Vae Q

[sythyry]

And what are students like, that we will have so many of shortly, and how shall I act well towards them?

Comments

[draconis.livejournal.com]

Licentious, cheap, immoral and fun!

(Or at least, I was!)

[draconis.livejournal.com]

(Also: Confused, depressive, naive and deluded, in varying measures with the rest. But always cheap!)

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Not all of these are cheap! The rich ones are here, I think.

[draconis.livejournal.com]

The rich ones are frequently the cheapest where it counts!

[xolo.livejournal.com]

Amiable barbarians, for the most part.

[elorie.livejournal.com]

This.

Professor Elorie

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Not all of them -- not any of them -- are Gormoror. And is there a translation problem, think you?

[elorie.livejournal.com]

The problem with many students is that they are newly mature adults...that is, they are physically grown but with a minimum of experience or wisdom. Combine that with the fact that schooling is often a transition period, where they leave their parents' household (and the constraints thereof) but have not yet shouldered the responsibilities of running a household of their own.

The result is often that people who later in life might be perfectly well-behaved and civilized...aren't.

[redbird]

Young and foolish enough that you might want to ask the zi ri, or Phaniet, before trying to help any of them. Among other things, certain kinds of help might go against what they have been told to do by Professor Mump. (This will not stop all students from wishing aloud, or even asking, that someone will do the work for them.)

Also, if you're lucky, bright and curious and interested in lots of things. (If you're unlucky, he just wants to get them out of town for some unrelated reason.)

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

The great wish is on me that I could ask before helping anyone, but I cannot, so I shall keep my earmuffs on. The optimism brings me to hope of the lucky!

[redbird]

The earmuffs are a good idea, certainly. You might also see if you can find parts of the ship that the students will not be in.

Sythyry might also warn the students of the dangers of asking you for help. If zie arranged that the consequences included being made to leave the ship at once, that might have weight with students who do not entirely understand the other risks.

[oh6.livejournal.com]

Well, Sythyry was a student when you first met zir, and so were Seeks-etc. Strenata, Thelvion, and several others zie introduced to you, or was introduced to you by. Although those named are all rather extreme examples, I think it's fair to say that students have a relatively high Doom field moment vector.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

The translation by hCevian of the translation having been made, I think you are right.

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

Bright, Curious, easily makes mistakes, still figuring out their place in the world and how to not mess up so much!

[dracosphynx.livejournal.com]

You shall be a source of educational experiences and enlightenment about just how powerful creative applications of Mutoc can be.

[elorie.livejournal.com]

They are often a strange combination of sophisticated (not to mention sophistic) thinking and complete idiocy. You may find that you explain something to them only to have them ask again five minutes later, or the next day, or look blank when asked to repeat it back or respond. They may demand to know which part of what you are saying to them is important and should be committed to memory.

I advise patience. Lots and lots of patience. Also suitable intoxicants (for you, not them).

Prof. Elorie

[mmsword.livejournal.com]

Typically they supply their own intoxicants anyway.

[kris-schnee.livejournal.com]

They are in training to believe themselves not only clever but wise, and therefore able and entitled to rule others by force.

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

Likely to be really stupid, because they think they know everything. They'll probably make ignorant comments to you and about you. I suggest lots and lots of patience, and ignoring them if they say something mean.

[rowyn]

They are likely to appear much in need of help. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HELP THEM. It's a trap!

Hopefully, you won't get Student #5 or 11. Although if you do, you (a) probably will not feel inclined to help them and (b) if you do, it may be for the best.

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

Isn't student 11 the closet transaffectionate, though?

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if Vae can avoid attempting to help them! It might be better instead to come up with a list of easily remedied minor afflictions that can be dispensed if someone happens to desire something that should not be granted, but will be anyway, out of reflex.

For example:

"I wish X could see things like Y does!" where X or Y could be the self-referential 'I', or might not.

Wrong Ways To Help:

- Transform X into Y (or vice versa)
- Make X think like Y does (or vice versa)
- Merge X into Y somehow, i.e. by combining their bodies

Less Wrong Ways To Help:

- Apply a spell so that X sees things as if he or she were in the position of Y, for a limited amount of time
- Transform a memory of X to be from Y's point of view and then ask X to review that memory
- Give X a miniaturized copy of Y to explain what it is he or she is seeing and doing in some particular situation, but one which will obey Y's feelings on privacy and thus will not share information Y does not want shared

Right Way To Help: (note that this will probably not happen but is listed for completeness)

- Nod wisely and ask the complainant to explain why Y's viewpoint is better than X's
- Ask if it is good for everyone to think alike in a worldtree with so much diversity of situations
- Mention that you were recently in a Heaven where conformity of culture was enforced lethally and ask if the complainant thinks that is really a good idea

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

Mention that you were recently in a Heaven where conformity of culture was enforced lethally and ask if the complainant thinks that is really a good idea

... I have a feeling Student 5 would say yes to that... what should Vae do then?

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Transport Student 5 to the Heaven, in the form of one of the Elfirim!

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

Students are people! They're like everybody! They know some things, they want to know more about some things, and they are wild and varied. You would do well to be friendly, a little guarded if you have secrets you don't like to share, and in general, treat them kindly if you want to be treated kindly in return.

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

They're young, and smart, and think they're half as young and twice as smart as they really are. Except for the ones who really *are* twice as smart and that's even more annoying.

You should transform them into weird monsters for the duration of the trip. Lots of tentacles! It'll give them a really good story to make all the other students jealous when they get back.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

The insane monster are you as well as am I, is this not the truth?

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

Nooooo... well, probably not. I just remember when I was a student, having horrible things happen to me with no lasting consequences was always a source of pride and amusement later. Sometimes they do horrible things to each other even!

[draconis.livejournal.com]

I for one would have been very grateful for such a transformation during those times!

I wouldn't say no now either, to be honest..

[greenreaper.livejournal.com]

We are all monsters.

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

Uhhh... I think terrycloth gets zir journal hijacked regularly?