only will it stand you well when you come to doing your dissertation to know which topics you really like but being able to bring in reading from far outside the key texts is what will keep you getting firsts. One of the things you are paying your fees for is the access to the library, it's journals and it's archives, this is a great resource but it is really up to you, as the student, to take advantage of it.

the second is a better picture of what communism has so far attained.

What, "classless"?

What, "classless"?
No, "repressive of individuality".

The Communist Manifesto is a bunch of empty platitudes and nothing more.

Mostly, yes, and that's more or less what it was supposed to be. There's some theory mixed in, though--some of it good, some of it awful.

No, "repressive of individuality".

But her description really screams right-wing dogmatism more than simply "actually existing socialism"... I mean, if you want to talk about the countless atrocities of Leninism, "repressive of individuality" (whatever that means) just doesn't register very much compared to, say, genocidal mass murder by famine (or authoritarian repression in a more general sense), and "classless" is just obviously, blatantly wrong unless you're a pedantic Trotskyist.

The terms she used suggest to me that she has a rather distorted picture of communism as an ideology attempting to achieve classless equality by conformity, which neither encompasses communism as an economic theory nor Communist practices in the Soviet Union and elsewhere, rather communism according to boring and stupid straw men.

That's nothing. I had a latin teacher in high school who didn't believe women should have the right to vote.

So today in class, we were assigned to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and my teacher was talking about how the book was an allegory about communism and the Vietnam War.

So she decided to give us a little background info on the war, which apparently came about because the Communists in North Vietnam attacked and attempted to invade South Korea.

Then she decided we needed to learn what communism was, so she asked this kid if he knew. So a kid in our class said yes, its a political system where "you are meant to work as well as you can, and receive everything that you need." Now, admittedly that's not a very full description, but I think its a decent base.

Not my teacher, she looked at the kid like he was crazy, told him he was wrong, and went on to describe that communism is a "classless society that represses individuality and advocates conformity, like the mental hospital in One Flew Over." Not completely wrong, but the first one was closer, no?

This woman is my English teacher, yet the class constantly corrects her spelling. She has told me that it is a fact that I am bisexual. She has told me that, without a doubt, I wanted to have sex with my mother when I was a toddler. She's 24, the last person I met that was her age bought me a six-pack of Heineken.

I am supposed to be at a top-tier college prep boarding school (thank god I get to go to public school next year), where all of the kids get into well respected colleges and about 1/3 get into Ivy League ones. What the hell is this woman doing teaching here?

I think that neither your teacher nor the student were wrong about communism. I do not think that the student was closer. However, I think that if someone is going to teach about communism they must do so in greater than one sentence explanations. I think that the student should have given a better answer if he is from a good school. The teacher was closer to the truth by a margin however a teacher should be expected to give greater explanation of concepts than the student.

There really never is a classless society as inevitably the party members form their own class which becomes an upper class of sorts. Nurse Ratched and the staff of the mental hospital could be analogized to the communist party members. I am not sure that this is what Ken "Icculus" Kesey had in mind though when he wrote the novel.

But her description really screams right-wing dogmatism more than simply "actually existing socialism"...
It's a bit of both.
I mean, if you want to talk about the countless atrocities of Leninism, "repressive of individuality" (whatever that means) just doesn't register very much compared to, say, genocidal mass murder by famine (or authoritarian repression in a more general sense), and "classless" is just obviously, blatantly wrong unless you're a pedantic Trotskyist.
Aye, that makes it no less accurate a statement. "It was kind of bad that real wages fell under Hitler" is as factual as "the holocaust was sad".
The terms she used suggest to me that she has a rather distorted picture of communism as an ideology attempting to achieve classless equality by conformity, which neither encompasses communism as an economic theory nor Communist practices in the Soviet Union and elsewhere, rather communism according to boring and stupid straw men.
Quite.

Funny story. I had an English teacher in 8th grade who claimed up an down that "it's" means "it is" and never "it has."

And your 8th grade English teacher was mostly correct. If you don't believe me, try to construct a sentence in which "it has" works as "it's" -- there aren't many constructions for which it works. "It's begun", and like constructions, works ("it has begun"). The rule as I see it is this: "it's" works as "it has" only when "it has" is being used as the past tense of "it is" -- which is why it works, same circumstances. If you try to use it where "has" is not the auxiliary verb, but the primary, it doesn't work: "it has a yellow cover" cannot be stated as "it's a yellow cover", because THAT means "it IS a yellow cover".

Age is not the guarantor of wisdom.

QFT.

How quaint.

You're too kind. I was going to say "how completely fulla shit".

Maybe if they wern't all still enchanted with the magic of teaching and how awesome they are for doing it they wouldn't be such idiots.

Maybe if people didn't generalize based on one or two experiences, they wouldn't be idiots, either.

I don't like the appellation "retard" any more than that of "idiot."

There isn't much anyone can do about their level of intelligence. "Insulting" someone by implying they have low intelligence to the point of disability (the origin of both words) is hardly better than racism or sexism.

Ah, political correctness. Sorry, but if you're going to go back so far as to when "idiot" had an actual medical/biometric definition, then you have to accept that the word in Greek merely meant "private person", "layperson" or more literally "one who tended to his own", as idio- means "one's own" or "private", and still does in words like idiosyncrasy and idiopathic. The word came to mean "ignorant" for the same reason that "provincial" came to mean "unsophisticated" in ancient Rome -- those who weren't part of the large cities or the main empire (farmers, those in the provinces, et al.) were considered inferior.

But calling something (not someone,) retarded is a bit different. It attaches to the simple meaning of "to retard" -- it is held back by something, or is a remnant of the past.

Uh, no. I couldn't find that phrase in any definition. That's more a phrase for the most common definition of "anachronism".

Yes -- to slow or delay progress. And it's still used that way.

So today in class, we were assigned to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and my teacher was talking about how the book was an allegory about communism and the Vietnam War.

So she decided to give us a little background info on the war, which apparently came about because the Communists in North Vietnam attacked and attempted to invade South Korea.

Then she decided we needed to learn what communism was, so she asked this kid if he knew. So a kid in our class said yes, its a political system where "you are meant to work as well as you can, and receive everything that you need." Now, admittedly that's not a very full description, but I think its a decent base.

Not my teacher, she looked at the kid like he was crazy, told him he was wrong, and went on to describe that communism is a "classless society that represses individuality and advocates conformity, like the mental hospital in One Flew Over." Not completely wrong, but the first one was closer, no?

This woman is my English teacher, yet the class constantly corrects her spelling. She has told me that it is a fact that I am bisexual. She has told me that, without a doubt, I wanted to have sex with my mother when I was a toddler. She's 24, the last person I met that was her age bought me a six-pack of Heineken.

I am supposed to be at a top-tier college prep boarding school (thank god I get to go to public school next year), where all of the kids get into well respected colleges and about 1/3 get into Ivy League ones. What the hell is this woman doing teaching here?

Those are inappropriate personal remarks that she's made about you. I would report it to my guidance counselor or to her supervisor.

That's quite amusing.

I had a 24 year old English teacher in my freshman year. I basically taught the class. I had to explain Romeo and Juliet to her so she could explain it to the class.

What the hell is this woman doing teaching here?
Whatever she's doing - non carborundum ignorami!!!

So today in class, we were assigned to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and my teacher was talking about how the book was an allegory about communism and the Vietnam War.

So she decided to give us a little background info on the war, which apparently came about because the Communists in North Vietnam attacked and attempted to invade South Korea.

I hate that book, it's super boring. I only got to the part where the chief forgets to take his meds and freaks out at night in his bed. That's not the Allegory my teacher gave. He said the book was more a reflection on American Society in the 1960s and the conflict between the older generation and the hippie counterculture.

Then she decided we needed to learn what communism was, so she asked this kid if he knew.

My English teacher made us do research on drugs, protesting, hippies, J Edgar Hoover and just the 60s in general.

So a kid in our class said yes, its a political system where "you are meant to work as well as you can, and receive everything that you need." Now, admittedly that's not a very full description, but I think its a decent base.

Not my teacher, she looked at the kid like he was crazy, told him he was wrong, and went on to describe that communism is a "classless society that represses individuality and advocates conformity, like the mental hospital in One Flew Over." Not completely wrong, but the first one was closer, no?

They're both seem like somewhat accurate yet simple explanations of what Communism is.

This woman is my English teacher, yet the class constantly corrects her spelling. She has told me that it is a fact that I am bisexual. She has told me that, without a doubt, I wanted to have sex with my mother when I was a toddler. She's 24, the last person I met that was her age bought me a six-pack of Heineken.

Weird, my teacher would talk about Freud and shit like that too...must be an English thing...

I am supposed to be at a top-tier college prep boarding school (thank god I get to go to public school next year), where all of the kids get into well respected colleges and about 1/3 get into Ivy League ones. What the hell is this woman doing teaching here?

I have nothing to say to this part so.....GUN SMILEYS!

http://www.holdmyfile.com/n_images/usr/gal7223/s_img/f0002.gif http://img333.imageshack.us/img333/9771/badass7gb.gif

Those are inappropriate personal remarks that she's made about you. I would report it to my guidance counselor or to her supervisor.

I think she probably was just following Freudian psychology and some modern pop psychology crap about how everyone is really bisexual, rather than attacking the OP specifically.

Ah, political correctness. Sorry, but if you're going to go back so far as to when "idiot" had an actual medical/biometric definition, then you have to accept that the word in Greek merely meant "private person", "layperson" or more literally "one who tended to his own", as idio- means "one's own" or "private", and still does in words like idiosyncrasy and idiopathic. The word came to mean "ignorant" for the same reason that "provincial" came to mean "unsophisticated" in ancient Rome -- those who weren't part of the large cities or the main empire (farmers, those in the provinces, et al.) were considered inferior.

Retard<--Retarded<--Mentally retarded<--Learning disabilities
It's an abbreviation of a description of people with learning disabilities, which has been commonly used to insult people, implying that they are of low intelligence.
We know what retard means, but you all are ignoring that it is an abbreviation (in this use) of mentally retarded.
It is offensive and unacceptable to use as an insult, a word used to describe a group of people.
As is 'gay' when used as an insult.

I don't see how anyone here could reasonably disagree with the unacceptable nature of causing this type of stereotyping and predjudical offense, or with the reason these insults cause offense to the group of people the words originate from.

Retard<--Retarded<--Mentally retarded<--Learning disabilities
It's an abbreviation of a description of people with learning disabilities, which has been commonly used to insult people, implying that they are of low intelligence.
We know what retard means, but you all are ignoring that it is an abbreviation (in this use) of mentally retarded.
It is offensive and unacceptable to use as an insult, a word used to describe a group of people.
As is 'gay' when used as an insult.

I don't see how anyone here could reasonably disagree with the unacceptable nature of causing this type of stereotyping and predjudical offense, or with the reason these insults cause offense to the group of people the words originate from.

Are you a gay retard or something?

;)

Retard<--Retarded<--Mentally retarded<--Learning disabilities
It's an abbreviation of a description of people with learning disabilities, which has been commonly used to insult people, implying that they are of low intelligence.
We know what retard means, but you all are ignoring that it is an abbreviation (in this use) of mentally retarded.
It is offensive and unacceptable to use as an insult, a word used to describe a group of people.
As is 'gay' when used as an insult.

I don't see how anyone here could reasonably disagree with the unacceptable nature of causing this type of stereotyping and predjudical offense, or with the reason these insults cause offense to the group of people the words originate from.

You're going to have to explain why you quoted my post for your mild rant. Where in any of my posts did I say I approved of "retard" as slang for anything? My post was about the history of the word "idiot" because the post I quoted tried to lump "idiot" in with "retard" in a blanket of politically correct nonsense, and that's just plain silly.

Well?

Are you a gay retard or something?

;)

Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike funny.

It's my theory that high school English classes try their best to teach you as little as possible. This theory was reinforced when I found out that at my old high school, some time after I graduated, they did away with the creative writing class which was the only English class at that school that made any sort of effort to improve one's skills with the English language and replaced it with some class on Shakespeare. Yay, let's all play the conformist game some more by seeing who's opinions match the teachers most closely because who goes to school to learn anyway?

No, a Freudian slip is when you claim to have misspoken, however in reality you said something in your subconscience.

I think you completely missed the point. Read that post again (the one you originally quoted), with what was said in the first post in mind. ;)

It's my theory that high school English classes try their best to teach you as little as possible. This theory was reinforced when I found out that at my old high school, some time after I graduated, they did away with the creative writing class which was the only English class at that school that made any sort of effort to improve one's skills with the English language and replaced it with some class on Shakespeare. Yay, let's all play the conformist game some more by seeing who's opinions match the teachers most closely because who goes to school to learn anyway?

Good point, I remember disagreeing with the teacher on a theme that she claimed was strong in Lord of the Flies, I lost marks for not including it in one of my essays, after that I found the best way to get top marks, not just in english was believe what you really felt was the correct answer but when handing up an essay or a test just write what the teacher wants to read.

Good point, I remember disagreeing with the teacher on a theme that she claimed was strong in Lord of the Flies, I lost marks for not including it in one of my essays, after that I found the best way to get top marks, not just in english was believe what you really felt was the correct answer but when handing up an essay or a test just write what the teacher wants to read.
It's an accurate reflection of Real Life (tm), then, eh?

Ah, political correctness. Sorry, but if you're going to go back so far as to when "idiot" had an actual medical/biometric definition, then you have to accept that the word in Greek merely meant "private person", "layperson" or more literally "one who tended to his own", as idio- means "one's own" or "private", and still does in words like idiosyncrasy and idiopathic.

...Are we talking masturbation here?

Hey, toilet humour is still humour, even if it's not funny! Or... something like that...

If I remember rightly, you're still in your first year? From friends who have done history (at York) and what I know of marking advice, the difficulty curve between first and second year is somewhat steep.

Also University is as much about teaching yourself using the resources available as anything. If the key reading isn't taxing you, do the further reading. If that isn't taxing you, do more reading around the topic or related topics that interest you. Not only will it stand you well when you come to doing your dissertation to know which topics you really like but being able to bring in reading from far outside the key texts is what will keep you getting firsts. One of the things you are paying your fees for is the access to the library, it's journals and it's archives, this is a great resource but it is really up to you, as the student, to take advantage of it.

I pay £3000 per annum, therefore, for an insufficient and ill stocked library, and nothing more? Wonderful.

In any case, however difficult the modules, I'll still get a first and walk away laughing.:)