Rules Of The Game #12: Jocks And Burnouts

[koganbot]

My latest column, where I try to justify my nonstandard use of the word "class."

The Rules Of The Game #12: Jocks and Burnouts

I'm curious if you think the social map that Eckert provides and the social dynamic that I identify (the basic form being "jocks vs. burnouts" [w/ different category names in different times and places], but there being an unsettled effect when a third group, the "freaks," appears in strength) have anything to do with the situation at the high school you went to. If not, what was the social map? Also what sort of map(s) would you apply to situations you've been in after high school?

Oh yeah, and here's another chance for you to help me figure out what the hell it is I'm trying to say about Elvis.

EDIT: Here are links to all but three of my other Rules Of The Game columns (LVW's search results for "Rules of the Game"). Links for the other three (which for some reason didn't get "Rules Of The Game" in their titles), are here: #4, #5, and #8.

UPDATE: I've got all the links here now:

http://koganbot.livejournal.com/179531.html

Comments

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Yeah "who gets to misbehave" is a big question. I was VERY PURITAN about alcohol especially while still at school, which was obviously looking back (since erm I don't seem to have sustained this attitude) a reaction against some kind of group I was outside of, but I can't exactly work out what.

BINGE DRINK ICKENHAM

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Same here with smoking - militantly anti until I was 18, because I associated it with people who were horrid to me (I was v upset when Kirsty briefly took it up in 6th form for this reason). Not booze though - booze was universal. Everyone drank booze. EVERYONE. Apart from the super religious dudes & diabetics. Booze wasn't seen as 'naughty' in the same way.

Re: BINGE DRINK ICKENHAM

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

Apart from the super religious dudes & diabetics.

In school I had a hard time differentiating myself from the straight-edge diabetics; besides which, drinking a LITTLE as a diabetic is a quick shortcut to burn-out circles since the stakes are higher. (half kidding)

[koganbot]

Well, I'd say teachers don't necessarily adore teacher's pets; they have respect for people who engage with them but are willing to contest with them as well. And of course teachers don't all fall in the same place socially either. And interestingly I was friendly with - though obviously not friends with - some of the teachers, and these would also tended towards being liberals and in a couple of instances freaks. Which is interesting given that I wouldn't say I was particularly close to the two teachers I admired the most, a gym teacher and a science teacher; I wasn't unfriendly with them, but we didn't banter in the classroom or run across each other in nonclassroom settings (e.g., in school activities).