x_staff | I have apparently completely lost my sense of humor...

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c: nathan dayspring

I have apparently completely lost my sense of humor...

Or maybe it's just the precognitive hangover. Either way, I didn't find this latest prank particularly funny.

Practicing pop psychology via hair dye. What on earth are the little darlings going to come up with next?

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None of the children seem to have taken offense, if that helps ease your concern.

Lasting offense, you mean - but it does. Which is why I'm not making more of an issue about this.

I'm just concerned. What the other kids see is that Kyle's having issues with his mutation, but the rest of us know that's only part of the story. We can hardly say to Clarice 'Please lay off your classmate - he's getting over partial brainwashing', can we?

As I understand pranks, the momentary offense is one of the goals of the joke, and it is only if the offense becomes lasting that there begins to be a serious concern. The students seem to be--ah, the phrase is 'policing their own?' adequately enough, although I am glad the aftermath occurred where we could keep watch.

Kyle's own resilience seems up to the challenges he has faced so far. I will not say, 'do not worry,' but as yet, though I am conscious of my own relative ignorance in such matters, there does not seem to be sufficien cause to act on his behalf.

Otherwise said, Nathan, kids poking fun at other kids with the intent to laugh with them about it is a signal of social integration and actually a good thing.

They like him so they bother with teasing him.

Yes, exactly. They are accepting him as one of their own, in their way, and that process is one I remember well, and fondly. The methods may differ, but the intent is the same, and a wholesome one, and I am unwilling to believe it will reap ill, begun thus.

I'll defer to the people who actually have healthy experiences of teenaged behavior and interaction.

I was about to type 'normal', but then I remembered where I was.

I need more aspirin...

*pats the poor hungover pre-cog* You should leave the chocolate to those of us trained to handle it, Nathan.

As for Kyle... I can understand the worry, but for now Alison and Kylun have said it. Although I'll probably be dropping 'round to make sure the mall trip went off without hassle.

You know the amusing thing about all this? Last year it was Clarice in a similar situation, bemoaning the state of her purpleness and refusing to go anywhere without an inducer. Her methods leave a bit to be desired (and you can bet I'll be checking my shampoo and showerhead for a good few weeks in case of spillover pranking), but I think it's a sign of how far she's come that she's thinking along these lines...

I tend to agree with you, Nathan, but I suspect my own history may have something to do with that.

Having had the experience of being suddenly turned blue, in a non-reversible and permanent fashion, has rather rendered me unable to think of it as funny. It seemed to me rather cruel, in fact, and certainly profoundly insensitive. Knowing I am biased, however, I thought I had better not comment in Kyle's journal.

pistols at 20 paces?

Lasting blood feuds?

So far, this seems harmless to me. Cruel, perhaps, but children are like that. It prepares them for the Real World, which is far more uncaring than they can likely imagine.

Salaam,
Haroun

The inevitable 'children are cruel' comment, that is.

And to think, I was buying Alison and Kylun's argument.

. . . Why should the repetition of a cliche prevent you from doing so? I will say again: despite Haroun's assumptions, Kyle does not seem to me to be acting as one who believes he is suffering under cruelty, and I see little in the reactions from the other students to lead me to believe that they were being cruel. Not intentionally, at least, and they were quick enough to accomodate what protests Kyle did make.

After all that they have endured and accomplished even in the short time I have been here, I think it verges on a disservice to the students to so easily dismiss them with a generalization.

The backlash of interfering in previous incidents is only now healing. I believe, given the debacle of two years ago (Has it truly been -two- years?) that in this case, we are best leaving this to the subject and prankster.

Under the circumstances, I think it may be best if we leave well enough alone, unless one of the students is physically hurt or comes to us for intervention.

Clarice is purple, Hank. She may share your perspective there, just a bit, I sorta kinda... have to point out.

Which may have been the entire point she was attempting (and I think succeeded in making) with Kyle and his current predicament regarding the more visible aspects of his mutation. She's ideally placed to nudge him that much closer to self-acceptance. Just like you are. :)

That this is coming from both peers his own age, in their own way and adults, again in their own way, is a good thing.

*nods* Exactly. If it had come from any of the other kids, then there might have been greater cause for concern. AS I said to Nathan, Clarice was in exactly the same situation after she first got here, and she's come a very long way. Unless there's indication from Kyle he's taking this far more personally than he has so far, I don't think we have a problem.

That being said... you sound like you need company and chocolate. I have little marshmallows... *tempts* And did you think that maybe Clarice's choice of colour might be a homage to two very wonderful blue gentleman? ;)

I don't really need to be told that children are cruel. I grew up in an environment when that was fostered, deliberately, by the people who called themselves parents.

I just hate seeing it brushed off. What you and Alison and Madelyn said made sense, and so long as Kyle's handling it as well as he seems to be... well, you didn't see me rushing in to intervene, at least. I am getting better.

Nathan? Where are you right now?

In my office? Trying to get this first Humanities lecture done?

Stay right there. I have something for you! :D

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

I have apparently completely lost my sense of humor...

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Would you prefer...

Well, part of me was waiting for that.

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I suppose it's just that the cliche did come up...

Hrm...

Umm....

Re: Umm....