Puts people on streets

This morning I went to a SOSC tutorial, and it pissed me off.

I was a few minutes late, so at first I had trouble following the discussion. Once I got my bearings I realised they were talking about an article I hadn't read. (I know, I know - that's the main reason I haven't blogged this week. Been too busy feeling guilty about my slackness.) So for the first 30 minutes or so I wasn't really able to contribute anything at all.

In the last 20 minutes of the tutorial, tutor Charles started asking questions I actually knew the answers to. He tends to divide his attention fairly evenly around the room, so I waited until he was looking at me before trying to answer. The question at that moment happened to be about an article I had not only read, but also had an opinion about. I opened my mouth to answer, and the fat mature student behind Charles spoke up and answered instead.

He was wrong. Charles asked the question again in a different way. He was still looking at me. The fat man cut over me a second time.

The discussion moved on. Charles talked about elite interest groups. He wanted us to consider whether the elite can form their own social movements. The fat man talked about dictatorship. Charles reiterated his original question. The fat man said rich people only did what served themselves. Other people made some useful contributions. The fat man kept on talking and never once addressed the question.

Charles mentioned MMP and asked whether it really succeeds in distributing power more evenly. I quoted some statistics about the last few elections. Charles replied. We began a discussion. The fat man spoke over both of us and changed the subject to something that was dispensed with last week.

I now make a solemn vow. As of next week I will go to these tutorials with the readings already done, and I will answer when I know the answer, and I will not let that accursed fat man speak for long enough to reveal himself for the idiot he truly is.