3.1335 Slang terms for students (39)

Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Tue, 1 May 90 17:12:57 EDT

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 3, No. 1335. Tuesday, 1 May 1990.


(1) Date: Mon, 30 Apr 90 18:32 PDT (8 lines)
From: Robert Kirsner (213)825-3955 <IDT1RSK@UCLAMVS.BITNET>
Subject: terms for students

(2) Date: Tue, 01 May 90 12:16 PDT (31 lines)
From: KESSLER <IME9JFK@UCLAMVS.BITNET>
Subject: Re: 3.1334 Queries on slang [...]

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 30 Apr 90 18:32 PDT
From: Robert Kirsner (213)825-3955 <IDT1RSK@UCLAMVS.BITNET>
Subject: terms for students

Well, around here (UCLA) there are occasional references to "the Blonds",
meaning California youth, too down loose (laid back) to crack a page let
alone a book. Cf. the famous question: "Professor X, is the required
reading required??????"
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------246---
Date: Tue, 01 May 90 12:16 PDT
From: KESSLER <IME9JFK@UCLAMVS.BITNET>
Subject: Re: 3.1334 Queries on slang and greek parsing; Isaac (105)

PERSONALLY it strikes me as obvious, unless I am already oldfashioned
and dont regard my students or any students as nuisances. They are my
bread and butter. My mother always suggested that one doesnt s--t in
the dish from which one eats , but people nowadays are often inclined to
do so for whatever cultural perversities they may have been given to, or
given themselves over to. Furthermore, teaching is, from my point of
view, something very much like parenting or fostering, or bringing up
babies, animal or human. Who would take care of a fish tank knmows the
delicacy of the things in one's care. To abuse or even in thought, let
alone language, abuse one's children would be to contradict one's
vocation and one's professionalism. There is a professionalism that is
derived from the most ancient human organizations, even in the roving
band: that of the master a nd pupil, the priest and follower, or
acolyte, the magician or shaman and appre ntice. To hold any creature
under one's influence in contempt is ipso facto criminal and/or evil.
It seems obvious to me. Students dont threaten, not even those who
would displace one, or abolish one's teaching by their own teachings.
Contempt for those under one's influence, control, or power is perverse
in nature , as it contempt itself. But if one is suffering in an
emergency ward, one may invent terms of derogation, of course, as psychic
defenses, but that is a meas ure of deficiency on the part of the
servants of the ill, wounded and dying. A doctor or surgeon who has
contempt, even subconsciously is in trouble. Even Frankenstein loved
his creature, until the time came to fear it, but because of his, F's
own failure to endow it properly. It is not that defense is needed, but
one should ask oneself why one needs defense mechanisms based on
contempt and distancing, etc. Kids, one calls students, or sillies, or
whatever, but if one cannot call a person to his/her face what one does
behind that person's back then there is a problem. Lack of courage, or
respect, to begin with. Etc. Kessler (ime9jfk@uclamvs)