Guild icon
ROLEPLAY HQ
Archive 10 / a-dissertation-on-love
Avatar
Rayhan Susanto BOT 20-Aug-22 01:58 PM
Rayhan Susanto, also called Ray by some of his friends, even though he hated it, was busy looking at the classes he was going to take this year. He had intentionally taken extra and did not know if he could handle being all alone by himself. There was a struggle in him right now, all he wanted to do was work, did not wish to contemplate on anything. There had been phone calls from Ken Winston, Dr Ken Winston, to come over, to see his new course on Astronomy 101, as visiting faculty mostly working for the undergraduates. Rayhan had instinctively declined; wondering if Ken just call because he had heard of the breakup. Well, he was not always above gloating. Even if he hated to admit this part about Ken, well, the man who had always been the more introverted among them, had a penchant to enjoy being right. To the point, it seemed completely criminal. Well, it was ironic considered Ken had been the one cheating on him since forever. I guess our marriage was bound to fail. Rayhan spoke out loud to himself. It was sad though, he had gone against much of what his father had wanted, somewhat his mother, considering he was from a conservative culture, and married a man and then he turns out to be a cheat. I wished things had worked out with Theo. Though the engagement to the new fiancé had not gone unnoticed. It was done in private but there was a certain reluctance to talk about it with him. Meeting and giving them back their things was a sadness in its own right. Theodora was supposed to be his girlfriend, until she decided to marry her childhood sweetheart, Aaron. So, he had not interferred with it. After all, he should have known Theo would end up with Aaron. He started ruminating when his Teacher's Assistant, and second year PhD student, Galina Bendiks, came up looking at him. The pretty blonde stated: "Hey, get that frown out Dr. Susanto. I am sure you have many other things to do." They had a candour that he sometimes made people wonder the nature o
13:58
f their friendship. "So, you be playing anyone's MA or PhD Supervisor this year?" Galina asked, "I know you been working more than the stuff you did for two years." "I am not sure yet. We will ha have to see when we get there." Rayhan smiled at her. @Nakachu
Avatar
Zaria Lemaire BOT 21-Aug-22 05:18 AM
It was the start of another year and Zaria could not be more glad for classes to start. Ever since her fiance had started to be an acting CEO in his father’s company things had just seemed so different. Even if their relationship had always been born out of a place of necissity, they had gotten along well enough. When you had been with someone for so long, heard they were the one to marry from the age of six, it didn’t take long to start to believe it. But that title had changed him. It had made him bossy and entitled. It had made her feel like suddenly she was not good enough anymore in anything. Like expectations had gotten even higher. So in a way going back to classes felt like relief. Like getting away from that pressure and just being able to do what she enjoyed, or perhaps had also learned to enjoy. Even in school her subjects had been chosen by the higher ups. She was fluent and studying in both English, Chinese, Spanish, French and German. Aside from that she took psychology and sociology to prepare her for the life of the wife of a CEO. She was dressed in the school outfit of choice. A long green skirt, black tights, a white shirt and a green jacket over it. It was nothing special, but it fit her body right. Her backpack was designer, gifted from her fiance and set her apart, showing sh was born from money. Yet she never tried to act that way. She rolled out the piece of paper and figured out where her first class was. Making her way over there. @Ruvik the Unchained Predator
Avatar
Galina Bendiks BOT 21-Aug-22 10:32 PM
When Galina Bendiks first saw Dr. Rayhan Susanto, she had felt the sting of Cupid's arrow, and wondered why it was merely called an arrow, and not compared to the life of bees. There had to be a hive mind, or else, why were the symptoms of love so vaguely similar and so entirely different? She had broken up with her boyfriend, Antonio, and he had married off to the woman of his second choice. Pursuing her PhD had always been a dream, still there had been hurdles and things, which she had NOT expected. She was around her second to third year. Things took a turn for the worst, when she had her supervisor, pass out in the middle, vomit and die of a heart attack. Right in front of her. She still recollect the awful screams that came from her own mouth. Never having seen someone died this way. Things were not the best, but she figured they could be worse. It was around her time, her interim supervisor, had become Dr Susanto. She saw him as she knew he was the one. Only to see him married to a man. Well, as luck would have it, with some asking around, Galina found out that he was divorcing his husband and was dating,...a woman who was pretty much a model in retrospect. However, she was pleased to know they had broken up. Her enthusiasm was endless in this. How could she not be happy? She had waited for the man of her dreams for almost a year. Once in a party, while they were both drunk, Galina had confessed her love. She told him everything; how they were the perfect match and how they should be together. Rayhan had passed out and remembered nothing. Even the moment, she had given him a quick kiss. The next day, she was reminded he was dating that blonde bombshell, Theo or Theodora, so she had to curb her enthusiasm. She should have known it was impossible. Well, as long as Theo was in the picture, it was. However, she had come to know Theo was now engaged and Rayhan had a poor of a piss time with Ken, his ex husband. So, she was in the clear. She was p
22:32
lanning to once again try to win him over and show him her dedication, devotion and excellence. Galina was a beauty and an excellent Teacher's Assistant. She was already a much lauded person to graduate her PhD degree and then just begin working on as a lecturer and qualifying as a professor in a year. So, she knew ambition and brilliance was no shortage in her. Not to mention, she had the etiquette and poise of a ballerina, playing Odette in Swan Lake. The opera that won hearts and also knew how to act with the sophistication of a lady. Her mother's side was European nobility and her Eastern European side mixed with the ruggedness of the American, came with the merchants of yore, who had the mercantile acumen to pioneer fiscal, legal and economic epicentres of Wall Streeth and beyond. She knew Susanto's family had some links to Eurasian nobility as well. He was a distant relative of the Greek Noble, Moldovia and Wallachian Prince, Constantine Mavrocordatos. He was also related to both The Pataudi dynasty and also Baro-Bhuiyan. The legend had it a Wallachian relative of Constantine, seeing the fall of his once glamour, decided to go and do missionary work in India. He fell in love with someone there in Assam, who was a Baro-Bhuiyan. Seeing he had heralded from a once known royal family, the match was accepted. It was not completely unusual if not fairly common. It seemed the cultural richness of the blending had provided them with the Susanto family, now scholars, landowners and businessmen, who had come from both Indian and European royalty. The other famous person in Rayhan's line was he was a distant relative of the genius filmmaker, Satyajit Ray, who had revolutionised South Asian, especially Bengal, film narrative, direction and storytelling. Still, these geanologies were epic and was the man, in her eyes. He knew nuance and he understood things of the heart. Consoling her when she had been depressed on the death she had witnessed.
22:35
As she waited for the new students, she could not help but think how stupid Ken, Rayhan's ex husband was, on the fact she had this man and after almost eight years of marriage, decided that Rayhan had not been enough. Well, it was a poor match in some ways. Rayhan had always been cerebral and insightful, intuitive and scholarly. His husband had been a high powered lawyer who thrived in social settings. Well, even if it had been a poor match, that was not the point. She knew she could now get to Rayhan's heart. She could try and show him how interested she was in him. This time, she was sure, the kiss would not be forgotten.
Avatar
Rayhan Susanto BOT 21-Aug-22 11:27 PM
Rayhan wondered on his courses and wondering who had to teach what. It was common for TAs to work in both BSc and MSc courses. Though, see the excellence and adequacy of Galina Bendiks, he knew she would be a wonderful TA. Though, he was wondering on how to divide the seminars well enough. He had already made that he taught two seminars and Galina taught two. Each seminars had 15-20 students;' the lecture happened once a week in lecture hall 3C in the Daphne building. He conducted the lectures in person with Galina helping him and overseeing. Lecture happened on Monday on one of his modules and the other happened on a Tuesday. He taught two seminars on Monday. One on Tuesday for Psychology though, he had seminars and lectures almost each and everyday of the week. He desperate needed TAs so was happy he had Galina. Due to his workload, he had not asked to take any BSc students. He was focused on MSc students on both Psychology and Sociology. He was taking two classes for each and taking around four seminars, two from each discipline. The Sociology lecture happened on Wednesday on room 7B on the same Daphne building. Both were lecture hall fit to accommodate 300 students. Though he had close to around 60-80 in most. The finally tally had not been done as some people dropped out. When he got into the classroom, he was seeing many students. He also met Galina, who had brought coffee for him. Well, she was being a Godsend. He took the coffee with a smile; they had the rapport to be giving each other's coffee and meals. Still, he knew, as she was a PhD student, he should give her a meal as a compensation. "Welcome people, to the first lecture, to Work and Stress. I am Dr. Rayhan Susanto. I think I may be teaching some modules or courses that would be overlapping. Work and Stress and Professional and Commercial Skills are part of the Organization Psychology MSc. I also teach Sociology courses in Sociology MSc. Diversity Management and Theorising Gender." Rayhan
23:27
walked around and commanded the room as he was teaching the students. "For the first lecture, I wish to delve into something we already understand as students of psychology in business. Organizational methods of a company." As he was giving the lecture, Galina helped him with PowerPoint slides. Rayhan started looking at the roaster for students as the slides were brought on, showing the way companies can be structured and defined. Lemaire, wait from that really high class company? Zaria Lemaire? Hmmm, I think something on Business Week. Her finance is now also managing his father's company. They hope the company merger would be completely successul. Rayhan drank coffee and pointed at the slides and lectured on things such as hierarchies and ways things were around. "The reason it is important to study about work and stress, is because it is correlated to not only how businesses operate but how we as human beings operate." He explained, as he went through the slides, "People think that machines will take over like some Terminator Death Day Robot Cult." Some people started chuckling at this. Rayhan looked at a younger woman, more like a sweet girl, was seemingly seated at the front. She had beautiful wavy hair and such a tender and sweet face; he marvelled at the beauty of her face and sharpness of the intelligence in her eyes. Admiring the wealth of green on her skirt and jacket. The designer bag spoke on a lot of wealth. "I would say having machine overloads is an escapist fantasy. If you remember a Simpson's episode, in recent years, Bart and Lisa discover, that machines would not desire to take care of the elderly. It was a joke, but truth is. Machines may not understand certain human needs. They themselves may have human-based needs as well. Something, conveniently, we erase when dealing with machine narratives." He spoke very confidently, "What does Skynet stress about? No one asks this question, because people are scared to ask on it."
23:31
"Usually, work and stress are correlated, however. In the industrialised boon of the 19th Century, mostly, The Global North and now The Global South, both lack a clear separation from work and leisure. You have this in your reading list: Zijlstra, F. & Sonnentag, S. (2006). After work is done: Psychological perspectives on recovery from work." Rayhan read out the title and Galina put it on the screen in the projector. "Thing is, it is like being with your phones." On instinct, he asked the very beautiful girl, in the green skirt, "Do you think, that the modern day cellphone has divided what we think as leisure time and work time? With our constant notifications and applications being linked together?" @Nakachu
Avatar
Zaria Lemaire BOT 22-Aug-22 06:37 AM
She got to her class relatively early, making her one of the first students to find their way into the lecture hall. She made her way to the front, choosing the third row and just plopped herself down on one of the chairs. She grabbed her bag and started to place her laptop, as well as notepad down on the table and then brought out a small compact mirror to look at herself through. The mirror was gold, with integrate floral patterns on it. It as old and had been passed out within her family, now belonging to her. Yet even if it was old, it didn’t show it. Satisfied with how she looked she closed it again and waited for the lecture to start. She would watch as the professor and his TA would enter the stage and start to set up their things. She played with her pen as she waited, occasionally peeking down at her mobile phone to see if perhaps she had a notification. But of course she did not. Why would her Fiance be paying attention to her now that he was so busy at work. She would lie if she didn’t miss the old days. As the lecture started to really settled in, her own cup of coffee sitting at her desk as she listened to what the professor had to say. Her eyes studied his face and body, his choice of clothes. He seemed to be from a different background then just American. India would be her first guess. With his tan skin and dark eyes as well as course thick dark hair it was the simplest guess. She herself could appreciate that, being partly Europian herself, with strong roots in French. She was quite taken by the lecture when he seemed to be choose to adres her out of all the people that are in the room. She looked up from her laptop and found his eyes looking at her. “I do believe that the defined line between work and leisure has become smaller over these past years. You no longer are able to simply end your job at 5 pm and expect to have nothing to do with it until the next morning. You always have to be available for questions if needed.” She explained her
06:37
stance on it. “Yet the same could be said for the other way around. I don’t believe there is a single person here that can claim to have never checked their phone during their work hours, never having answered a text, checked their social media or anything else on their mobile phone.” She continued. “The clear line that was there so many years ago has become blurred together. Which I do believe would add to the us not being to ‘recover’ from our work as much as we used to.” @Ruvik the Unchained Predator
Avatar
Rayhan Susanto BOT 22-Aug-22 11:59 AM
"That is a great analysis, Miss? Uh?" He asked her name, knowing he had no idea who he was talking to - it would take him a while to know everyone's names and even then he knew he would mostly recollect the names of people in his seminars. Galina and he would be doing the duty of acclimatising together.
Avatar
Galina Bendiks BOT 23-Aug-22 12:32 AM
Galina knew who this girl was; she was surprised but not entirely that Susanto (she sometimes loved calling Rayhan by his last name) did not know Zaria Lemaire. She had also been featured in Teen Vogue, when she was nineteen, and that she was now on Forbes and Cosmopolitan a few times too. She knew Zaria had even worn the outfit she wore today in some fashion magazine as well. What really bothered her was how beautiful Zaria was up close. She was truly a manifestation of European art from the old centuries. A babushka doll and all of that. She noticed Rayhan had smiled at her and did notice her beauty as well. Well, she was not going to lose to a MA student, possibly a year or two younger than her. She had waited too long to have Susanto all to herself. @Nakachu
Avatar
Zaria Lemaire BOT 23-Aug-22 03:15 AM
She didn’t seem at all impressed by receiving a compliment about her answer. She expected herself to do good in class and so did everyone around her. Answering the question in a good fashion was not as much a succes in her books as it was just not a failure. She would however give him a small ensuring smile as he asked for her name. “My name is Zaria Lemaire.” She answered him. She could hear the sounds from the seat behind her. The whispers that she had grown used to over the years. ‘Is that the Zaria? I knew I recognized her from somewhere.* but also the ones that were not that happy. Of course she had to be in our class. She is going to be the teachers pet in no time. Bet she gets high grades just because she is highborn. She had become a public figure of sort, having appeared in multiple fashion magazines and having articles written about her in gossip magazines. It seemed that the media was more then a bit interested in the strange relationship between the Lemaire’s and the family of her fiancee, the Wrights. Yes she paid them no attention, her eyes just saying on the professor, waiting for what he would say next. @Ruvik the Unchained Predator
Avatar
Rayhan Susanto BOT 25-Aug-22 01:53 AM
"It is a very good assessment, Zaria. These are things we do instinctively without much thinking. In the organization hierarchy, it becomes somewhat of an issue. This has also been exacerbated by the global pandemic, when people were on lockdown., Due to the separation of work and home life, most people had their bosses calling them at odd hours and burdening them with excess work. Thinking, they had nothing better to do." Rayhan gave a nod and then returned to the presentation. Galina stared at Zaria and did not make any comments and just seemed to shrug and help along with the presentation. "As organizational politics play a large part of organizational mindset and health; things we take fort granted as in conversations around a water cooler, office gossip and things in the grapevine, prove to be very effective in understanding human behaviour, health and psychology." "This is why I wanted to show the the think dividing line between between work and leisure." Coming back to Zaria again, as she was a Lemaire, "Would you say that, social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit and Tumblr, also contributes to office politics?" @Nakachu
Avatar
Zaria Lemaire BOT 25-Aug-22 02:02 AM
Galina’s stare did not go unnoticed by Zaria and for a while she just simply stared back at her, refusing to be the first to let go of the eye contact between them. Eventually it was Galina who looked away first and Zaria couldn’t help but feel the smallest sense of victory because of that. She only looked back towards Rayhan when he once more threw the question her way. She couldn’t help but look over her shoulder to make sure that she was not the only person in the room, before looking back at him. Yet she answered anyway. “Yes.” She answered without hesitation. “Especially instagram, facebook and twitter I would say. After all, before these things came around there was no need to establish how well you were friends with someone at your office job. Yet these days if you are not willing to add someone to your facebook you are seen as closed off, or discriminating towards a co-worker. And once you do add those people, your private life outside of work soon becomes something that is well known at your work place. It makes it that office politics became both more intimate, but also more intimidating. @Ruvik the Unchained Predator
Avatar
Rayhan Susanto BOT 25-Aug-22 02:10 AM
"That is a very good point, once again Zaria." Rayhan complinented and he swore someone stated something about him 'kissing ass of the Lemaire.' "Well, here is a very good question about the behaviour of discrimation." He went near the student and they quiet as anything, "Basically, it is clearly evident that social media heightens a sense of prejudice and gatekeeping. Additionally, it can be a tool to dispense office gossip. Like this student right here saying I am kissing the ass of Lemaire." Some students started laughing. The one responsible kept his head down in obvious embarrassment. @Nakachu
Avatar
Zaria Lemaire BOT 25-Aug-22 04:07 AM
Rayhan wasn’t the only one who heard the comment and it did make her eyebrows knit together in the slightest of angry scowl. She would tell you that she was used to it by now but the truth was, you didn’t get used to that. Jealousy was something that the world was thick off. Sure she had been born in a fortunate family, but she had made her own succes happen just as much. But it did take her by surprise when Rayhan came to her defense, calling the student out. A small smile dances across her lips as her eyes met with his. Yet she said nothing to comment on it, she didn’t need to. In that moment she decided that she liked this professor, yet she was still cautious at the same time. @Ruvik the Unchained Predator
Avatar
Galina Bendiks BOT 25-Aug-22 12:34 PM
What she did not like was her Susanto, speaking up for the little wench. She saw the bitch give her a stink eye and she had to look away because she was actually doing something with her life. Galina decided to be the bigger bitch and not lose to someone like this little richie asshole: "Susanto, could not you know, the social media presence, also be a useful grapevine?" Rayhan looked at Galina, he never minded her asking questions, though he did find it a bit uncustomary to do so so as Galina usually knew a lot, "For example, nepotism within the company? If someone's father and mother are rich enough to employ them? Is that a form of economic monarchy? Corporation oligarchy? So, if we protest it? What is wrong with that?" "Democracy is built on merit. I did not become your Teacher's Assistant because of my Daddy and Mommy." Galina stared at Zaria, "Sometimes, some people mistake luck for merit and take credit for things they do not really deserve." She looked away. "I think calling that out, is social justice and not gatekeeping." |
Avatar
Rayhan Susanto BOT 25-Aug-22 12:48 PM
Rayhan looked at Galina. It was not necessary uncostumary for her to ask questions. However, she was usually the academically nuanced and more than fiercely informed. There was no doubt in him, that she had the erudition to even make her now a junior lecturer and professor. "Well, if that is the case, we must look at everyone here." Many people in the room had their faces drop and world crash, "I mean it is expensive to get an education. Higher Learning, like MSc degrees, are also filled with nepotism, oligarchic and plutocratic establishments and laws. Most people go to Harvard and Oxford as a legacy, same with Cambridge. The issue of Ivy Leagues is that they are 'leagues of selected people.' So, we need to look at our structural systems and our own academic organization before we chastise others." Rayhan seemed to seriously measure everything. "We cannot erase and reject excellence just because it was born somewhere rich. That is similar to rejecting someone who was born in a least fortunate area. Sure, it is not the same but gatekeeping is discrimination and just because someone is elite does not mean they cannot be the subject of some kind of prejudice." Rayhan spoke and some students rolled their eyes, some looked intently and intensely, while others seemed to gauge his views with some salt. " A hierarchy does not make you impervious to danger, just the advantage of staying away from some kinds of dangers. Is it unfair? Yes. Does it give us license to abuse people with wealth? I do not think so. That is why I am not a firm believer of 'Eat the Rich.' For who do we define as the rich? And can we really eat them without consequences? We must cripple the 1% but not to the expense of losing ourselves to vengeance and not create a new 1% in its stead. That never solves anything." Rayhan smiled at everyone. Including Zaria, "I am a firm believer of seeing and feeling as believing. Taking from the horse, Black Beauty. You can see and feel excellence of oth
12:48
ers. It is both intution and evidence. In this classroom, everyone is as equal as the days we were born." He laughed a bit and some students with him, as he stood in front of Zaria again, using her as a model to his analysis: "That sounds cheesy but what I mean is. Your marks are defined by you not where you came from. Like, being a Lemaire, would not make you win a 70-80 grade, a A-A+, because that hardly has anything to do the psychology of work and stress and all of that. Zaria's own ideas of work and stress does." @Nakachu
Avatar
Zaria Lemaire BOT 26-Aug-22 07:57 PM
The moment Galina spoke out Zaria couldn’t help but narrow her eyes at her, her eyebrows knitting together in an angry scowl. Perhaps she didn’t use her name, but it was clear that the woman was trying to call her out for being born in a wealthy family. Did she really believe that she had privileges because of it? Perhaps she was right. But did she even know the price that came with it? The crippling expectations, the pure disrespect when she messed up and having it be decided who you will marry from almost the day that you were born? But of course she could not say these things out loud, could not reveal those details that happened within her family. She was just about to open her mouth to defend herself when the professor once more spoke up instead. Her eyes went up to him as she listened to what he had to say. Again he came to her defense, calling the other students out and even his own TA. Slowly she felt her shoulders relax more as he spoke and it seemed that the student around them started to understand what he was saying a bit more as well. Once he was finished she stood up from her seat and turned around, still feeling like she had to defend herself in some manner against the direct attack that had been laid against her by the TA. “That is right.” She spoke. “In this classroom I am just like anybody else. I will have to work hard to get through these classes just like all of you. My parents wealth won’t help me here. In here I am not a Lemaire, I am just Zaria and I would appreciate it if everyone could treat me that way.” She said, giving a smile as she looked around before she sat back down. @Ruvik the Unchained Predator
Avatar
Galina Bendiks BOT 27-Aug-22 12:49 AM
Galina knew she was going to hate this girl, when she said these sorts of things. What did she think of herself? Why did she get up and think she needed to explain herself? No one asked her to do ANY of those things. In fact, she had proven her right by standing up and defending a positionality that made her sound more guilty than indifferent to any of her sayings. The thing bothering her the most now, was how Susanto seemed to have gotten up for her defence. It displeased her seeing her favourite Professor demean herself with the task. She, herself, came from some wealth and some aspects of a scholarship. Was she going to deny ANY of this? No. The denial from that Beauty Gremlin, told her otherwise. Besides, many people did not know where Susanto heralded from. The living monarchy and aristocracy; she had first hated his kind. He was an outlier who was most prominently a genius. It made sense he would prevail where others lacked so many qualities. Galina had no expectations from Zaria. The Lemaire was beautiful and being aesthetically pleasing to the eye, was a privilege in and of itself, yet it would not help her winning and achieving in Susanto's class. Galina was expected 'great' things from this Beauty Gremlin. Then she was sizing up the student who said Susanto was 'kissing up Lemaire's ass.' Now, that would not do.
Avatar
Rayhan Susanto BOT 27-Aug-22 01:07 AM
"Well, well said Zaria. That is true. Marking is done anonymously and I do not think I would know everyone's essay topics and everything. Besides, even in a presentation; it would hard for me to give marls to someone based on their connections, especially, if it is a group presentation." Rayhan smiled at Zaria and everyone else. "It is important to remember, you are not also chained by the expectations from your families. You can also shine now. Here in the Now. University is a good time to try different things and yes this is the Masters programme. However, it should not limit you from expanding yourself." Rayhan drank some water while Galina was presenting the next slide. He was going back to teaching. "A seemingly controversial sort of take in occupational health psychology is the conduct done to understand how people undermine others and undermine themselves." There were some chatter in the classroom as expected, "Yes, I know it sounds like victim blaming. Why does my boss hate me? How can I be accountable with you know, my boss treating me badly?" He pointed out at Zaria, "It comes from something Zaria had stated with social media devices and now, in what I stated, will expand it. If you know about cyberbullying in schools a similar phenomenon happens within the workplace. Think about Twitter, Tumblr and even Facebook, we look at these places as social 'media.' I would say we have made a lot of interpersonal communication as a form of entertainment." There were some murmurs, so he did explain: "A lot of people use Snapchat, Instagram and Telegram as well. Telegram is the least used platform. Instagram is used a lot by companies as well as it is pictorial, visual media based, giving you an immediate sense of the company. The problem with this sort of communication is it 'gamifies' elements of communication as well. It does not necessary suggest people to look at context, subtext and things outside of the domain of the image, text, sound or v
01:07
ideo clip. The media creates a fixed domain and in it, we are all stuck, like the whole 'fly on the wall' phenomenon." Galina kept on showing images as he spoke, "Gossips in social media, permeate and funnel through workplace organisations and this in turn creates a hostile work environment. So, if we have been saying things to other colleagues even in Whatsapp spaces and then it goes back to the company, when we get fired, we get confused. Herein lies politics but also workplace understandings of what can be deemed as culpability, responsibility and accountability. How do we define this? Maybe, in the way of rumours in the office, it is easier to understand this. However, it is magnified by social media." The projector came down and Rayhan showed two short clips from the US version of The Television Show, The Office. One was where Michael Scott started rumours so he could hide he outed Stanley Hudson, his employee, on cheating on his wife, with his hospice nurse, Cynthia. The Other was when Kelly, Darryl and Pam, were all accused of being Whistle-blowers about their parent company, Sabre, dispensing printers that catch on fire. The real perpetrator had been Andy, and the IT guy, got to know, as he checked everyone's computers. "Well, you can seem, even in situational comedy, like The Office there is a cultural examination on technology, accountability, repercussions and the new age of the company Whistle-Blower. We are going into a work environment, even a marketplace, based on all these things." Rayhan looked at them,. "It is best we get to understand all these things." Someone commented on the back, "Well, isn't Lemaire, oops I mean, Zaria, already engaged to someone?" Someone else stated: "Yeah. She does not need to go to the workplace, Unless it is the kitchen and she is making that CEO dude of hers a sandwich." Some people laughed at this, though others, even Galina, scoffed at the sexist comment.
01:13
"Hey you guys!" Rayhan went near them, "What are your names?" Angrily he asked them. The students seemed reluctant to say but then Galina also looked at them with narrowed eyes, "I am going to find out and you will have to go to The Discipline officer." "Wait, why?" One of them was challenging, "Free Speech, Rayhan, or have you forgotten our basic civil rights?" "That is almost like Incel coding for I am going to be as discriminatory as possible and get away with it." Rayhan commented, crossing his arms. "Hey dude, you cannot say that to us!" The other guy intervened, "That is bullying!" "Well, this is what I am teaching. Are you not accountable for you actions? You cannot make misogynistic and sexist comments in my lecture hall or module." Rayhan stayed firm, "You guys can leave." "What, fuck you, I am telling my parents." The young men left and Galina took an account of them. "I am sorry Zaria. That was uncalled for." Rayhan apologised and people chattered a bit, some clearly on Zaria's side, while some more, wondering if the young students had been right? It was only teasing. Though their Masters handbook did say bullying would have almost a zero tolerance when spotted. Especially, on accounts of gender, race, sexuality, disability, culture and the other components. @Nakachu
Avatar
Zaria Lemaire BOT 27-Aug-22 01:43 AM
Again she could feel her shoulder tightening and her lips pressing closer together. This was just the things that she had to deal with on a daily basis. Perhaps she had been a fool to hope that this year she would get in better classes. Each year her fame grew and with it seemed to come the jealousy of the people around her. Not a single thing about her life felt private, like she was out in the open all the time and nobody cared even the slightest about trying to appear that they didn’t know about her. Even if Rayhan once more came to her rescue she couldn’t help but feel like a line was crossed somewhere. She was glad he took action, but her mood was definitely gone for the day. Part of her wishing that she held as much power as perhaps they all claimed.. she would show them not to mess with her. “Whatever.. just go on with your lecture.” Was all she could say, attempting to hide the hurting that was inside of her by all the happenings. Acting like she couldn’t care less was the only way she knew to protect herself against all of this. And this was just the first class that she would need to face today. @Ruvik the Unchained Predator
Avatar
Galina Bendiks BOT 27-Aug-22 03:40 PM
"Hey, wait a minute." The tone of The Teacher's Assistant made everyone look at her, including Rayhan. "It is not Susanto's fault you are getting bullied." Galina did not like Zaria's tone, "What do you mean 'Whatever'? That is not the way you speak to The Professor in this Lecture Hall." She was so firm that many people did not even wish to look at her. It seemed apparent to some, she was a Tigress, and one who protected Dr. Rayhan Susanto.
Avatar
Rayhan Susanto BOT 27-Aug-22 03:46 PM
Rayhan calmed Galina, "I cannot tell Zaria not to feel frustration, it is alright, Galina." He says this with a smile, which his TA scoffs and goes back to working on the presentation and lecture slides. Still, Rayhan knew what was happening in class was an injustice. Zaria did not deserve the snide comments and the ways in which people stared at her like she was competition and a menace. Many of the MSc students were all from wealthy families. It was, the fact, Zaria was also quite famous on social media and in the fashion industry, which really stirred their fire pots. Rayhan knew he has to talk to to The Dean soon about all his discrepancies and discriminations in the classroom. "Zaria, please stay after the lecture, okay?" He knew he needed to speak about this with her and school counselling services as well, and knew exactly whom to ask. Then he began the lecture again, speaking of social media pressure amplifying the work-leisure divide. "It becomes harder in an interconnected and integrated world. Things like META and all, which will dominate the market and become the new face of the internet, post HTML 5 era, is also something that has predicted to be a huge loss of 'leisure revenue.' Are we really enjoying ourselves, if we are distracted from enjoyment? That is something I want you guys to take away from this lecture and our first class." @Nakachu
Avatar
Zaria Lemaire BOT 29-Aug-22 07:51 PM
She narrowed her eyes at Galina as she seemed not happy with her reply. “Excuse me?” She said as she claimed it was not Rayhan’s fault that she was being bullied. “Did I saw it was?” She scoffed with one eyebrow raised. “All I said was to move on the with the lecture, the reason we came to this class. Don’t put word in my mouth. Thank you.” She said, already about done with the snarky girl that was his TA. Rayhan interrupted them before the conversation could take a turn for the worst. He brought the attention back to him. She took a note of the TA’s name, Galia, but otherwise just stayed quiet. As he told her to stay behind after the lecture she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. But he was the teacher, she didn’t have much of a choice did she. “Alright..” she said reluctantly. The rest of the lecture she tried to participate as little as she could. She made notes of what was being said, but for now preferred to just blend into the background on the class. Her day already felt ruined in so many ways and she was still in quite a bad mood as the class ended. The bell rang and may students were gathering their things. Even now she could hear her name being used in the conversations that came up as they filed out the class, but she decided to ignore it. Instead she packed her own things away and then made her way down to the podium to meet with her new teacher. “Look. I appreciate you stepping up for me. Very noble of you, but all you are doing is putting me even more in the center of the attention. I don’t need that..” she explained to him. She didn’t want to sound cocky or anything, but his had just not been the way she had wanted to start her school year. “People will talk about me. I am used to it. I am a very priviledged white girl after all.” She scoffed and chuckled at the same time. @Ruvik the Unchained Predator
Avatar
Rayhan Susanto BOT 29-Aug-22 08:11 PM
Rayhan noticed Galina did not speak further. In Rayhan's opinion, the strong will and bluntness of Galina was one of the reasons he had always found her to be a great TA. Though, when she transitioned to being a lecturer and a professor, some of these actions need to be quietened, even if she seemed to be coming to his aid. It was not particularly professional nor was it advisable. The mental and emotional health and safety of students was very important. It was not great to get into conflicts with them. As the class ended he approached Zaria. He waited patiently, he was glad Galina had gone and was talking to other students. They were asking her about the seminar schedules and what were they expected. Some of them were students who just enjoyed being overprepared, It was a good thing Zaria was in his Psychology classes. None of the seminars she had were with Galina. He thought it was best if those two girls interacted less for now. He listened patiently to Zaria and chuckled with her. "Zaria, I actually wanted to say, I am here for you if you need me. I wanted to talk to the Dean immediately as we have a zero tolerance policy on mistreating students. The fact those boys made misogynistic comments in a lecture hall is bad for you and the university." Rayhan kindly explained things to her, his voice gentle and patient " I am thinking they will get some suspensions. It does not matter if their parents are wealthy. There will be others who will think of their girls in the classroom and support the decision for suspension. Even removal from my modules this semester." "I was also thinking you need to go to a school counsellor friend of mine. Her name is Elise Bennett, but people call her Lizzie too, after the famous Jane Austen novel. She definitely embodies that spirit. She helped me settle in a long time ago and has always been good making students belong." Rayhan explained, "You need to know you are not alone. You need to feel protected and understood." <@1186
20:11
89110775824384>
Avatar
Rayhan Susanto BOT 30-Aug-22 02:57 AM
@Nakachu
Exported 33 message(s)