Despotic tyranny ruined my life

[davywavy]

I don't know if you caught this one; A-level Modern History students complaining that their final exam was 'too hard' because it contained the question “How far do you agree that Hitler’s role 1933-45 was one of despotic tyranny?”.
Their complaint isn't about it being a badly worded question despite 'despot' and 'tyrant' being somewhat tautologous, but because they actually didn't know what despot or tyrant actually meant. A facebook group to protest about the question ("Despotic tyranny ruined my life") has over 1,600 members which, when you consider that 6,000 people took the exam, suggests that a quarter or more of 18 year old history students - people with a self-declared interest in the subject, who might want to study history at university and then get a job presenting Time Team - have a vocabulary which didn't include what I would consider fairly basic governmental terms for pretty much the entirety of recorded human history.

I can see them now; the massed ranks of students in the exam hall, pens a-quiver and eager of neuron to display their hard-gained knowledge. Then, the words "Turn your papers over now". A rustling fills the room followed by...silence. There, spitefully inserted into an A-Level history question about Hitler, the word 'Despot'. Their formerly gleaming eyes dull into glazed incomprehension. As one, their mouths fall open like so many fish and thin trickles of drool begin to collect in their laps. Once-pristine knuckles sprout thick hair and slip to rest upon the ground.

I'm hardly the sharpest tool in the box (my academic record speaks for itself in its unremitting mediocrity) but if I hadn't known what a Despot was when I was 18, I wouldn't have joined groups to complain about it; I'd've kept it damn quiet. I'd've been embarrassed. Perhaps I'd've thought that this gap in my knowledge was at least in part my own responsibility. I didn't even study History to that level, and I think there was little chance of my being asked about the despotic tyranny of Hydrogen over the periodic table in my Chemistry final.

I know some of you lot out there are teachers - what the devil? Can you shed any light on this for me?

Updated from cavalorn: Nice to see groups appearing expressing a contrary position.

Comments

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

??? I'm sorry but I can't think of a single A-Level history student that I've ever meet who hasn't known the words "despot" and "tyrant" & that hasn't used them at every opportunity possible to describe anything that happens to give them minor upset (and I say this as an ex A-Level history student). This group has to be a piss take


please god let it be a piss take!

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I seriously considered that possibility, which is why I didn't mention this a week ago as I waited a bit for the trick & reveal and general laughter at the gullible who fell for it. However, the ongoing bitterness and complaints on the FB group appear to be genuine. Take a look at it.

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

got a link?

:p

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

http://tinyurl.com/ms3vba

Re: :p

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

nice double blind there, although as we're dealing with a parody I'd rather get the sauce than muck around with any possible pisstakes which is why i asked.

Re: :p

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Indeed, but I've been wanting to use that link for ages and I figured you're one of the few people I could do that to without them going off in a huff.

Re: :p

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

oh don't get me wrong, I'm still gonna beat you worse than a jewish gay catholic civil-rights protester in a 60's Alabama jail for it

Re: :p

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I think that counts as a 'huff'.

Re: :p

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

to make up for it have a Hoff

Re: :p

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

Okay, my analysis of it is that it may have started as a real group but has now been joined by a ton of trolls, tourists, and lulzers. There appears to be a core group of 40 or so active members, which if you apply the '1 in 10' rule of talking on a topic you care about then that gives you about 500 people who are likely to actually be affected.

If 6000 people took the exam (your figures) then that gives you about 8% of the total exam group who are either too thick to know what it meant,willing to use any excuse to try and get a pass grade, or are easily manipulated by their chums. It's also gives you 1000 members who can be explained as either unaffected friends who want to show support or people who heard about it and want to join in / cause trouble. As this group has got media attention then 1k tourists isn't too hard to imagine, especially when its a 'look at the stupid students!' story that people can end up feeling smug about (fuck, it made me feel like a fucking genius)

Re: :p

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Alas, not so; it appears that even the teachers are upset about it - and, in some cases, are admitting they do't know what it means themselves: http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=11550

Re: :p

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

?? How does that make it an "Alas, no so" ?? You telling me this (http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/object3/1755/107/n91092671869_1074.jpg) and this (http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs086.snc1/4607_194982015065_534060065_7182094_2922049_n.jpg) aren't troll sign, or that half the comments are now people going 'jesus, you guys are sure stupid'?

Re: :p

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Well, I'd suggest that if the teachers themselves are saying 'half my pupils panicked', then the incidence of ignorance isn't as low as the 8% you cite.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I think what's becoming clear here is that 1st edition D&D should be a compulsory part of the national curriculum.

For your final paper

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Question 1.

In AD&D 1st Edition: Explain which character class you would take in order to deal the maximum amount of damage at level 5 in a single round.
Assume no magical items, standard gazebo opponent and a character with distributable 18/16/16/12/12/12 stats. Any strength percentile bonus will be 50.

(Edited!)

Re: For your final paper

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Ten bob says my brother answers this question.

I'd need to know the AC and reflex save for the Gazebo to properly answer the question.

Re: For your final paper

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

You can assume that any strike successfully hits the gazebo and it fails its saving throws.

Damage estimation should be calculated by average.

Bonus points for calculating it for 3.5 as well ;)

Re: For your final paper

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Almost certainly a sorceror with quickened or maximised lightning bolt, then, although a rogue with two eapons getting a sneak attack in might pip that.

sorry, but

[glummdead.livejournal.com]

at 5th level a sorcerer would not have access to third level spells, and quickened and/or maximised spells take up higher level spell slots

/geek

Re: sorry, but

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Wizard with maximised scorching ray then?

Re: For your final paper

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Talking about 3.5 and off the top of my head

Level 5 you only just get a 3rd level spell, but casting it as a maximised will count it as a higher level, so you wouldn't be able to do that ;)

Sorcer/Mage would get around 5d6 (21)
Fighter can probably manage d12+8+2 x2 (33) single or d8+4+2 x2 + d6+4 (28.5)
(Two handed weapon plus double strength bonus plus specialisation first)
Ranger probably d12 +8 + 4 x2 (37) (Target specialisation)
Rogue d10 + 4 + 3d6 + d6+4 (second weapon) (27) only one sneak per round

Barbarian, Druid, Bard and Cleric probably don't get a look in.

So Ranger pips it, by my guess ;)

Re: For your final paper

[glummdead.livejournal.com]

Ranger with a level of rogue for the sneak attack :D

Re: For your final paper

[glummdead.livejournal.com]

I think I would go for a Magic User. There's no way a melee class could dish out anything equivalent to a fireball or lightning bolt in one round.

Re: For your final paper

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Have a look at my working above :)

I'd guessed the Ranger due to the target specialisation he got...