prescriptivist vs descriptivist in dictionaries, linguistics, but also in literature, pop culture, the blueprints of what roles we think we have to play Do books, fiary tales, tv shows and movies TELL us what “normal” and “real” are? Are they right? How would their authors know this so authoritatively as to be able to TELL the rest of us? Or do they REFLECT what’s “normal” and “real” and “deviant” and everything else? Again, how are the authors so stunningly perceptive, how do they see into the infra and the ultra, in order to know higher, holier truths than the rest of us schlubs? wisdom is reversible. experience is multivalent. ethos is backed by soft currency. Everyone’s just guessing. The confidence and flair with which you call yours out is a matter of style. How debonair are you. Are you the boisterous, blustery charismatic? Or the side-slidin’ skeaky sly guy? Or someone else entirely? Because one thing you’ve learned, you guess, is that there’s always more than two things to be. “Always, always, always.” COULD I POSSIBLY DO A #PDP about this: Bullshit vs. nonbullshit no that’s not quite it. THe things I put in my little book. The things that are real, and honest, and genuine, and face to face, and one to one, and out from behind the mask, and really trying to communicate with another human being, instead of “doing my job” What I mean specifically is, like in creative writing class, when I keep trying to tweak things IN ORDER TO GENERATE BETTER WRITING. That’s one of my essential questions in the class: *What can I put in the class that will make the things they write more awesome?* You wanna know why I care? Because I want there to be more good writing in the world, and I want it to come from “ordinary” kids, the ones to whom we’ve bequeathed a vital, humming, fucked up, astonishing world. I swear to god, they all have magic in them. Somewhere along the line I decided that my job is to nurture the magic on up out of people, to just be that nutritive energy in whatever, however tiny, ways I can. AND I DON’T CARE IF I’M NOT THE BEST AT IT. It’s one of those rare things I’ll keep trying no matter what, just because. It’s not self-loathing, “OH I’M A BAD TEACHER” when it isn’t working as well as I want it to, it’s just.... back to the drawing board. Keep trying different things. It’s actually a game. For me AND (I think, I hope) for them. If this genuine impulse drives you, you don’t need to go through the motions of “training.” You need to interact with people, with mentors, with peers, and share ideas and learn how to observe and listen. You need to bolster each other, help each other out. But you can’t reduce “BE DRIVEN BY GENUINE CURIOSITY” to a cell in a spreadsheet. What possible “if” statement could you concoct for a staff meeting more fundamental than “If we genuinely care,” “If we are truly psyched about this,” “If we are genuinely in love with the game—” but can you mandate that? If you’re keen enough to hire only people who seem authentically passionate, good for you; but then are you holding them back by making them jump through hoops? And for those who seem to be marking time, checking the boxes, is instructing them to fall in love with their jobs really going to make a lasting difference? Example: I tried to model editing in class today, using my response to the quick-write we had just done. Started out saying, “I actually usually like to wait before I jump in and start editing,” jumped in anyway for the sake of the “lesson,” and guess what? The modeling session was less than stellar. So you know what would be cool to try? Go back and find an old thing, maybe something from the fishfood folder, give it a once over, and then use THAT instead, to edit live in class. See what happens. Not, again, I promise you (lol), not because I have some undying need to show off my writing or my editing skills. But because I think ACTUALLY showing them my personal process might encourage them to find their own. So it’s “do like you read in the book you’re supposed to do” vs. “get a good idea from a book (or anywhere), and feel free to make it your own.” If you interrogate your ignorance—well, interrogate is such a beastly word. How about converse with your ignorance. Too restrained. Pursue it? Too skunky. Flirt with it? I like it, but it doesn’t sound deep enough. How about embrace it. Embrace your ignorance. Only then will you find the word you’re looking for, the space to put it in, and the grace to let it go. You’ll also bee tee dubs recognize when it’s time to look something up, or ask someone a question, or get out of the house and learn something new. Even if who you are isn’t who you thought or were taught you should be, knowing yourself is being yourself. And being yourself is the only way to be free.