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Class Teaches Nerds Social Skills
PeterAitch writes "According to Reuters, Potsdam University in Germany is now teaching social skills as part of their IT courses. This is intended to 'ease entry into the world of work'. The 440 students enrolled in the master's degree course will learn how to write flirtatious text messages and emails, impress people at parties and cope with rejection(s)." The class is taught by a superficial model, who will fall in love with the nerdiest student at the end of the semester after realizing that he is beautiful on the inside.
"According to Reuters, Potsdam University in Germany is now teaching social skills as part of their IT courses. This is intended to 'ease entry into ..... a superficial model, who will fall in love with the nerdiest student at the end of the semester after realizing that he is beautiful on the inside.
I flirt with that hot female blood elf on WoW, you insensitive clod!
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits" - Albert Einstein
Don't start conversations by shouting "first post" after someone mentions a subject.
According to Reuters, Potsdam University in Germany is now teaching social skills as part of their IT courses. This is intended to 'ease entry into ... a superficial model, who will ... love ... the end ... after realizing that he is ... inside.
It must suck if/when you fail it though....
I have left slashdot and am now on Soylent News. FUCK YOU DICE.
Where was this course when I went to college.
Social Intelligence is a skill that can be taught and learned. That is how most people get it although somewhat unconsciously. Inherent personality does play a role which is why "Nerds" have to work harder at learning it.
Because the majority of the world runs on Social IQ more than we like to admit.
"The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget." -Thomas Szasz
Remember, Kevin Mitnick was a computer hacker, but an even better social engineer.
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, START
Many of the "nerds" I know are not socially inept because of lack of training. It's because they have a disorder or disease. Not bathing, incredibly wierd behaivoir, etc... The "hot chick" is not going to date you because you are...
1 - dressed like a wierdo. Sorry Emo/Goth is not cool.. It's as bad as dressing in a star trek shirt.
2 - Social tact, you have to actually have some.
3 - Hygene.. good god, take a bath, discover toothpaste, and deodorant, cheap cologne is not a substitute.
4 - There are no good pick up lines. Stop trying, stop reading the speed seduction books, they do not work if you do not understand human psychology and look like a "hunk" or at least semi cute to a woman.
5 - Nerdy = dorky and repellant. the second you mention you're a top notch national MTG player they will ask to go to the bathroom and never come back. Magic the Gathering is NOT COOL, nor any of your really nerdy activities.
Now all bets are off if you find a nerdy girl. I strongly suggest never even trying for the hotties and look only for nerdy girls. Librarians tend to be nerdy and incredibly sexually creative. Honestly a HOT CHICK is not worth the pain of their upkeep, and maintenance.
Find a nerdy chick that is a bit of a sex freak and you got a incredible relationship.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Though on the other hand I've never got myself a carrier since I've been looking for love & friendship instead but never found any...
It sounds like a modem problem to me.
A lot of homeschooled kids end up socially disfunctional because they aren't put into extra curricular activities where most socializing happens even in public schools.
You could probably learn just as much as the class teaches by joining clubs and sports teams. You learn how to interact with people by being around people.
A lot of it is just getting past your fears and putting yourself out there. The more you do it the more your fear lessens or at least your ability to deal with it improves.
Work Safe Porn
As children (4th thru 6th grade) my wife and I attended a once-a-week school for the gifted in Okaloosa County, Florida (think Destin-area) as the gifted program. Not only was it like college, where you signed up for classes in things like Chemistry, Children's Theatre, or Visual Arts - but they had an amazing class called "Looking Good". Dr. Christensen taught one class for girls, and one for boys on etiquette, dating, ballroom dancing, hygiene, etc. At the end of the year, they held a dance at which the two classes would interact. I have to say it left a huge impression on me over the years - and I feel my life, particularly in social situations, was greatly enriched by her program and teaching.
meh
I also wonder if this should really be teached in class...
Like English? ;)
Developers: We can use your help.
The reason why nerds have that weird behavior is because they can get away with it. This is because they essentially have nothing to lose, and the capital that I'm referring to here is acceptance and validation by his peers. Since he knows he would never "get anywhere" with them anyway, he has no incentive to have the hygiene or tact that you mention.
If his self-esteem is even lower, then he claims those "outsider" social trappings (emo/goth) as part of his identity. This is a way for outsiders to gain companionship, but, inside, many of them want out.
The only way for an individual to gain self-esteem is to earn it. It can't be given to him by teachers who hand out "Good Job!" stickers to all students regardless of effort. An individual has to meet people, make friends, take chances, stand up for himself, refuse to be abused, be positive, and be funny. If he's rewarded for that behavior with more friends, then he gains self-esteem.
High school teaches us nerds all the wrong things about human interaction. Being punished for our choices drives us farther into seclusion and "nerdy" behavior.
Teaching "social skills" won't fix anything. Instead, send people to therapy and help them find ways to rebuild their destroyed self-esteem. Telling a nerd, "Bathe every once in a while!" is not going to do him any good if, inside, he says to himself: "I'm not worth the effort."
My self-esteem was destroyed when I was 12. It took me until I was 34 to earn it back.
I don't make the rules. I just make fun of them.
At very bottom rung of the self-esteem ladder is furries. No matter who you are or what you are into, you will be accepted into a furry community. It's a great big love-fest over there. It's no surprise that there are so many gay guys and nerdy guys among furries: both of them have traditionally had their self-esteem utterly ruined by the time they graduate high school. The furry community provides them with a perfect escape from the hell world they've grown up in -- this escape is a fantasy world where everyone loves them.
I don't make the rules. I just make fun of them.
This will be about as good for them as "Change Your Underwear, Change Your Life," and similar self-help books. Most of what people call "social skills" problems really boils down to self-esteem. I've been to more than a few support groups, talked to a lot of people about their childhood and adolescent learning experiences, coached people on interviewing skills... I don't have a degree as a therapist, but at least in my social circle I'm the go-to girl (for better and for worse!). That said, don't take what I have to say as the gospel -- it's just my own point of view.
First, there's nothing wrong with so-called "nerds", "geeks", or many other classes of people that are bright, insightful, but often shy and hard to approach. They are rarely rude, they don't insult people, they respect another's boundaries if told directly. About the only thing "wrong" with them is that they miss subtlety and sometimes lack tact. Frankly, there's a lot more wrong with people who consider themselves to have "great social skills" than those who don't -- those people are often manipulative, petty, morally underdeveloped, and often destroy group harmony to further their own ambitions. For the girls, I have two words: Queen bee. Guys who have these "great social skills" are often egotistical, inconsiderate, etc. My friends call it the "napoleon complex", after a certain short guy in history who had a real problem with the word "no."
I guess what I'm saying to the people who think their social skills have the suck... Stop beating yourself up. Contary to popular belief, none of us start out equal. And throughout life we never become equal. Trying to move towards normality is like trying to... Well, it's like the Kobashi Maru, you just can't win. So stop trying. Normal doesn't even exist. If you want these mythical social skills--Go someplace where you think there are others like you (or others who you'd like to be like if your self-concept isn't that developed) and listen to them. Watch, learn, interact. What movies do they watch? What phrases do they say? What little gestures do they make? Reason out what it all means and then practice it on your friends and anyone else you can. And don't judge yourself for awhile -- just go out and try things for a bit. The judging part everyone else will do for you (*trust me on this*), so focus on doing it instead of reviewing it. This isn't a question to be answered, but one to be lived. Someday you will find yourself experiencing the answer.
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
You know what I want?
Logic skills taught to those people who have "social skills"
While I can understand the desire to teach social skills, I wish people would stop thumping on people with strong technical abilities.
For example, say you are a born classical musician, and are quite good. They would say you are cultured and have everything life needs. YET, if the same happened to a mathematician, well then they are not balanced.
Really? Not knowing how to calculate yourself out of a wet paper bag is balanced?
So sure I will take social skills, so long as the others take logic skills.
MAYBE THEN we have rational discussions....
"You can't make a race horse of a pig"
"No," said Samuel, "but you can make very fast pig"
Have you been around kids?!? My experience (YMMV) is that yes, kids DO have to be taught to take a bath, speak clearly, and say please/thank you. It's hard for parents to get them to do that, and many of today's parents don't bother (perhaps because they incorrectly think that all kids will figure it out without being taught). The result is kids who are absolutely not ready for "real life". Forget the flirting; a class in the "basics of living in a society" (to raise your social IQ) is a really, really useful course. Stuff like bathing, having a brief conversation with someone you don't know, etc. Historically, the people who were getting ready to lead society went to finishing schools, took etiquette classes, etc. Some of it was bunk, but the basic idea that you need TRAINING to be able to work in a society is true enough. Self-taught can work, if you work at it... but too many people don't realize it's something that needs to be learned.
In Neal Stephenson's "The Diamond Age", a key part of the book was "A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer". Being able to work with others - instead of offending them before you meet them - is a good idea.
- David A. Wheeler (see my Secure Programming HOWTO)
Reminds me of that old Saturday Night Live skit where the geeky guy got accused of sexual harassment when he tried to even talk to a woman but the handsome jock was just "flirting" when he showed up in just his underwear.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
For example, say you are a born classical musician, and are quite good. They would say you are cultured and have everything life needs. YET, if the same happened to a mathematician, well then they are not balanced.
Really? Not knowing how to calculate yourself out of a wet paper bag is balanced?
Not all humans are mathematically-inclined, or even intelligent enough to understand basic math concepts.
All humans are social creatures, from you all the way down the world's stupidest. "Cultured" is the term that people use to describe those who are best at winning approval from others. I understand why you resent it and hold those people in contempt. They didn't have to work nearly as hard as you had to work, and yet they have more than you do. It hurts.
I don't make the rules. I just make fun of them.
Only those with mental retardation or other conditions keeping them from having a fully functioning brain fall under the category of "unable to understand basic math or logic". Those people are not expected to understand these concepts because we realize that due to crap circumstances beyond their control, they're physically incapable of it. However, all the idiots in Hollywood, at the jock table, the cheerleaders, etc ARE capable of learning basic math and logic, they CHOOSE not to because "it's not cool" and since for so many people (at least in the Western world) their goal is to be cool, they choose to be morons....and we all see where that's leading our society....
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson
"...fact they cry to me every week about these bums they cater to..." and all those nice guys out there are invisible to them. As I said, a jerk with a bike and good abs win. I've buried 4 nice guys that couldn't take it (Not literally, I only went to one funeral).
One who wife left him for his boss. He shot himself in the face.
One who couldn't get a date at all (as in ever) and after graduating U of M jumped off the Stillwater rail bridge. His note read "What good is knowledge when you are alone."
One former Co-Worker in Minneapolis at 35 gave up and drank himself to death (GI bleedout, vomited up the blood, not a plesant way to die..)
One who despite being good looking lost the girlfriend to a "more exciting guy" who promptly beat her on a regular basis. She runs back to Mr. Nice, then when the loser got out of prison, she ran back to the abuser. Nice guy drove 70 mph into a bridge column in Woodbury with no seat belt.
The world is hurtling towards a rather lonley place at breakneck speeds.
There was a poet\writer from the early 40s that once said:
"The older we get, the fewer good people there are. Good people marry their childhood sweethearts and live happily-ever-after. Then hour by hour, day by day, there are fewer and fewer; and those that remain have more and more luggage they bring. Then when they are finally ready for that Mr. or Ms. Nice they have so much luggage that Mr. or Ms. Nice would rather die alone then deal with the mistakes of those that now late in life come around. I fear that the generations to come will suffer their parents misdeeds and the cycle will get worse rather then better."
I couldn't imagine being out there dating anymore, too old to put up with such nonsense. I need character in a person and so few, if any it seems, possess it. Perhaps I've seen the worst, but I haven't seen much in examples that show me otherwise. Why are dating sites overflowing with people that can't find someone? Because there aren't any 'people' out there anymore, just parisites looking for a host.
We crafted our own hell here on Earth with no one to blame but ourselves and the fact we need classes now for simple human interaction means we've hit about rock bottom. Perhaps there is hope, there would appear to be only one way to go now.. up.
I gave up on people as a whole a long time ago I suppose, hope doesn't spring eternal unfortunately. I've just seen too much to put any faith in people. Perhaps it's just here in Minnesota, if so say away from this place. Just makes me sick... it's just so sad how people not only treat others, but how they treat themselves. I just can't stomache it. A world of mercenaries with the battle cry "It's all about me"
Just sad...
-=[ Who Is John Galt? ]=-
The more interesting question would be if she feels there is any relation between playing a poorly drawn character in a poorly plotted Star Trek series and her eventualy speaking out about said Republican politician's more questionable activities, effectively putting the nail in said Republican's Senate campaign, leading to the election of his Democratic opponent, who would then use said Senate seat as a launching pad to a successful presidential run.
In other words, would she agree with the statement that Star Trek was, through a long an complicated chain of events, the ultimate cause of Obama's presidency?
words, words, words, lemur, words, words words