[ExI] Acceptance Into Math Program

[Darren Greer]

On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 2:00 PM, Adrian Tymes <atymes at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Shame is only for those things you can control.  The lack of knowledge of
> others is not that, to the same degree.
>
>
Agreed. Actually it's kind of nice being on the steepest learning curve in
the room. Every day is a feast of ideas and experiences. When I make a
mathematical mistake in my class work, as long as it's not a dumb one of
misperception, I get grateful. I learn a lot from making mistakes and asking
questions.

Once in my first year of college this guy was sitting at the table in caf
spouting forth some nonsensical jargon about english literature
deconstruction or the conscious universe and Shakespeare's sister or
something. He used the word epiphany, and being a back-woods country boy in
the city for the first time I politely (and sincerely) stopped him and asked
what the word meant.

The table was crowded and everyone was simply tolerating the mindless
condescension.

Turned out he couldn't answer my question. He had used the word without
knowing its meaning.

Every since then I've been OK with admitting ignorance by asking for
clarification.

Darren

P.S. The guy came back to me a day later with a definition. But by then it
was too late, I had looked it up myself.



-- 
*There is no history, only biography.*
*
*
*-Ralph Waldo Emerson
*
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