A post about Hegel

Today I taught the lowest of the low levels. We're talking 0 lessons taken and absolutely 0 previous knowledge of the language, apart from some sort of ability to read and write English words. And I say "read and write" as in: know that the written word "name" corresponds to the spoken word "name", without necessarily knowing what the word might actually mean.

I am not entirely sure how this level of ignorance of English is possible for a Japanese adult. One would have had to sleep through one's high school English classes--literally, I mean. (I also mean "literally" literally.) But, no worries, for with some help from one of the bosses I was able to run the student through a lesson that involved precisely 12 items. Namely:

1. What is your name?
2. What do you do?
3. What are your hobbies?
4. Where do you live?
5. Where are you from?
6. How many people are there in your family?

And the answers to the above.

F o r t y . M i n u t e s .

Not that I'm complaining. It is not a particularly challenging lesson to teach, and she did successfully learn the material.

Now, it may have been my imagination, but it seemed to me that my coworkers were inordinately curious about the student: how did she do in the lesson, did she enjoy it; also, what was she wearing, and could they possibly switch lessons with me.

Probably this had to do with question #2. The student's answer to that question was, "I work in a ramen shop." However, boss was also kind enough to inform me that the student could, if she so desired, respond to the question with a second, equally valid answer, i.e., she has a second job, which is, to be more precise, starring in adult films.

So, anyway, here are some great quotes from the aforementioned book on Hegel by Kojève:

"...the Philosopher is, so to speak, a negative model: he reveals his existence only in order to show that one must not be like him..." Word.

"But even in the Phenomenology Hegel's position lacks clarity." Clarity? Lack? Hegel? No!