Quite often, parents will tell me that I am not traditional or am unconventional; students say this less occasionally, but often enough, many of them do too. It’s just politesse for saying that I am, in fact, quite quite mad. Positively crazy, to be honest. In a sense, they come close to the mark, yet miss it completely.

You see, what most people are interested in is the appearance of hierarchy rather than the substance of it. It’s what I call the Worshipping of Ashes. They say things like respect your elders, listen to your parents (or equivalent authority figures), etc etc. Rules that are good because they are old. Now, sometimes you are allowed to break these rules, but it’s unclear when because no one explains when or at least, the explanation, if one is even given, is inconsistent enough that it is impossible to generalise from.

Since this is what most parents (and more broadly society) teach to the kids, it comes as no surprise that the kids get confused. It leads to things like my students asking me, “Can I go to the washroom?” Obviously, I will say yes, so it’s not a question with any real heft, is it? I have often perversely wondered what will happen if I say no. Surprised Pikachu Face will be the least of it, I wager.

Which is why I encourage my students not to ask such questions. Another common one is “Can I take this phone call?” How do I know if it’s an important call or not, my man??? Use your own judgement instead of borrowing mine.

In fact, one of the first things I do is tell students that they are free to call me by my first name, as I am trying to break them free from this idiotic philosophy that the world has taught them. Being a teacher does not automatically make me right every time. What makes me right is if I am right in that context of a situation.

As a private tutor, my job is not to judge you but to foster an environment where you develop your judgement. One aspect of it is the acquisition of various requisite technical skills in mathematics and science, as those are the subjects I am very good at teaching. However, it is the least important of my targets. The higher target is to protect your educational interests and to teach you how to do the same. The highest target is teaching you how to live life.

I end up missing these targets because quite often students and, to some extent, parents will ignore the things that I say are important, or necessary, or even critical. Homework deadlines, assigned tasks, and other things that are actually the reason I have been hired. I can’t even get past the first hurdle, let alone try to tackle the higher ones.

I forge lives and do whatever is needed to forge them well and that needs an amazing amount of discipline. Discipline does not mean control. Discipline means having the sense to do what is necessary. Any skill that has to be gained, any required action. Whatever it takes. There is a saying about swords —- If a sword had a memory, it might be grateful to the forge fire, but never fond of it. I am luckier in my line of work that students who truly learn from me end up becoming my friends. I hope to have a student one day who surpasses me, for that is the ultimate goal of being a teacher.

You see, the thing is, I am conventional. In contrast to the Worshipping of Ashes, what I am an acolyte of is the tradition of Preservation of Fire. I believe in effort, I believe in excellence, I believe in independence of mind and spirit. These rules are clear, and there is no breaking them if you have integrity. Integrity is like a disease; you can only catch it from someone who already has it, and you have to be willing to contaminate yourself with it.

If this perspective is what they choose to call madness, then I gladly welcome the label. But it is a Magnificent Madness, don’t you think?