Posted by alexandra_k on August 23, 2013, at 21:08:01
In reply to Re: Social Skills » alexandra_k, posted by sleepygirl2 on July 28, 2013, at 21:55:39
part of the reason why i got such a hard time was that people thought that i was the typical, arrogant, first year. a lot of first years really do seem to have an unreasonably high opinion of their knowledge / abilities. you have students trying to teach / help other students before they even have their first assignments back. and in the gym you have skinny looking dudes who really can't do anything spouting off this and that rubbish about how to get results. people don't seem to have the ability to think about who is giving the message and whether the message is likely to be true or not. i could tell them what i'd been up to and give them my cv and somehow they were still going to make me study for... what... 4 years before getting the opportunity to sit in on graduate student seminars? why should i be patient. if i'm patient the way they want me to be i'll have accomplished less than half of what i would otherwise. i'm sick of people holding me back / making me feel bad for wanting me to be better and faster.
just like the birds... the noisiest, most confident, wins. because it is about popularity / status. not the search for truth. not the acquisition of knowledge.
when you don't have the ability to think critically about what a person is saying (to have a conversation with them and figure how much they are legit vs b*llsh*t yourself) then things like suits become very important. i see that 'dressing for success' is important when you need to impress people who don't have any other way of assessing your legitimacy. put on a white coat and most people will do anything lolz. i suppose philosophy consciously rebels against that. the most senior get to cultivate the hobo look. the more junior / lowly ranked individuals can be distinguished by the cut of their suits lolz. because... what else have they got???
i have been watching more of MadMen. things have picked up again... interesting themes. i know a real life Joan. the guys all say she is a 'perfect woman'. and... she is. in that traditional sense. i think that is a case of wonderful social skils. i admire that, oh yes indeed. it is not me at all. but that takes a hell of a lot of work. i admire that oh yes, indeed. Peggy is great, too. and the whole tension about how to be part of / be competitive in a male dominated environment as a woman. their ad agency is a lot like academic ha. people sleeping in their offices and making progress over drunken lunches. ahaha.
so... first wife (second, actually). went from being sweet to being a cold bitch. now... (season 5)... i don't much like her at all. the actress one... well... quote for my life: 'not every girl can do what she wants. the world can't support that many ballerinas'. i know somebody else said that. but i need to remember it. to suck at your talent... he... gave her the freedom to pursue it, though. that was something. perhaps... freedom can be part of / negotiated within relationships. i don't know. and the other chick... the other partner's wife... divorce... now she gets her own apartment. freedom... i don't know what to say.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:1047868
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20130811/msgs/1049584.html