@Abillioncats@Sho Minazuki@HereComesTheSnow@FlitterFaux@RyonaraTeàrlag Cirsium - "Student Counselor", Heading to Food CartSometimes people think that teachers are supposed to give 100% of their support to anyone willing to go for the self-improvement, but you'd be off your head to think that I'm going to let this brat throw their shame away just to be something more! I know what it was like to be some quiet lass nobody cared about, but trying to escape other folks' perception of you by flaunting societal mores won't work out. Even if you think it'll work out wizard, that nobody will keep throwing you into that box of what they believe you to be, will changing one category out for another really chib at any of your issues?
They like to talk up the entire individuality bizzo, but one Great War doesn't overturn aeons of human nature. People are fine with you expressing your unique traits, but only if it continues to stay within the realm of what this society considers to be acceptable. What it considers to be truly laudable. And not all behaviours are considered to be worthwhile, either. Look at those introverted buggers who just like to stay at home and read; sure, it's still something we think slots into the category known as 'acceptable', but despite that, society as a whole is still going to bloody complain about their lack of 'outgoingness' or something and try and force them to conform to what it thinks is best. Some animals are more equal than others, and all that jazz.
That's the unfortunate fact, you know? If you're a tad more different than anybody else, you're no longer going to be part of that 'tribe'. They refuse to acknowledge you as part of their 'acceptable' standards. You're just something that's too different, too clarted in unwanted behaviours. A problem. But not one that they will be willing to actively work to fix. Humans are selfish creatures, me included, and we just don't have the time to spend on somebody no longer within the 'tribe' when we have to deal with our own - supposedly more important - issues. If you're not affecting us, then we'll just completely ignore you. You're
somebody else's problem.Except that doesn't mean we won't stop judging you.
The impressions we make are the strongest in this society, after all. No matter what you try and do, some bugger won't budge a single inch from their perception of who you are. Humans hate change. They refuse to change. No matter how daft it is, they'll cling to that view like a beached whale and stubbornly refuse to admit that it's unjustified. The judgement of society as a whole is almost impossible to break free of, you know.
In an ideal world, maybe we wouldn't pretend that our own beliefs and values are bugger-free, but this isn't an ideal world.
If you want to manoeuvre through society, you're forced to be superficial. Stick to the script they've given you. Mask the truth of what you want and you want to be just so you can avoid being judged by everybody else. Even as they continue to judge you by the impressions given off by that mask you wear. No wonder there's so few dobbers who have really achieved individuation. When it feels like the entirety of society is working against you, what point is there in trying?
A teacher isn't supposed to tell the brats they're responsible for not to try. That effort should be something that gets extra marks onto your report card, right? Why aren't you doing your job, Teàrlag? We're going to be talking about this at the next staff meeting!
Except it's because I'm a teacher that I don't want this brat to do something crazy.
Being crazy is an express trip towards society's negative judgements.
Brat, do you want to be forever seen as a girl who runs about in a luchadora outfit? Maybe some buggers might think it's a wizard-looking set of clothes, but you'd be a dunderhead not to realise that the majority of people will only have that impression of you. Their judgement of you will be of someone without any shame, of someone who is perfectly willing to dress up in cold, revealing outfits. All their assumptions will be made entirely on that view. They won't take you seriously just because you don't look like someone who seems like they can act seriously, and that's a pretty superficial assumption, isn't it? You're just another boot to them, and everything about you'll just get discarded without mercy.
I don't want that to happen to you.
"
I can't do that," I begin.
Then the brat runs off.
Oi.
Oi.That's my hoodie you've got. Don't just run off with it!
I immediately start running after her.
This isn't my day.
Shuai Taidan - Food Cart"
Fried tuna? As you wish, senoritas."
Taidan smiled warmly at his customers, before smoothly transitioning into a bow. That was two servings of fried tuna for the girls that he needed to get from Varius, then! The prettyboy pyromaniac extraordinare of Canvas was, even though he was currently still in-character, totally excited for all the people flocking to the food carts. And having Sterling along for help was pretty cool too!
"
No sushi, Varius!" he called over to his serious teammate. "
They want it fried!"
The arrival of that luchadora from before meant that he could give her her meal too!
"
Here you go, senorita! You forgot this!" he said, popping over towards her and handing over the sushi from before.
Plank Sinatra
Onarax