Picking Battles

Within the system of education that I have been raised in, it is often common practice among teachers to incorporate into their lessons a caution on the dangers of what is unofficially known as 'the outside world' (Tova Mirvis got that much right, at least.) The more docile of students receive the lecture with a bland, "duly noted" sort of attention, while those of a more... independent nature often seize the gauntlet and engage in eager debate with the teacher. In fact, woe is the woman who attempts to initiate such a dictum without proper preparation, because there are few more stubborn creatures on earth than teenage girls with an ax to grind against an unsatisfactory answer.

For myself, I try to adopt a less tendentious position. In such classroom discussions I often feel like the center of a fulcrum, though I have no illusions that I am half as steadfast as I ought to be. I tend to list more to the position of my peers in practice, though very often my conscience gives me a nudge and whispers, "She really does have a decent point, you know." But full concession is restricted by of a combination of what I hope is honest disagreement and what I admit is the realization of the fact that cynicism feels so sinfully pretty on a seventeen year old ego.