An Unfortunate Malapropism?

 

        The headlines of this news initially gave me the wrong impression and played a part in a misunderstanding. I got the impression that it was relaying a confusing message, as though something was about to crash at Paro airport.

        Reading it over and over brought back memories of my time as news Editor for the Kalapinka, the media group at Samtse College of Education, in 2007. One of the facilitators during the workshop I attended at the time told us that as news reporters, we must write ordinary news with extraordinary headlines that are both catchy and intriguing to the readers. 

        I am not sure if this news is intended to entice the audience to read it. However, the way the words were used to create the news sparked a flurry of social media discussion. I had the impression that my interpretation of the news and the public's reactions to it on social media seemed parallel.  

        I would have preferred reading something like "Hands-on Training on Aviation Safety" since it was a preparatory drill provided to brace for any mishaps related to air transport systems. After all, the news was all about being prepared in order to keep air travel safe.

Ready for a crash at Paro Airport: Courtesy click LINK

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Social media trolls 

Coughing Durkheimian Lines

One of my students, to whom I taught physics, recently congratulated me on taking a brief spotlight on national television. I relayed my appreciation to the student for remembering to applaud me. 

 

Here is the filament of our communication: 

 

Me:                You have a better and brighter future la. 

                       All the resources, energy, exposure, and your capacity. 

                       Capture the world’s attention! 

 

Student:   “Yes sir, the world awaits in it’s full potential and beauty. But seeing the system so corrupted and handicapped, who so ever wishes to be a member of this greater world finds no little peace. To believe in oneself is just a blame and shame to itself. But, with profound wisdoms of you all, the battle seems a bit of fun”

 

Me:            Wow. So philosophical. Are you not Durkheim?

 

 

A screenshot of our communication material 

My students congratulating me on my relatively insignificant milestone did not overwhelm me. I actually offered in my previous post that I would script a poignant admiration and acknowledgement deeply committed to my students. 

I am incredibly aware of my students. They were the only potential witnesses who genuinely understood my role as a teacher in the last 12 years of my teaching career. Without the wick of their motivations to learn, it would have been impossible for me to light the flame of meaning in my life. 

However, this time, I was intrigued by one of my students’ correspondences during our brief chat. If one has read about Émile Durkheim’s sociological contributions, one can easily understand why I have underlined one of the sentences in my student’s correspondence. The student coughed a Durkheimian language. So profound from a higher secondary school student. 

I will come back to it later. For now, my purpose is to archive this wisdom laden material that can be recycled for future use.