Some of the folks teaching into the social science methods course were having a conversation today about how teaching ages you. Instantly. In the minds of your students, that is – students to whom you immediately achieve the status of a historical contemporary of whatever it is you are discussing in class.
My favourite instance of this was from a course I taught a few years back, where at some point I got into a joking side discussion with an older student who tended to enjoy testing me out. In this particular class, they made some joke about the French Revolution, I responded in kind – and then one of the younger students indignantly protested that they felt left out: “You guys have to understand that it goes over our heads when you do this! I mean, we weren’t even born back then!”
So, given the association that you ever-so-kindly made today*, Lisa and I aren’t looking too bad for two-hundred-and-something year olds.
(*what’s that thing about revenge being a dish best served cold?)
What? Who? Me? I just made a very slight suggestion that you might have some acquaintance with Hegel…
Just teasing… related to the fact that I spent the following 4 hours shaking in my boots, fearful that I’d be asked to explain immanent critique, in 100 words or less ;-) To quote JPD (at 07 Syd conf) “I don’t know anything without my books”.