So on of the people in my class (you know, the ones I was just talking about before (and yes, Rikki, it's him)) is so frustrating for me. I sincerely try to just breathe in and out while he talks. But the truth is that I'm unable to. Today, I had to put my head down on my desk to prevent myself from screaming, "WHAT KIND OF IDIOT ARE YOU?" Yes, I feel bad about it. I did even back in undergrad, when he would talk in class and I would literally have to walk out of the classroom. Multiple times. In a one-hour class. With only five students.
So today, we were talking about Thomas Aquinas (it's a Christian Ethics class). Anyway, we were kind of talking about Forms (like Plato?) and so we were discussing the difference between essential forms and accidental forms.
Anyway, the point is God is pure essence. God is being. God does not have accidents. People have accidents, like hair color, height, sex, two hands, ten toes. Any one of these things can be absent and the person will still be, essentially, human. Get it? The professor had said, "You have two hands. But if you cut off your hands, you're still a human. Because hands are accidents."
After discussing essence vs. accidents for at least thirty minutes, this guy raises his hand and says, "So God can't have accidents, right?"
"Right. God is all essence."
"So God can't cut off his hands?"
Seriously? Even the professor was like, whu? "Not like a car accident. When we say accidents, we aren't using the modern definition." (Gee, what was the clue? That we're talking about a medieval Christian?)
Now, I would totally understand if someone who reads this blog would make the same mistake. But, in case you missed it, this is a graduate level class and this kid was in my undergrad religion classes as well. How does he not know what an accident is?
Additionally, he has no internal monologue. So, in a class of 30, he mutters loud enough that the professor can hear him and then stops to answer his question. But most of the time, he's just working stuff out for himself. I think. But I can't be sure.
Seriously, though, if he is in my other class this semester, I might die. Fridays will be "Bury Bethiclaus Fridays."
Updated to add: Ohmigod! He's in my other class! I just checked the roster! Why doesn't seminary offer a class that's, like, "Learning to Be a Good Person: How to Not Be a Total Hag to the Idiot in Your Graduate School Classes"?
Well maybe being nice could be a good thing. However there is a certain amount of respect to your fellow students necessary. One way of giving that respect is not taking up class time with things that could be discussed in office hours!
If you would like I will let your teacher know about my little theory, just give me the email address.
Posted by: sarah at January 24, 2007 10:15 PM
I had flashbacks to that class while reading your blog. Thanks for bringing up bad memories! Just kidding. I'm sorry I can't be there for you to grab my hand and squeeze when he is being stupid like old times. I really feel for you. Maybe eventually one of the professors will get fed up and he will get the point, but I doubt it since it hasn't happened yet. Good Luck!!!
Posted by: RikkiSuzanne at January 25, 2007 01:19 AM
I'll keep my fingers crossed that you don't end up killing him with the frustration waves that must be eminating off you whenever he talks. I know I would have a hard time holding it in too. Your post makes me not miss grad school, because there's someone like that in every class, I swear.
Posted by: Jessie at January 25, 2007 06:33 AM
Oh Dear God, I have no patience for stupid people. Seriously, I'm pretty sure it's this quality that is cementing my place in Hell.
Posted by: Chatty cricket at January 25, 2007 08:48 AM
It wasn't the stupid people that got to me in Seminary--it was the know-it-all's with attitudes of superiority who would hijack the class for their own edification. And also the people who should have been in therapy and were using class as a group session instead. I would just sit in class, and MOURN for the church. These are the people who go ahead and get ordained and torture their congregations in the same fashion. :D Heh.
My solution to this little problem, was to start taking notes of the things people said in class, the funny little quips and such--then there was a master list published in email every semester. That didn't stop the stuipidity--but it at least gave some of the satisfaction that stupidity would not have the last word.
Posted by: Wende at January 25, 2007 02:46 PM
It's bad enough when the asshole is a student--but what do you do when it's the professor? I twitch a lot, and try not to roll my eyes. I always thought I was the only person who had this problem. I'm so comforted by knowing there are others--see, that was your ministerial deed for the day.
Posted by: By Jane at January 25, 2007 03:31 PM
maybe God is testing you. or maybe your registrar is.
Posted by: lara at January 25, 2007 05:44 PM
There's an old quote flying around somewhere. To paraphrase it poorly, it's basically that some people hate to think. They hate it so much that they would rather die. And, in fact, some do.
Of course, I'm of the belief that all of us are retarded at least ten minutes out of every day. But it sounds like this guy is blowing the curve.
Posted by: L.A. Daddy at January 24, 2007 06:32 PM