The news from school is that we had Open School night. For the first time in three years the parents were invited to the school to meet the teachers. There was a bonus, as we had to say until 7 PM we were allowed to leave early and come back and when we did, we were fed pizza! Lots has changed in my life, but I still love free food. We also got free Dunkin’ coffee and donuts for lunch. Did you know it is no longer called Dunkin’ Donuts? It’s just Dunkin’ now, or DD. Before the pizza I used the break to go to the Williamsburg Trader Joe’s. I’ve never been there before. It is the closest TJ but the fastest way to get there is walking. I have not been walking enough. That day I walked 8.13 miles.
After pizza the faculty and parents gathered in the auditorium. One thing I noticed was that they had exactly the same auditorium seats as we had when I was a kid. Some things never change. Before the parents arrived, I socialized with other teachers and made new friends. I also talked to my students that volunteered to guide the parents. There are a few students that I like well enough to tease. They know who they are. I told a few of them that there is no greater honor for a student. I was pleasantly surprised by the parents. I did not expect graduate degrees. I should have, the parents that come to open school day are not a random sampling. I got to tell one parent that came with her daughter what a great student she was. The daughter proceeded to make me look good. I asked, “what did you do in class today?” I didn’t know. This is why I have notes. She told me raising binomials to the 4th power, (A+B)4. I asked her to go to the board and write it out. She could! I was impressed. This was the very last think I covered. It was not the main thrust of the lesson. The answer is A4+4A3B+6A2B2+4AB3+B4. Rather good to memorize that in one day. I was proud of her. I talked to the problem student’s sister. She took it well. I wasn’t sure if she would. I got into nice conversations with parents. With one I discussed midlife career changes.
I got some great feedback the next day. We gathered for cupcakes after class. One teacher volunteered that my students liked me. I didn’t ask. She had many of them last year and they told her. Another teacher whose name I didn’t know when he heard my name said, “You’re Nash?” Your students think you’re smart. They volunteered that to him because I can make up problems on my feet. I am self-confident but I’m always aware of the Dunning-Kruger effect. I need outside evidence to ground my opinions of myself.
I wrote what you just read after I wrote what followed. I know you are usually more interested in my personal life. What follows is some of what I was thinking about of late.
Is this what it has come to? I blog but once a week? I hope not, blogging is part of me. With a regular job I have less need for a self-imposed routine, but I love blogging. I am blogging in my head constantly. One problem is that I’m finding it more difficult to speak truth, not to power, but to people I love. Justice Breyer said that people would rather get none of their objectives but get the cheers of their friends than get 30% of what they want. He was optimistic; too often people would rather get the cheers of their friends than 75% of what they want. That desire for the cheers of our friends drives much of the polarization. It’s easy to see with those we disagree with. In 2011 after the Red landslide in the 2010 midterms Obama was willing to make a grand bargain with the right. He offered to give away the progressive store in return for a small increase in taxes on the rich. We were saved from this by the Tea Party. They would not accept getting 80% of what they wanted, they would settle for nothing but unconditional surrender. For this they got lauded by their peers but nothing substantial. I am like that, afraid to tell the truth to my peers. I don’t go for their cheers, but I avoid their reproach. That is not a great approach for a blogger. Sure, I can rant about the sins of those whose political goals are diametrically opposed to mine. I was just fuming about someone who uses Herschel Walker’s support as proof that Trump isn’t racist. If I blogged about that My Gentle Readers would cheer me, but it would accomplish nothing. If I directly confronted the person, it would just harden their position. They aren’t stupid. They are making the argument for emotional, not rational reasons.
So far you are with me, but I see people that I agree with doing the same thing, and I expect better of them. But what can I do? On the occasions where I have called them out, you know what has happened? They hardened their positions because theirs too were based on emotion not reason. They prefer the cheers to my criticisms. I was just reading an article on the controversy around Lizzo’s playing Madison’s glass flute. A name hadn’t paid enough attention to said that people had done something designed to produce outrage and then got upset when people were outraged. I thought he was talking about the right’s outrage machine, but he was talking about the Library of Congress allowing Lizzo to play the flute. That was perhaps unusual but in no way outrageous. It certainly wasn’t done to produce outrage. What gets me is that I see people on the left saying things to produce outrage. You can probably think of them too. They are counter-productive. It is exactly saying things to get cheers from friends even if it makes positive change less likely. It’s gotten to the point where people on the left are taking a cue from the right and objecting to people saying, “Happy holidays.”
What I’m suggesting is to am your advice on those that otherwise agree with you. That’s who is listening to you. Will I get the courage to do that? Maybe if I start blogging my regularly. I used to do it quite often.
Wise Madness 