They/Them

It's kind of appalling that students often ask professors this question: "how do they want us to answer this?"

This is on exams, homework assignments, labs--all of which were written by the professor.

It seems there's some sort of disconnect between the student and the professor. As if the professor is just a conduit or an intermediary between the textbook and the student. This goes back even farther than college, as I recall this happening in high school.

Maybe the fact that some teachers were given such strict curricula that they could barely deviate without upsetting someone was the reason for this behaviour.

What's interesting is observing the professor's face immediately after hearing a question phrased this way. The expression reads: "am I a they? am I anonymous to my own students?" Basically the professor can realize at this point that he or she can make the questions harder and still have a non-corporeal entity to dump the blame on. Or the professor can realize that the train has left the station.

Poor Judgement Rules

Hopefully you've seen this gorgeous ad from VW about the little boy wandering around as Darth Vader. If not:


What's the issue?

Volkswagen is showing off a $20,000 car by highlighting a $200 feature.

This is so common it's infuriating. Lots of companies do this for a wide variety of products; bike companies point out a $20 derailleur upgrade on $700 bikes, computer companies with DVD drives or card readers, P&G, which has around 70% of the detergent market share, shows off each detergent's superior power as compared to the "other guy" or "competition." Maybe that's a different point, but the problem is the same. Consumers are idiots and they're only getting dumber and easier to market to.

Yes, none of this is a big shock. What's sad isn't that marketing works--it's supposed to work-- but that it's just that easy.

Within a few years I can imagine the Nike commercials: "Check out our shoes. With SOLES! Compare that to the other guys' shoes: just a scruff of a Hobbit's foot hair."

Pfft.

Stupidity Defined

Bike shop customers are special.

Customer: "I'm looking for a bracket for a light."
(it should be noted that this, in and of itself, is not an uncommon request, as the brackets do break, get lost or a second one is necessary for another bike)
Me: "Which light do you have? The brackets are different for each one."
Customer: "Oh, I don't have a light yet. I'm going to start with the bracket."
......

We tried, desperately, to explain that this is not how it works, that each light comes with its very own bracket.

Customer: "Do you have any lights with 8 LEDs?"
Me: "Why?"
Customer: "Eight LEDs are brighter than one."
I showed the customer our brightest light. It contained one LED. Then I showed him the dimmest headlight. Three LEDs in that one.
Customer: "But 8 would be brighter."

.......

At this point, we just assume that there's an internal monologue mixed with a game of telephone and chubby bunny.