With less than an hour to go 'til the end of 2008, how am I spending my time? Am I at the main party hosted by my 2nd-degree friend, and attended by the majority of my primary friends? Am I with another set of not-so-close-but-generally-friendly friends to herald the new year? "No" to both.
Instead, I'm holed up in my room, with a "steady" supply of Fucithalmic viscous eye drops ($22.80 for 10 mg!! Meds are expensive...), and apple juice, to combat my eye infection and cough. 40 minutes now, and how have I spent the last few hours? Reading up on Mandarin-English issues in SLA (ie, how English speakers learn Mandarin, and vice versa), general linguistics, recent news for linux, and attempting to familiarize myself with the proof for Fermat's Last Theorem. Am I a geek or what. Please, don't answer that. ...Especially not in my comment box. :P
Oh yeah, I was also supposedly working on a translation job for a friend of mine. Dunno how much of it can be considered sensitive information, since it's a company form letter to the public, but I think I'll err on the safe side and just say that it's a Japanese-to-English translation, and the Japanese is very high-flown. Ie, super polite language. Its the kind of things I'd write if I were caught in the moment of having been granted some mercy or grace. Things like "We can only hope to reciprocate the benevolance bestowed upon our humble company by you honoured patrons, and shall endevour with our hearts and souls to even approach your exquisite expectations". While I'm only supposed to be translating some of this stuff, I kinda wonder how much I'm supposed to edit for audience. I.e., in standard North American business practices, we don't usually refer to our rival companies as "bestowing us with their sagacious knowledge and experience". Isn't this borderline linguistics-stuff? I suppose. I could even make a post for it in my other blog. But anywhoo...
So, it's the new year in 30 minutes, and I'm ill. The coughs are starting to make my throat and chest feel sore, and my right eye is irritated. With the power of the internet to both inform and distract, I've been able to read up on some interesting topics, but also fail to complete my translation. I wonder how that bodes for me in the new year.
In a less self-pitying note, I hope that all you readers (all ... five of you) enjoy[ed] (depending on your time zone) a happy new year! With the tempestuous hibernal Boreas blowing in Toronto, I hope that those in the city have safe travels on the street, and that those in ski resorts enjoy the snow. Whee! 2009!
2008/12/31
2008/12/07
Essays and Evil
Two essays out of the way, and another 1.5 to go! Strangely enough, the longest essay (which was also the first one due) also has the longest extension (this would be the .5 essay remaining). It's also my favourite subject of the four courses (ie, a term paper per course), which are basically two core English courses (Lit. Crit. I & Survey of Brit. Lit. I), Amer. Lit. I, and Second Language Acquisition. Guess which one's my favourite (especially given that I have a parallel blog devoted exclusively to linguistics).
I should really reduce the amount of parenthetical remarks. Anywhoo. Another essay to churn out for tomorrow, to be marked by a passionate prof who unfortunately lets his passion override his rationale. I don't want to get into details, but basically, he seems to have the following hierarchy:
The two good things that've come from this experience are my raised awareness of "those" kind of people in the world, and also an acquired list of things NOT to do when I come to be in a similar position of power (ie, an instructor or some other position of authority).
I just want this term to be over.
I should really reduce the amount of parenthetical remarks. Anywhoo. Another essay to churn out for tomorrow, to be marked by a passionate prof who unfortunately lets his passion override his rationale. I don't want to get into details, but basically, he seems to have the following hierarchy:
- Do I agree with the thesis of this essay?
Yes: go to 2
No: give a bad mark - Did I enjoy the prose?
Yes: go to 3
No: give a bad mark - Does the essay have supporting evidence for its claim?
Yes: give a good mark
No: give a bad mark
The two good things that've come from this experience are my raised awareness of "those" kind of people in the world, and also an acquired list of things NOT to do when I come to be in a similar position of power (ie, an instructor or some other position of authority).
I just want this term to be over.
2008/11/18
The Paths Ahead
I'm on schedule, as far as revisions go, and in less than a year I'll be graduated with an honours undergraduate university degree. On the one hand, it's a cause for celebration, but on the other hand, I don't know what I'd like to do...
My Japanese prof. had the brilliant suggestion of going as an artisan's apprentice in Kyoto to learn one of the classical arts -- which I totally wouldn't mind, especially since I've already had painting/calligraphy training from my grandmother. But while I enjoy doing it, would it even be possible for me to become an apprentice? I understand that some of the more traditional schools have barely budged from the medieval concept of patrilinear succession; outsiders wouldn't be allowed to inherit the school. (Not that I'd want to anyway, but if you're going to study something, you may as well be good at it, right?)
Meanwhile, there's also the possibility of grad school, and of course, there's also working for the government. Lots to worry about. But a step at a time, right? Which for the next few weeks means getting several essays drafted, polished and printed. Until December!
My Japanese prof. had the brilliant suggestion of going as an artisan's apprentice in Kyoto to learn one of the classical arts -- which I totally wouldn't mind, especially since I've already had painting/calligraphy training from my grandmother. But while I enjoy doing it, would it even be possible for me to become an apprentice? I understand that some of the more traditional schools have barely budged from the medieval concept of patrilinear succession; outsiders wouldn't be allowed to inherit the school. (Not that I'd want to anyway, but if you're going to study something, you may as well be good at it, right?)
Meanwhile, there's also the possibility of grad school, and of course, there's also working for the government. Lots to worry about. But a step at a time, right? Which for the next few weeks means getting several essays drafted, polished and printed. Until December!
2008/09/28
Tempus Fugit
Despite having never taken a Latin course, it would seem that what I thought were common phrases aren't as easily recognised by the average university English student.
In the dining room of my current residence (wherein I live with three other people; all uni students, and all Canadian-born Caucasians), there's a whiteboard, where we write random notes to each other, or things of interest. The fall term having just started, we decided to clear the board of the old junk to leave room for new fun. I then decided to do something very cliché, and wrote: "[Tabula Rasa]," centered at the bottom of the board. The irony, of course, is that by writing "tabula rasa", the tabula is no longer rasa.
But apparently, the male roommate didn't make any comment, and the two female housemates thought it was a food term. It was there for a month, and nobody said anything. :( So what I hoped would be a nerdtastic joke turned into a genuine mystery for the audience.
Sometime later, in my Japanese 302 class, we were reading an article describing the perspective people have on time. (eg. "for some people, waking up 'early in the morning' means 04:23~05:27, whereas for others, it's 05:37~06:19.") We were discussing some of the terms used, and how we would translate them into English. Now, despite this being a 3rd-year language course, most of the students were in arts, and otherwise reasonably competent in English. One of the terms, which was glossed as "time flies", was under discussion, and the class explored some of the other possible phrasings available in English. Thinking I'd make a joke, I decided to suggest tempus fugit, but it seems the rest of the class didn't react at all. So not only did they not think it funny, they simply didn't get it at all. ...Or maybe I just didn't speak loudly enough.
Now, I know that Latin phrases are in sharp decline nowadays, but I thought that more of them were still floating around in the aether of modern times than our current undergraduate population would suggest.
In the dining room of my current residence (wherein I live with three other people; all uni students, and all Canadian-born Caucasians), there's a whiteboard, where we write random notes to each other, or things of interest. The fall term having just started, we decided to clear the board of the old junk to leave room for new fun. I then decided to do something very cliché, and wrote: "[Tabula Rasa]," centered at the bottom of the board. The irony, of course, is that by writing "tabula rasa", the tabula is no longer rasa.
But apparently, the male roommate didn't make any comment, and the two female housemates thought it was a food term. It was there for a month, and nobody said anything. :( So what I hoped would be a nerdtastic joke turned into a genuine mystery for the audience.
Sometime later, in my Japanese 302 class, we were reading an article describing the perspective people have on time. (eg. "for some people, waking up 'early in the morning' means 04:23~05:27, whereas for others, it's 05:37~06:19.") We were discussing some of the terms used, and how we would translate them into English. Now, despite this being a 3rd-year language course, most of the students were in arts, and otherwise reasonably competent in English. One of the terms, which was glossed as "time flies", was under discussion, and the class explored some of the other possible phrasings available in English. Thinking I'd make a joke, I decided to suggest tempus fugit, but it seems the rest of the class didn't react at all. So not only did they not think it funny, they simply didn't get it at all. ...Or maybe I just didn't speak loudly enough.
Now, I know that Latin phrases are in sharp decline nowadays, but I thought that more of them were still floating around in the aether of modern times than our current undergraduate population would suggest.
2008/09/09
Google Fails in Dream
I had such a stressful dream just now. But maybe it's a way of showing me that I shouldn't care about being right all the time -- it ultimately destroys friendships. Anyway.
I (recalling the real-life episode of Q.I.) recount to my sister how "vestibule" can mean an anteroom/entrance, or also the derriere region of a female elephant. My sister, however, is adamant that a vestibule does not mean anything room-like. So, naturally, we turn to the immediate source of the internet. Google search for {elephant vestibule} resulted in a lot of images of cartoons. I guess in my dream "elephant" was some sort of animator slang for "cartoon", and vestibule for a particular type of pose. Searching the OED was equally useless, it came up with specific definitions (that I can't recall now), but none of them related to the concept of "room". There was also some "secondary" plot in this dream involving having to literally fend off a woman (who thought she was in love with me), and some property damage to my most precious posessions -- books. The book that was damaged was a rare (and comprehensive) Chinese-English etymological dictionary, that instead of focusing on the formation of the written word, focused on the change of meanings. (Such a dictionary does not exist in real life, to my knowledge.)
But yah, that was my dream. It's about 5:30am right now, and I'm still in disbelief. But a quick google searched confirmed that what I dreamt wasn't true; the image results now show a series of images of chambers and entrances. Also, the first (and therefore oldest) definition of "vestibule" in the OED:
I (recalling the real-life episode of Q.I.) recount to my sister how "vestibule" can mean an anteroom/entrance, or also the derriere region of a female elephant. My sister, however, is adamant that a vestibule does not mean anything room-like. So, naturally, we turn to the immediate source of the internet. Google search for {elephant vestibule} resulted in a lot of images of cartoons. I guess in my dream "elephant" was some sort of animator slang for "cartoon", and vestibule for a particular type of pose. Searching the OED was equally useless, it came up with specific definitions (that I can't recall now), but none of them related to the concept of "room". There was also some "secondary" plot in this dream involving having to literally fend off a woman (who thought she was in love with me), and some property damage to my most precious posessions -- books. The book that was damaged was a rare (and comprehensive) Chinese-English etymological dictionary, that instead of focusing on the formation of the written word, focused on the change of meanings. (Such a dictionary does not exist in real life, to my knowledge.)
But yah, that was my dream. It's about 5:30am right now, and I'm still in disbelief. But a quick google searched confirmed that what I dreamt wasn't true; the image results now show a series of images of chambers and entrances. Also, the first (and therefore oldest) definition of "vestibule" in the OED:
"In reference to ancient times: The enclosed or partially enclosed space in front of the main entrance of a Roman or Greek house or building; an entrance-court or fore-court."To be vindicated against my own dreams. Is this a sneak-peak at being senile? The confusion alone will be enough to drive anybody mad..
2008/09/06
EcoRIO
I like using majuscules, no matter what modern designers will tell me. Maybe it's a vestige of being raised under stricter teachers. Well, anyway...
I don't know if I've ever blogged about it here before, but I've definitely thought about it an awful lot -- about the environment. Idownloaded saw Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, and it only echoed a few things I already had in mind. General air quality of the world, and how the developed nations are kinda ruining it for the rest of the world. (Air being moved by wind, so pollutants produced in North America, Europe and Asia end up poisoning the air for the inhabitants of South and Central America, Africa, and any other place that's been formerly colonised.)
Against the context of saving the world from the ravages of man, shopping for a new pair of shoes suddenly feels quite empty. So anyway, a good and long-time friend of mine (recently graduated from my university!) with four other [engineering] buddies decided to enter Google's Android competition and won! But before I go into plugging my friend's product, I feel I should explain something. Despite the intelligence and stigma that usually accompanies an engineer graduate, my friend is also intelligent in other areas as well. He's rather artistic, and has an extraordinary ability to pick up languages [and drop them] in a remarkably quick amount of time. He's also socially competent, so no awkward silences with him. And now, back to our regular programming.
Their product is called EcoRIO (where the RIO stands for Reduce, Inspire, Offset). It basically tracks the user's carbon footprint, and suggests ways that it can be reduced. There's also a user-to-user section, where people can share their own eco-friendly strategies. Very utopian ideals. When I heard that my friend had won (an entire $275'000 USD!!! ... but shared among a team of five boys), I was immensely happy, both for the environment, and for my friend.
So, being curious about the competition, I decided to see what the other winners were. Remember, this is being compared against an application that'll help save the environment. So what I found were applications that would help you shop faster, find services more quickly, or spend more money on useless items. One even tracks the traffic of night clubs. Personally, I hate night clubs, if only because of the volume at which they blast the music. I guess I should integrate myself more with the deaf community. I like silence, and I also like practising sign language.
So in my mind, they're the only real winners. XD Check it out! The site isn't particularly geeky either.
I don't know if I've ever blogged about it here before, but I've definitely thought about it an awful lot -- about the environment. I
Against the context of saving the world from the ravages of man, shopping for a new pair of shoes suddenly feels quite empty. So anyway, a good and long-time friend of mine (recently graduated from my university!) with four other [engineering] buddies decided to enter Google's Android competition and won! But before I go into plugging my friend's product, I feel I should explain something. Despite the intelligence and stigma that usually accompanies an engineer graduate, my friend is also intelligent in other areas as well. He's rather artistic, and has an extraordinary ability to pick up languages [and drop them] in a remarkably quick amount of time. He's also socially competent, so no awkward silences with him. And now, back to our regular programming.
Their product is called EcoRIO (where the RIO stands for Reduce, Inspire, Offset). It basically tracks the user's carbon footprint, and suggests ways that it can be reduced. There's also a user-to-user section, where people can share their own eco-friendly strategies. Very utopian ideals. When I heard that my friend had won (an entire $275'000 USD!!! ... but shared among a team of five boys), I was immensely happy, both for the environment, and for my friend.
So, being curious about the competition, I decided to see what the other winners were. Remember, this is being compared against an application that'll help save the environment. So what I found were applications that would help you shop faster, find services more quickly, or spend more money on useless items. One even tracks the traffic of night clubs. Personally, I hate night clubs, if only because of the volume at which they blast the music. I guess I should integrate myself more with the deaf community. I like silence, and I also like practising sign language.
So in my mind, they're the only real winners. XD Check it out! The site isn't particularly geeky either.
2008/09/05
Afternoon Dreams & Literature
Napping in the afternoon is actually quite stressful for me. I usually wake up during the warmest part of the day, when the sun is high above the sky. On Wednesday, I took such a nap, since fatigue had overwhelmed me. And during that time, I had quite a disturbing dream.
I was in what I assumed to be Korea, since I was on the run from ... something. The authorities, the mafia, or a gay perv, something. I'm running down the stairs in an area that's best described as resembling a certain city in FF12 (which is somewhat odd, since I haven't played that game recently). I find an old man to talk to, figuring that I'll be left alone if it looks like I know someone here. So, I chat and follow the old guy to his home. Apparently he's Korean, but knows a bit of Japanese and Mandarin. He prefers to speak in Mandarin because of painful memories associated with Japan, but I perfer to speak Japanese (but only minimally). We're sitting in the tea room of his home, when I hear someone come in from the outside. Apparently his daughter (or niece, granddaughter, etc) has come home, with a relatively large bag. And then, suddenly there are two voices that come from her direction. One is hers, but the other is "her younger brother". I go over to investigate, but see only her, and a medium-sized duffel bag. Apparently the "brother's" voice was coming from the bag. When I opened it to see, there was a spirit posessing a small figurine. The old man explains that everybody here [in Thailand] has a companion spirit-ancestor to help guide them in life. Being the devout Christian, the figurine/ghost starts reacting strangely. I then invoke the name of Jesus and command the demon to leave this house. My voice gets louder and louder, and the scene gets more and more violent. It was like a battle of territory; who had more influence on the immediate area -- my faith in Christ Jesus, or the devil? I think I successfully exorcised the demon before waking up.
Referrants? Many. From popular entertainment: FF12, Shaman King, Kekkaishi.
From real life: seeing a bag at night and thinking it was a ghost, socio-linguistic deduction (knowing that idol-worship/spirituality is high in Thailand; Japanese and Korean are linguistically similar; Mandarin is a popular choice for Korean nationals to learn as a second language).
The idea of demonic encounters frighten me. I remember hearing from a friend's mom that her faith in God was solidified only after rooming with a demonically posessed roommate. Personally, I'd rather not want to deal with it, and honestly, I don't feel I have that size of faith to exorcise demons. At least, not in the way that we're taught in sunday school. But maybe that's an excuse. Maybe I don't want to deal with demons because I know that it can only strengthen my faith in God. Or maybe, I'd be tempted to turn to the dark side...........
In other news, I bought most of my books early, so hopefully I'll be able to get a head start on some of my readings. Although I'm fairly confident that the two books I'm starting with won't be touched upon until near the end of the term, I'm interested in reading them because 1. they relate to Chinese-Canadians; and 2. both authors/books were recommended to me by my Postcolonial Literatures prof last term. Which is to say, Diamond Grill by Fred Wah, and Disappearing Moon Cafe by Sky Lee. Sky Lee's book has a family tree built in already, so I don't have to bother mapping out the relationships between characters. Yay!
Generally, I find that I need to map out these sorts of relationships. Especially for Cinnamon Gardens by Shyam Selvadurai. That book had 2 families that were related by a common great-grandfather, or something to that effect. It was a good book though. So, you kids out there with too much time, I highly recommend reading Cinnamon Gardens. It's a bit of a long read, but I managed to finish it in a day. Booyah! XD
I was in what I assumed to be Korea, since I was on the run from ... something. The authorities, the mafia, or a gay perv, something. I'm running down the stairs in an area that's best described as resembling a certain city in FF12 (which is somewhat odd, since I haven't played that game recently). I find an old man to talk to, figuring that I'll be left alone if it looks like I know someone here. So, I chat and follow the old guy to his home. Apparently he's Korean, but knows a bit of Japanese and Mandarin. He prefers to speak in Mandarin because of painful memories associated with Japan, but I perfer to speak Japanese (but only minimally). We're sitting in the tea room of his home, when I hear someone come in from the outside. Apparently his daughter (or niece, granddaughter, etc) has come home, with a relatively large bag. And then, suddenly there are two voices that come from her direction. One is hers, but the other is "her younger brother". I go over to investigate, but see only her, and a medium-sized duffel bag. Apparently the "brother's" voice was coming from the bag. When I opened it to see, there was a spirit posessing a small figurine. The old man explains that everybody here [in Thailand] has a companion spirit-ancestor to help guide them in life. Being the devout Christian, the figurine/ghost starts reacting strangely. I then invoke the name of Jesus and command the demon to leave this house. My voice gets louder and louder, and the scene gets more and more violent. It was like a battle of territory; who had more influence on the immediate area -- my faith in Christ Jesus, or the devil? I think I successfully exorcised the demon before waking up.
Referrants? Many. From popular entertainment: FF12, Shaman King, Kekkaishi.
From real life: seeing a bag at night and thinking it was a ghost, socio-linguistic deduction (knowing that idol-worship/spirituality is high in Thailand; Japanese and Korean are linguistically similar; Mandarin is a popular choice for Korean nationals to learn as a second language).
The idea of demonic encounters frighten me. I remember hearing from a friend's mom that her faith in God was solidified only after rooming with a demonically posessed roommate. Personally, I'd rather not want to deal with it, and honestly, I don't feel I have that size of faith to exorcise demons. At least, not in the way that we're taught in sunday school. But maybe that's an excuse. Maybe I don't want to deal with demons because I know that it can only strengthen my faith in God. Or maybe, I'd be tempted to turn to the dark side...........
In other news, I bought most of my books early, so hopefully I'll be able to get a head start on some of my readings. Although I'm fairly confident that the two books I'm starting with won't be touched upon until near the end of the term, I'm interested in reading them because 1. they relate to Chinese-Canadians; and 2. both authors/books were recommended to me by my Postcolonial Literatures prof last term. Which is to say, Diamond Grill by Fred Wah, and Disappearing Moon Cafe by Sky Lee. Sky Lee's book has a family tree built in already, so I don't have to bother mapping out the relationships between characters. Yay!
Generally, I find that I need to map out these sorts of relationships. Especially for Cinnamon Gardens by Shyam Selvadurai. That book had 2 families that were related by a common great-grandfather, or something to that effect. It was a good book though. So, you kids out there with too much time, I highly recommend reading Cinnamon Gardens. It's a bit of a long read, but I managed to finish it in a day. Booyah! XD
2008/08/21
Experience
William Blake said that Experience and Innocence are the two contrary states of the soul. Ah yes, to see my education actually working.
Anyway. Being the spiritually inclined person that I am, I tend to have friends and acquaintences who are also spiritual or religious. And sometimes, I ask questions about "the" religious experience. Who decides what's authentic and what's false testimony? All the Abrahamic religions claim divine revelation, but they can't all be right, right? And yet, the leaders in each sect is convinced and confident that he's doing God's bidding.
And as the leader of the sect, I guess it's pretty important to believe what you're doing is correct. At the very least, you can't be faulted for your motives. But people often do the same thing for what I suppose can only be a scaled equivalence for their own lives. Doctors diagnose with certain confidence because of their medical training, and literary critics assert their own theories with examples of writing.
But there is a difference between the evident, and a contrived pattern. Or, more specifically, there is a line between the quest for religiosity and self-delusion. Protestants joke about the Pope being a self-deluded cronie, whose years in the papacy have effectively brain-washed him into believing he was appointed by God. And I'm sure the Jewish are laughing at all of us for thinking the Messiah has already come.
But what about personal feelings? I have a friend, whom I'll call Durian (after an asian delicacy), who was convinced that God was telling him that a certain someone was to be his future mate (this mate I'll call Pineapple). I won't go into details, but basically, in the end, things didn't pan out. So does that mean God was lying? By definition God's infallible, so I don't think that's really possible. The conclusion, therefore, is that Durian was "praying" so hard, that he basically convinced himself, in a form of self-hypnosis, that what he wanted was a sign from the divine.
But despite my personal repugnance at the situation in general, I think this is a reality that everybody is succeptable to, regardless of their spiritual or religious inclinations. Just because we're talking in the realm of spirituality, it doesn't follow that the laws of physics and the observations of psychology don't apply anymore. We are still human, and we still have human psyches.
Anyway. Being the spiritually inclined person that I am, I tend to have friends and acquaintences who are also spiritual or religious. And sometimes, I ask questions about "the" religious experience. Who decides what's authentic and what's false testimony? All the Abrahamic religions claim divine revelation, but they can't all be right, right? And yet, the leaders in each sect is convinced and confident that he's doing God's bidding.
And as the leader of the sect, I guess it's pretty important to believe what you're doing is correct. At the very least, you can't be faulted for your motives. But people often do the same thing for what I suppose can only be a scaled equivalence for their own lives. Doctors diagnose with certain confidence because of their medical training, and literary critics assert their own theories with examples of writing.
But there is a difference between the evident, and a contrived pattern. Or, more specifically, there is a line between the quest for religiosity and self-delusion. Protestants joke about the Pope being a self-deluded cronie, whose years in the papacy have effectively brain-washed him into believing he was appointed by God. And I'm sure the Jewish are laughing at all of us for thinking the Messiah has already come.
But what about personal feelings? I have a friend, whom I'll call Durian (after an asian delicacy), who was convinced that God was telling him that a certain someone was to be his future mate (this mate I'll call Pineapple). I won't go into details, but basically, in the end, things didn't pan out. So does that mean God was lying? By definition God's infallible, so I don't think that's really possible. The conclusion, therefore, is that Durian was "praying" so hard, that he basically convinced himself, in a form of self-hypnosis, that what he wanted was a sign from the divine.
But despite my personal repugnance at the situation in general, I think this is a reality that everybody is succeptable to, regardless of their spiritual or religious inclinations. Just because we're talking in the realm of spirituality, it doesn't follow that the laws of physics and the observations of psychology don't apply anymore. We are still human, and we still have human psyches.
2008/04/16
Medieval Mess
So I'm mid-way through exams right now, having finished 2.5 of my 6 finals. (The 0.5 denotes the take-home exam I have until 3pm today to finish.) Yesterday was my Chaucer final, which was difficult! But I wasn't alone in my suffering; the two friends I made there apparently also struggled.
Anyway, after the exam, we received our term papers back. And I got a relatively good mark (82). My prof left some really funny comments though. Some of them were fairly legitimate, pointing out where I could have been more specific or accurate. But others just made me laugh. For one part, I wrote that Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was a credit to World Literature, being one of the few masterpieces that hold such a diverse collection of sociolects and social classes intermingling. And then I footnoted that with Dream of the Red Chamber (紅樓夢), saying that it was another such example from Qing Chinese Literature. Prof writes: "Thanks for the ref."
My favourite, however, was in the concluding/general comments, wherein he wrote: "You display an odd mix of gorgeous writing and very sloppy errors. Proofread!" It was both flattering and embarrassing. The very sloppy errors mainly stem from the fact that half the essay was written in 3 hours the day that it was due. And these produced silly errors that a simple read-through would have caught. (Things like "by" instead "but"; "from" instead of "form"; punctuation before/after an end-quote.) But he still awarded me an 80+, so I suppose there was some merit to my mad ravings. The prof actually ended with "You have much potential in your prose," which made me smile. Also made me frown, because it meant I still have a ways to go before I achieve this hypothetical literary standard.
Anyway, after the exam, we received our term papers back. And I got a relatively good mark (82). My prof left some really funny comments though. Some of them were fairly legitimate, pointing out where I could have been more specific or accurate. But others just made me laugh. For one part, I wrote that Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was a credit to World Literature, being one of the few masterpieces that hold such a diverse collection of sociolects and social classes intermingling. And then I footnoted that with Dream of the Red Chamber (紅樓夢), saying that it was another such example from Qing Chinese Literature. Prof writes: "Thanks for the ref."
My favourite, however, was in the concluding/general comments, wherein he wrote: "You display an odd mix of gorgeous writing and very sloppy errors. Proofread!" It was both flattering and embarrassing. The very sloppy errors mainly stem from the fact that half the essay was written in 3 hours the day that it was due. And these produced silly errors that a simple read-through would have caught. (Things like "by" instead "but"; "from" instead of "form"; punctuation before/after an end-quote.) But he still awarded me an 80+, so I suppose there was some merit to my mad ravings. The prof actually ended with "You have much potential in your prose," which made me smile. Also made me frown, because it meant I still have a ways to go before I achieve this hypothetical literary standard.
2008/03/20
Racism III
I *think* this is my third post on racism, but I can't be sure. Anyway.
My first term in English is almost over, and I gotta say, the range of profs for English are quite varied. Of course, most are ignorant of all topics aside from English, but one or two have theological backgrounds, which add some validity to their claims of religious context for older works (like Chaucer and the yet-to-take-place reformation).
A bit ironic then, that the prof with the thinnest veil on his religious beliefs is also the most biggoted one of all my classes this term.
I first met him individually two weeks into the term, because of my late registration into classes. I had wanted to see what I could do to catch up, and what other work needed to be done. We also spoke briefly about my personal life history, and of his religious beliefs. And even though I regularly talk to him after class to ask certain questions, he seems to refuse to acknowledge me in class. It's as if I'm invisible.
And true, it's not like we fought a war together, so it's understandable that he wouldn't remember me, but at the same time, my presence in class is strong enough that I should register on his radar more prevalently than certain other persons. And apparently I'm not the only one.
One time, when he was systematically forcing the entire class (moving along the rows) to answer questions, he noticed an asian girl (who ALWAYS has been sitting beside a vocal keener in the class, whose name the Prof does know). "Are you new to this class?" he asks, as if she had never been to lecture before.
This older caucasian professor often gives stories of his "friends", but always takes care to mention their ethnicity. Why is that important? And is it even appropriate to be telling someone else's lifestory RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, even if you don't name them?? "Some of you may have noticed the Sudanese who was here last class. She's the one I've mentioned before, who ____".
And it's obvious that he doesn't acknowledge his racism; intellectually he knows it's wrong (or at the very least, socially unaccepable), but emotionally he seems to lack the actual thought to see people as being equal.
Other things about him bug me, but I'll mention that in another post.
My first term in English is almost over, and I gotta say, the range of profs for English are quite varied. Of course, most are ignorant of all topics aside from English, but one or two have theological backgrounds, which add some validity to their claims of religious context for older works (like Chaucer and the yet-to-take-place reformation).
A bit ironic then, that the prof with the thinnest veil on his religious beliefs is also the most biggoted one of all my classes this term.
I first met him individually two weeks into the term, because of my late registration into classes. I had wanted to see what I could do to catch up, and what other work needed to be done. We also spoke briefly about my personal life history, and of his religious beliefs. And even though I regularly talk to him after class to ask certain questions, he seems to refuse to acknowledge me in class. It's as if I'm invisible.
And true, it's not like we fought a war together, so it's understandable that he wouldn't remember me, but at the same time, my presence in class is strong enough that I should register on his radar more prevalently than certain other persons. And apparently I'm not the only one.
One time, when he was systematically forcing the entire class (moving along the rows) to answer questions, he noticed an asian girl (who ALWAYS has been sitting beside a vocal keener in the class, whose name the Prof does know). "Are you new to this class?" he asks, as if she had never been to lecture before.
This older caucasian professor often gives stories of his "friends", but always takes care to mention their ethnicity. Why is that important? And is it even appropriate to be telling someone else's lifestory RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, even if you don't name them?? "Some of you may have noticed the Sudanese who was here last class. She's the one I've mentioned before, who ____".
And it's obvious that he doesn't acknowledge his racism; intellectually he knows it's wrong (or at the very least, socially unaccepable), but emotionally he seems to lack the actual thought to see people as being equal.
Other things about him bug me, but I'll mention that in another post.
Originality and Individuality
Everybody is unique. (At the very least, on a genetic level, but let's be optimistic and assume that on a personal level they're unique as well.) Some people, however, seem to care more about their uniqueness than others. And then, of course, there are those who are content to be one of the crowd, the faceless, nameless collective.
I think, given my level of self-awareness, it's sufficiently fair to say that I'm a pretty unique individual. My sense of fashion isn't average, nor are my interests, my use of language, my posture, my personality, etc...
And maybe it's because of this degree of uniqueness that people always try to find similarities between me and other people they encounter. Which, in itself, is fair enough. Everybody relates everybody they know to other people they know in order to better archive a mental/social map of their friends.
But is it really necessary to make that remark to other people? I find that there's a thin line between "I think you would get along with another friend of mine because of ____" and "Wow. You remind me so much of this other person". The first is neutral; the second offends the individuality of the person.
For several years now, people have always been reporting to me these sightings of alleged lookalikes that they encounter on the street, or in school or wherever. It's even better when these sightings occur on facebook, and the lookalike ends up looking worse than you do. Then you start to wonder how your friends see you anyway.
I don't mind categorizing people [mentally], but I do take issue with trivializing people. There's a difference between saying "You're a science student, and therefore would likely have a better idea of what constitutes an allele" and "You're a science student, and therefore must suck at language".
So in future, if you find that I echo someone else in your life, or some fictional character, take care that your expression of this observation or yours stays at that level of observance instead of threatening the individuality of the person.
Garrgh.
I think, given my level of self-awareness, it's sufficiently fair to say that I'm a pretty unique individual. My sense of fashion isn't average, nor are my interests, my use of language, my posture, my personality, etc...
And maybe it's because of this degree of uniqueness that people always try to find similarities between me and other people they encounter. Which, in itself, is fair enough. Everybody relates everybody they know to other people they know in order to better archive a mental/social map of their friends.
But is it really necessary to make that remark to other people? I find that there's a thin line between "I think you would get along with another friend of mine because of ____" and "Wow. You remind me so much of this other person". The first is neutral; the second offends the individuality of the person.
For several years now, people have always been reporting to me these sightings of alleged lookalikes that they encounter on the street, or in school or wherever. It's even better when these sightings occur on facebook, and the lookalike ends up looking worse than you do. Then you start to wonder how your friends see you anyway.
I don't mind categorizing people [mentally], but I do take issue with trivializing people. There's a difference between saying "You're a science student, and therefore would likely have a better idea of what constitutes an allele" and "You're a science student, and therefore must suck at language".
So in future, if you find that I echo someone else in your life, or some fictional character, take care that your expression of this observation or yours stays at that level of observance instead of threatening the individuality of the person.
Garrgh.
2008/03/07
Dis-eased
Interestingly enough, the current word "disease" used to come from "dis-ease" as in "not at ease; uncomfortable". It was then expanded and redefined to mean the disorder or abnormal condition of the body or its parts.
Anyway. It's 1:25am right now, and I've been at school for the past 40 minutes. A noisy ruckus woke me up at around 22:00, and it persisted through 00:30am, so I figured I'd get some work done at least, and some peace & quiet at school.
And now that I'm at school, I truly am at peace. Only problem is, I'm oddly unmotivated to do my work now. I suppose I require some level of frustration in order to function.
Halfway through the three-act play I should have read last weekend. Hopefully this weekend I'll remember to do some proper work, finish my readings, and start some essay drafts.
Anyway. It's 1:25am right now, and I've been at school for the past 40 minutes. A noisy ruckus woke me up at around 22:00, and it persisted through 00:30am, so I figured I'd get some work done at least, and some peace & quiet at school.
And now that I'm at school, I truly am at peace. Only problem is, I'm oddly unmotivated to do my work now. I suppose I require some level of frustration in order to function.
Halfway through the three-act play I should have read last weekend. Hopefully this weekend I'll remember to do some proper work, finish my readings, and start some essay drafts.
2008/02/25
Too Rich for Words
This is too funny.
Yesterday afternoon, my prof sends an email to our class, telling us about a plot summary he's posted on the course website (probably predicting accurately that none of us have bothered to read the book over reading week).
From experience, I tend to prefer online notes, if only because they know how to justify text, and play with margin settings. My dear of prof, on the other hand, will use a million spaces to get a word onto the next line.
So, I naturally drift to sparknotes.com, the seemingly staple for student research. I read their synopsis, then later go to the course website and download the .doc of the prof's summary. It was exactly the same.
Now, one could generously assume that the professor made a contribution to sparknotes.com, lending the site a bit more credibility, but knowing the prof, I'm willing to guess that he probably just pulled the summary from the website, pasted it into MS Word, and then posted that onto the course website.
Seems like a full novel though; I'll have to properly read it this week...
I always try to end these posts with a fun fact, but nothing's coming to mind at 7:51am. Oh well. Oh! I know! I'm getting a laptop this week! Brand-new from Dell. Inspiron 1525. With a fancy, swirly pattern instead of the dull monochrome colours. Even if solid colours *do* make the laptop look more professional. lalala...
Yesterday afternoon, my prof sends an email to our class, telling us about a plot summary he's posted on the course website (probably predicting accurately that none of us have bothered to read the book over reading week).
From experience, I tend to prefer online notes, if only because they know how to justify text, and play with margin settings. My dear of prof, on the other hand, will use a million spaces to get a word onto the next line.
So, I naturally drift to sparknotes.com, the seemingly staple for student research. I read their synopsis, then later go to the course website and download the .doc of the prof's summary. It was exactly the same.
Now, one could generously assume that the professor made a contribution to sparknotes.com, lending the site a bit more credibility, but knowing the prof, I'm willing to guess that he probably just pulled the summary from the website, pasted it into MS Word, and then posted that onto the course website.
Seems like a full novel though; I'll have to properly read it this week...
I always try to end these posts with a fun fact, but nothing's coming to mind at 7:51am. Oh well. Oh! I know! I'm getting a laptop this week! Brand-new from Dell. Inspiron 1525. With a fancy, swirly pattern instead of the dull monochrome colours. Even if solid colours *do* make the laptop look more professional. lalala...
2008/02/21
Ha-Ha Happy
Why do people laugh? One anthropological theory says that perhaps it was originally a sort of alarm system, alerting the other lemurs (or whatever we were), that there was no real danger; false alarm, etc. Although I don't completely support this theory, I can see the logic in it. Often, after a false scare, we tend to react in laughter, partly to ease ourselves, and partly to ease those around us.
But laughter is a response to many things. Humour is the dominant source in our modern culture, and the other possible causes (nitrous oxide, for example) tend to be discounted immediately.
However, there is yet another form of laughter -- that of happiness and celebration. People laugh when they're happy. But people don't seem to get that whenever I laugh. Is my laugh particularly malicious or something?
Anyway. If you hear me laugh at something you say, it means I'm entertained. I'm not the sort who would [openly] laugh at someone else's idiocy or ignorance. Unless it's already been established that I *really* don't like the person. Then maybe. hrmm....
Fun fact of the day: I've secretly had astigmatism for a while (in the order of years), but the Chinese optometrists didn't bother to mention it to me. Or didn't bother to test for it. The cheap bastards. And they wonder why North Americans are so hung up on proper procedure and regulations.
But laughter is a response to many things. Humour is the dominant source in our modern culture, and the other possible causes (nitrous oxide, for example) tend to be discounted immediately.
However, there is yet another form of laughter -- that of happiness and celebration. People laugh when they're happy. But people don't seem to get that whenever I laugh. Is my laugh particularly malicious or something?
Anyway. If you hear me laugh at something you say, it means I'm entertained. I'm not the sort who would [openly] laugh at someone else's idiocy or ignorance. Unless it's already been established that I *really* don't like the person. Then maybe. hrmm....
Fun fact of the day: I've secretly had astigmatism for a while (in the order of years), but the Chinese optometrists didn't bother to mention it to me. Or didn't bother to test for it. The cheap bastards. And they wonder why North Americans are so hung up on proper procedure and regulations.
2008/02/08
Cohabitants
One thing I was reminded of when I moved back to University, was getting used to living with new people. Different living habits, sleeping schedules, standard of hygiene...
There should be some sort of national health service announcement regarding the dangers of listening to amplified lower frequencies for extended periods of time. The number of males who voluntarily (and I assume ignorantly) decrease their hearing everyday might benefit from such intelligence. And there might be a revolution in the theatre industry as well! Then everybody will be able to go see movies at reasonable volumes.
On the subject of people though, I'm often seeing how others interact with each other. So far as I can currently imagine, there are three basic types of people: those who inspire, those who encourage, and those who disgust. Of course, this is all relative to a given individual, so results will vary between people. :)
After watching various videos of Kenneth Williams on youtube, I started to think about my own relationship with my friends. I'm conscious and aware of the sort of person I am -- at least, to the people I know. The ultimate person seems to be he who can draw the best qualities in people. Someone who is filled with light or bright or some sort of positive energy. It draws people toward him, and he can in turn cause others to do things better.
And then there's me. I either build delicate bonds between people I deem "worthy" (usually through some merit of information or interest), or I sever all possible modes of conduct with those I deem "undesirable" (generally those who lack any intelligence or ability).
But it is this classic character flaw which usually draws supporters from the bad guy (me) to the hero (whoever my arch-nemesis might be). Knowing this, I wonder how I can possibly change to be more accepting of people. After all, mere tolerance does nothing. It seems to be a popular byword in American politics when describing the improvement between ethnic groups, but I think *acceptance* is really the word they're looking for. The idea isn't to merely build an immunity to the foreign influences of the differing groups, but the find a way to integrate them all into a grand national community.
Meanwhile, Valentine's Day is soon upon us. Wo ist mein Herz?
There should be some sort of national health service announcement regarding the dangers of listening to amplified lower frequencies for extended periods of time. The number of males who voluntarily (and I assume ignorantly) decrease their hearing everyday might benefit from such intelligence. And there might be a revolution in the theatre industry as well! Then everybody will be able to go see movies at reasonable volumes.
On the subject of people though, I'm often seeing how others interact with each other. So far as I can currently imagine, there are three basic types of people: those who inspire, those who encourage, and those who disgust. Of course, this is all relative to a given individual, so results will vary between people. :)
After watching various videos of Kenneth Williams on youtube, I started to think about my own relationship with my friends. I'm conscious and aware of the sort of person I am -- at least, to the people I know. The ultimate person seems to be he who can draw the best qualities in people. Someone who is filled with light or bright or some sort of positive energy. It draws people toward him, and he can in turn cause others to do things better.
And then there's me. I either build delicate bonds between people I deem "worthy" (usually through some merit of information or interest), or I sever all possible modes of conduct with those I deem "undesirable" (generally those who lack any intelligence or ability).
But it is this classic character flaw which usually draws supporters from the bad guy (me) to the hero (whoever my arch-nemesis might be). Knowing this, I wonder how I can possibly change to be more accepting of people. After all, mere tolerance does nothing. It seems to be a popular byword in American politics when describing the improvement between ethnic groups, but I think *acceptance* is really the word they're looking for. The idea isn't to merely build an immunity to the foreign influences of the differing groups, but the find a way to integrate them all into a grand national community.
Meanwhile, Valentine's Day is soon upon us. Wo ist mein Herz?
2008/02/06
Mid-English
As most readers of this blog should know by now, I'm back in school, with a view to change majors into English, and currently taking 6 courses (which in my school is 120% course load).
Having little experience with Uni English, and being a sort of outsider, as well as joining late, I had some reservations and doubts about whether I'd be able to succeed or not. But now, about a third into the term, I can confidently say that my expectations are totally reversed. My 4th-yr brit. lit. course isn't too bad, so long as I keep on top of my readings and pay attention in class (and since the profs are cool, I don't have a disinclination to attend lectures). And I suppose that's generally true for any course. I'm surprised by the number of people who still don't maintain their readings, even into 3rd or 4th year. Sorta makes one wonder the sort of people in business or politics who're expected to read these hundred-page reports about policy.
One thing that really struck me was the huge difference in ethnic distribution between my math classes of 1st-yr, and of my current English classes. In math, there was usually somewhere between 50~80% asian (although, oddly enough, in the advanced courses, there were more caucasians, most of european birth). I was sorta used to seeing the diversity; it was like being in Toronto, or high school. But now with the English classes, I'm back to being a stark, visible minority. Some of the profs I've talked to seem to have held some reservations about me joining their classes, from some sort of subconscious reservations about having non-native english speakers in their class. (Is my voice really that nasally!?!? I'm wondering if I subconsciously soften my voice by making it more nasal as a sort of respect, versus a regular gruffer voice which I'd reserve for friends. ....Although my voice isn't really gruff to begin with...)
It's fun though. Speech errors are much less common in class, and dialects are more subtle. One thing I have to watch out for that I never needed to in math, are the angry lesbians. They seem to have some sort of vendetta against male-kind. As if they could ever hope to regress into asexual, single-cellular organisms. "Sorry toots, you're stuck with us!"
Alright. 7am. Time to go to school!
Having little experience with Uni English, and being a sort of outsider, as well as joining late, I had some reservations and doubts about whether I'd be able to succeed or not. But now, about a third into the term, I can confidently say that my expectations are totally reversed. My 4th-yr brit. lit. course isn't too bad, so long as I keep on top of my readings and pay attention in class (and since the profs are cool, I don't have a disinclination to attend lectures). And I suppose that's generally true for any course. I'm surprised by the number of people who still don't maintain their readings, even into 3rd or 4th year. Sorta makes one wonder the sort of people in business or politics who're expected to read these hundred-page reports about policy.
One thing that really struck me was the huge difference in ethnic distribution between my math classes of 1st-yr, and of my current English classes. In math, there was usually somewhere between 50~80% asian (although, oddly enough, in the advanced courses, there were more caucasians, most of european birth). I was sorta used to seeing the diversity; it was like being in Toronto, or high school. But now with the English classes, I'm back to being a stark, visible minority. Some of the profs I've talked to seem to have held some reservations about me joining their classes, from some sort of subconscious reservations about having non-native english speakers in their class. (Is my voice really that nasally!?!? I'm wondering if I subconsciously soften my voice by making it more nasal as a sort of respect, versus a regular gruffer voice which I'd reserve for friends. ....Although my voice isn't really gruff to begin with...)
It's fun though. Speech errors are much less common in class, and dialects are more subtle. One thing I have to watch out for that I never needed to in math, are the angry lesbians. They seem to have some sort of vendetta against male-kind. As if they could ever hope to regress into asexual, single-cellular organisms. "Sorry toots, you're stuck with us!"
Alright. 7am. Time to go to school!
2008/01/30
Fancy and Finery
Intro to English Lit. Prof was remarking on the different ways in which those in the sciences and those in the humanities work and think. And while I agree that there are certainly trends in the behavioural patterns between those of either camp, I don't think that stressing such differences, even if to say that it's better to have both, is beneficial. It is only because we continue to label and pigeon-hole people into these territories that separatists continue to perpetuate the rift between the two realms. Human beings have an inherent Grand Unifying Mind, which would allow them to be equally successful in either field. As far as I can make out, both schools require the same sort of logic. I sincerely fail to see where the approach to one is different to the other. Anywhoo..
Another curious affect I've noticed from taking my crazy 6 courses of English Literature, is how trivial and hollow certain forms of entertainment become. I can't watch shows without analysing the character relations, and how they might echo certain themes in the not-yet determined motifs in the storyline. I blame British Literature 1885-1918.
Another curious affect I've noticed from taking my crazy 6 courses of English Literature, is how trivial and hollow certain forms of entertainment become. I can't watch shows without analysing the character relations, and how they might echo certain themes in the not-yet determined motifs in the storyline. I blame British Literature 1885-1918.
2008/01/27
Meativore?
Apparently, for most people whom I don't directly inform, my preference for meat (in either sense of the term) has been constantly questioned. "Is he vegetarian or not? I could have sworn I've seen him eat a hotdog before... But it might have been a veggie dog." And also, "He says he's fruity... does he really know what that means? Also, is it normal for a guy to make gay jokes about himself so often?"
As for the dietary preference, I've apparently exuded a vegetarian-type personality long before I made the decision to actually be vegetarian. (But contrary to belief, I'm a practical vegetarian, instead of the moral vegetarian; I abstain for health reasons, not out of any sentiments of kinship with the lower mammals.) But then, I'll also eat organic meats.
So what would this imply for my other preference? "40% gay" to go with my "80% vegetarian"? Unfortunately, you'll not get a straight answer here! (no pun intended)
I will, however, share a little secret: my ambiguity for the latter is intentional. Why? Two reasons: (1) it keeps undesirables away, and if confronted with one, I can always use the plausible excuse that I run the other way (or is it "swing" the other way?); (2) it's a cheap preliminary way to keep only the friends who wouldn't be so insensitive as to only forge friendships over something so superficial. (Can't really do much about the looks though. Although I'd only consider getting contacts 'cause glasses fog up too much when I go out/inside in winter, as now.)
As for the dietary preference, I've apparently exuded a vegetarian-type personality long before I made the decision to actually be vegetarian. (But contrary to belief, I'm a practical vegetarian, instead of the moral vegetarian; I abstain for health reasons, not out of any sentiments of kinship with the lower mammals.) But then, I'll also eat organic meats.
So what would this imply for my other preference? "40% gay" to go with my "80% vegetarian"? Unfortunately, you'll not get a straight answer here! (no pun intended)
I will, however, share a little secret: my ambiguity for the latter is intentional. Why? Two reasons: (1) it keeps undesirables away, and if confronted with one, I can always use the plausible excuse that I run the other way (or is it "swing" the other way?); (2) it's a cheap preliminary way to keep only the friends who wouldn't be so insensitive as to only forge friendships over something so superficial. (Can't really do much about the looks though. Although I'd only consider getting contacts 'cause glasses fog up too much when I go out/inside in winter, as now.)
2008/01/12
Chaotic Conformity
What is morality without religion? Or better stated, what does it mean for something to be intrinsically "good" or "bad" when we assume that living things are just fact without a predetermined value?
Now, that's a very broad topic, and one that seems to be warmly debated between a/theists. So let's look at a relatively neutral and local example: "it's fine as long as it doesn't hurt or affect anybody else".
On the surface, this seems like a pretty fair statement. What I do to myself is my business, and as long as my blood-splattered remains don't stain your carpet, what matter is it to you that I took my life? Or how does it hurt your business if I lie and claim to be older in order to contribute to your business in sex/booze/drugs? No skin off your nose, as it were.
But when you really think about it, it's quite a loaded (and tall) statement to make. Just by being in the observable vicinity of others, you affect them. Your appearance and behaviour can cause people to fall into rapture or seizure, to drool or convulse. A random act of kindness has the power to lift a stranger from the pits of oblivion and obscurity, and a clumsy word might incur a hundred-year wrath. When you're faced with these possibilities, how can you possibly claim to have knowledge of the extent to which you affect others? And to that end, how can you possibly justify any questionable actions that you take?
In theory, the safest route would be isolate yourself from society and hope to stem all impressions you leave on society. But the neighbouring kids would gossip about the crazy old man down the street, or the "haunted" house. But that's kind of a waste of a life, so you may as well go out there and do the best that you can.
Having said that, we finally come to my main point: social norms. When we talk about affecting people, we can legitimately extend this to include social instruction and public conduct. Shaking hands and speaking greetings are some pretty direct modes of interaction with others. But, people being different, and certain individuals being more negatively impressionable than others, do we have a right to instruct them on their errors? Do we have the position or authority to tell them that they should smile, or shower?
If we don't, we're technically tacitly approving certain rude or offensive behaviours. So if everything we do already affect the people we're in contact with, we may as well go all out and actively mend the broken cogs in others' social mechanics.
As a tutor of pre/teens, this means I have the prerogative to correct any socially unacceptable behaviour. I only wish my students weren't so violent. :'(
Now, that's a very broad topic, and one that seems to be warmly debated between a/theists. So let's look at a relatively neutral and local example: "it's fine as long as it doesn't hurt or affect anybody else".
On the surface, this seems like a pretty fair statement. What I do to myself is my business, and as long as my blood-splattered remains don't stain your carpet, what matter is it to you that I took my life? Or how does it hurt your business if I lie and claim to be older in order to contribute to your business in sex/booze/drugs? No skin off your nose, as it were.
But when you really think about it, it's quite a loaded (and tall) statement to make. Just by being in the observable vicinity of others, you affect them. Your appearance and behaviour can cause people to fall into rapture or seizure, to drool or convulse. A random act of kindness has the power to lift a stranger from the pits of oblivion and obscurity, and a clumsy word might incur a hundred-year wrath. When you're faced with these possibilities, how can you possibly claim to have knowledge of the extent to which you affect others? And to that end, how can you possibly justify any questionable actions that you take?
In theory, the safest route would be isolate yourself from society and hope to stem all impressions you leave on society. But the neighbouring kids would gossip about the crazy old man down the street, or the "haunted" house. But that's kind of a waste of a life, so you may as well go out there and do the best that you can.
Having said that, we finally come to my main point: social norms. When we talk about affecting people, we can legitimately extend this to include social instruction and public conduct. Shaking hands and speaking greetings are some pretty direct modes of interaction with others. But, people being different, and certain individuals being more negatively impressionable than others, do we have a right to instruct them on their errors? Do we have the position or authority to tell them that they should smile, or shower?
If we don't, we're technically tacitly approving certain rude or offensive behaviours. So if everything we do already affect the people we're in contact with, we may as well go all out and actively mend the broken cogs in others' social mechanics.
As a tutor of pre/teens, this means I have the prerogative to correct any socially unacceptable behaviour. I only wish my students weren't so violent. :'(
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