Atton Rand & miscellaneous names (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
suitably_heroic) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2014-09-10 01:12 pm
suitably_heroic) wrote in fandomhigh2014-09-10 01:12 pm
Entry tags:
How To Get By In A Hostile World, Wednesday
"All right," Atton said. He'd hopped up on his desk again, because who needed chairs anyway? "Today, introductions are over. Congratulations. None of you annoyed me so much that I wanted to boot you out of my class."
Though some of them came close. Evie.
"Now I'd like to think it doesn't come as a surprise to anyone that if you don't have the muscle - financial, physical, powers-wise, whatever - to push your way into a place of safety in life, well, your brain's going to have to do. The easiest way to use it is to look at the way other people see you and use that-- usually impressions are going to be your first line of defense."
He gestured at himself.
"Having taken a class from me twice and maybe heard about me on the radio, what's the impression I give you? What do you think I'm capable of? What do you think I'm not? What do you think my story is?"
He waited until everyone had taken their turn.
"Okay," he said, "So, that's what you think I am. Now pick another student. Tell them what your impression of them is, and vice-versa. Then talk about what that impression could do for you. Are there places you think you can enter more freely because you give off this vibe? Are there places that are harder to get into? People that are easier or harder to convince? Think about it."
Though some of them came close. Evie.
"Now I'd like to think it doesn't come as a surprise to anyone that if you don't have the muscle - financial, physical, powers-wise, whatever - to push your way into a place of safety in life, well, your brain's going to have to do. The easiest way to use it is to look at the way other people see you and use that-- usually impressions are going to be your first line of defense."
He gestured at himself.
"Having taken a class from me twice and maybe heard about me on the radio, what's the impression I give you? What do you think I'm capable of? What do you think I'm not? What do you think my story is?"
He waited until everyone had taken their turn.
"Okay," he said, "So, that's what you think I am. Now pick another student. Tell them what your impression of them is, and vice-versa. Then talk about what that impression could do for you. Are there places you think you can enter more freely because you give off this vibe? Are there places that are harder to get into? People that are easier or harder to convince? Think about it."
Re: Talk to the TA
He drummed his fingers against his knee, and then added, "But you're off to a good start, teaching. Impressions are a big deal. And last week, that 'five bucks in the pocket' thing? That was good, too."
A little close to home for Sparkle, sure, but it made more sense for him to go through that door than try out the flight sim.
Re: Talk to the TA
Re: Talk to the TA
"Yeah, rock bottom isn't really the only requirement for living in a place that wants to kick your ass," he noted. "I mean, not really. But maybe some people are in the class because they're expecting it can't hurt to know, or they think they've been there and don't really get how far they could possibly still fall."
Re: Talk to the TA
Because he was, in every way possible, exactly the opposite. Whether he liked it or not.
Re: Talk to the TA
Re: Talk to the TA
Re: Talk to the TA
"She's new," he replied, "and spoiled fucking rotten, but I think she doesn't have it as easy as the sparkly jewelry lets on, either. She was convinced on day one that she was here because it was some kind of psych ward. Take from that what you will."
Re: Talk to the TA
Atris had been a piece of work.
Re: Talk to the TA
Though, you know. It took a special sort of dumbass.
Re: Talk to the TA