Rubystreak:
This line cracked me the hell up.
lobstermobster, if you think that’s bad, wait until they get to be the supremely self-righteous age of 12. 4 years or so I ago, when I still smoked, one of my students “caught” me smoking in public with a friend of mine who hadn’t shaved that day. She lit into me, giving me the whole “just say no” lecture, asking who the unshaven, gross guy was, etc. She was like a granny in a tweener body, except she never did anything bad, so she’s on this moral plain that’s unattainable in the adult world.
I told her that adults do not have to listen to lectures from 12 year olds, and that they sometimes do things that are fun but they know are bad for them. That’s one privilege of being an adult, along with eating dessert before dinner if they want to. I also told her that self-righteousness was considered just as gross and unpleasant as smoking in some circles. I’m fairly sure most of this retort was lost on her. Shoulda just flipped her the bird… ah, now that I have tenure…
Yes. I would recommend it. With tenure I’d be doing this left and right. It feels awesome. Nothing gets a point across like giving the finger. Especially to children who wont respond to reason.