Grr.

[rivka]

rivka:
> > Did you intend to insult me with the "Piled Higher
> > and Deeper" part, or did you not realize that it
> > refers to *shit* being piled higher and deeper?

Someone else, not the original poster:
> Of course; it's a geometric progression (or worse):
>
> BSc -- Bullshit certificate
> MSc -- More shit certificate
> PhD -- Piled higher and deeper.
>
> Felicitations and salutations -- nobody will ever know
> what agonies you went through for that worthless piece
> of paper but you. Treasure those happy memories for they
> will sustain you in the trials to come.
>
> I'm not good at this sort of thing, as you may have surmised.

rivka:
If you were aiming at taking me down a peg, undercutting
my pleasant sense of accomplishment, or devaluing eight
years' worth of hard work, you're on the right track. If
that's not what you meant to be doing, well, maybe next
time you should stick to "felicitations" and leave it at
that.

I know I'm supposed to take this as all in good fun, but
I've spent eight years of my life working very hard,
earning very little, forgoing many pleasures, and postponing
other significant life goals. I don't know what prompts you
to tell me that my degree is worthless and my work is a
shitpile, but forgive me if I don't really have a sense
of humor about it.

---

Okay, I feel as though I've completely lost my shit here - or at least, my sense of perspective. But these comments just feel hostile to me. I'm sure he thinks he's just teasing and I know I'm supposed to be a good sport about it. And maybe if I weren't still so tired from the whole ordeal I would be a good sport about it. Or if it was someone I knew so well that their supportiveness could be taken for granted, and we had a pre-existing teasing relationship. In the absence of those factors, I feel as though I'm being told not to get above myself.

Comments

[ailbhe]

You _are_ being told not to get above yourself. That seems quite plain to me. I'd drop him.

The only mitigating factor is that people without similar qualifications are also told that they (the people) are worthless, though in that case it's because they have no qualifications, rather than because they've devoted their careers to earning "worthless bits of paper". It's a pretty small factor, though. It boils down to defensiveness and petty revenge, and the revenge isn't even directed at the people who wronged them.

I think that it's great that you got your PhD, and I have an inkling of the kind of work that goes into them, and I have no paper qualifications at all, not even school-leaving ones. But then, I know that you won't assume I'm stupid or worthless because I have no qualifications, which helps me to feel pleased for you instead of resentful of you.

I will now stop, as I am making increasingly less sense.