Oh the Noble Savage

I spent yesterday teaching a grade 12 class about the different ideologies of three great philosophers: Hobbes, Rousseau, and Locke. We were trying to answer the question what kind of government would each gentleman prefer based on his theories on politics, power and the nature of man. The whole thing was very grande and sweeping and brought me back to my first year of philosophy at King's where I wanted to cram the Leviathan down my professor's throat because it was so irrelevant. And then I taught junior high today and had to do a lunch time duty on the school yard.

If anyone wants to examine what the basic state of man in nature is they need to go watch a group of teenagers or kids left to themselves on a playground. Because, and I say this firmly, our natural state must be pure chaos. Pure and utter chaos. Hobbes had it right with the whole "natural state of war and anarchy bit."

(Sidenote: Rousseau and Locke are also names of characters on Lost...coincidence? I think not!)

I smell burnt toast doctor...

Today my tv life and real life collided dramatically. If you can recall the second season of The Office where Ryan the temp sets fire to the toaster oven you know where I'm going with this story.

I set fire to the toaster oven at school. Flames were involved as was a large bottle of water.

School continued as usual, no fire alarms were set off. I guess that shouldn't surprise me based on the fact we had pepper spray yesterday and business went on as usual. Leave it to the substitute to almost burn the school down.

Payback!

The above photo is to serve as a warning that alcohol, funny masks of famous celebrities, and Mary Kay four step facials should not be mixed under any circumstances. Hopefully the traumatic and literal fall of this young lady into the seething underbelly of the Nish will save a few souls. And maybe it'll make her think twice before she makes fun of her friends.