Faustian Bargain: just for a grade?!
By patrickn10 on Feb 23, 2008 in my values, problems at hand, school life, about myself, Serious, my life
My head wanted to shut down on me.
An inner voice inside my head, completely silenced my rationality screaming out the word, “No.”
I just sat there and quietly nodded.
In lead up to this point of mental powerlessness, we had a discussion between members of my group, trying to figure out what to do for our music project that we had to perform in front of our classmates. We knew we had to do something ‘exceptionally unique’ (ie. make a fool out of ourselves) or else we won’t be able to obtain the desired grade. This was a mini-major project after all. I mean, nobody wants a bad grade, isn’t that an obvious fact of life: high is always better than low.
And eventually our discussion ended with an agreement upon an idea.
That idea triggered my mind to split into two–a rational judgement saying the idea was ridiculous and humiliating while my other half, sweetly seducing my mind with her constant whispering of the letter ‘A.’
With a sigh of self-pity, I remembered a little article I read on the German legend called Faust, the very legend Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe based his most famous work on. Faust is the character that makes a pact with the Devil. Such pacts consist of the Devil’s service in exchange for the person’s soul. I made a pact along those lines when I nodded my pride away.
If a grade costs you your pride, your dignity; what will you do?
Is your grade(s) worth degrading your own self-respect? Is your pride worth your grades?
Is it really worth it?
Wow, Patrick, I came here looking for the podcasts with Lindsea and Bill Farren (why don’t you cross-post them here and link them to the PGC blog?), but since they weren’t here, I skimmed your other posts.
I like them all. You’re writing some really stimulating stuff, and this post is no exception.
If “Every problem is an opportunity in disguise,” to quote one of your earlier posts, what’s your opportunity here?
The bigger questions about education are so worth asking.
Clay Burell | Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
Well, at this point in time, I am actively procrastinating on my homework and thinking with misery of my French class earlier today. I was assigned the role of leading the debate–in French, of course– about abortion aka l’avortement. I had compiled a list of questions and points to talk about with the class, but I was dreading the foreign language public speaking. I mean, come on! I mumble in English already (as you know from the podcast). I sound like a purpled headed fool in French despite the fact that I’m obsessed with the language/culture.
Well, I got it over with. I made some embarrassing mistakes (like accidentally calling one of my classmates pregnant) but nonetheless doing it.
My pride was a bit bruised, I must say.
The point of this story (cause I know you’re thinking, a point? what? she actually had one?) is that YES, I do hurt my pride in class in order to get an “A”. But I never think about it in those terms, because when all is said and done, I feel like I learn a lot more than I lose. Pride and dignity are overrated; getting down and dirty with French speaking ended up being a great learning experience.
Maybe I’m an anomaly because I tend to make a fool out of myself anyways, no matter what I’m doing. (Case in point: one time during an English discussion, I called the main character by the wrong name and everyone thought I had gone crazy.) But looking back on some…erm… harsher moments of class time in my past make me realize that I grow a hell of a lot more from them than if I were “normal”.
Lindsea | Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
Sometimes you have to loose a battle to win a war. Dignity you can keep, as you know ‘why’ you are currently dressed as a chicken playing a banjo. Pride however, is a far more dangerous emotion. Pride can prevent you trying, and will almost certainly guarantee you don’t get the grade.
What a wonderful post.
Dean Groom | Feb 28, 2008 | Reply
My quotiki has a cool quote from La Rochefoucauld: “He who lives without foolishness is not so wise as he seems.”
I was pretty somber, serious, and self-important as I searched for truth and “God” throughout my 20s. At 30, I had an omigod moment and realized I had never danced, never embraced silliness and laughter.
Embrace it I did, and I’m so glad. I’d much rather dance and laugh than be sober.
Last quote: “Serious, but not sober.” - that’s a motto I can love. Another: “Life is too important to take seriously.” - Oscar Wilde. Think about that one. It’s deeper than the surface laugh suggests.
(But don’t forget the quest to grow. Just do it like the Taoists: with a laugh. That’s me, anyway. I love ChaungTse’s Toaist philosophy for that. He’s readable online and so deeply funny, and funnily deep.)
Clay Burell | Feb 28, 2008 | Reply
Well, I both agree and disagree with you.
It’s a ‘Music PERFORMANCE” performance shouldn’t be tedious and a fall-asleep moment, when especially it’s about music.
Well, the key word is ‘Exceptionally Unique”. If you don’t want to make a fool of yourself and play your cello like a rock guitar, battle with your ‘exceptional’ techniques and fingerings! Like that novache girl in august rush.
soojinl10 | Feb 29, 2008 | Reply