Say, by the way...you filed taxes yet? Cuz you act like they're mega scary, and you don't talk like you make enough money for that to be right.

I haven't filed my taxes yet. I wouldn't even know where to plug my curiosity probe into if it weren't for the billboard advertisements saying "PAYING TAXES IS A GOOD THING SO PAY ON TIME", with a website at the bottom. That's the problem.

I don't act about them as if I'm scared of filing them: I'm disturbed about yet another adult thing I wish I knew but somehow haven't even touched growing up, let alone learned.

How immature do I have to be to fit into the image of what's an average adult expected to get into once I'm "of age"? I'd like to take shit I have to do as a member of a country's population more seriously than that. I don't like bullshit obscurity over things that are advertised as some of the most fundamental aspects of a citizen's life, and I'd like an easy, self-evident access to the sources of information on such matters. Would you blame me for it?

Any teacher who teaches his or her students how to read, understand, and apply instructions has already taught their student how to do taxes.

So, there are two areas on my most recent utility bill. One is "fact.", implying factual usage of water, the other is "1/12", which is for... monthly payments, I guess? Alright, so I pay the "fact." amount, because that's as much as I've used resources in monetary equivalent, correct? What's the "1/12" for, then? It's much bigger than my "fact." usage, too — three times as much, in fact. Do I have to pay it, too? Do I have to pay it along with the "fact."?

I could, of course, call their office and inquire about it. I could even go to the website and check out the FAQ section. Not that it has any information on the matter, much like the bill itself. So, my only option is to find a person to talk to about an issue that I'm not even supposed to have, as much as the bill's make-up makes it clear.

It isn't self-evident. I can't just look that information up and get precisely the information I want to, without involving other people.

Suppose something similar happens for your house payment. I'm a grown-ass man. I'd feel ashamed asking someone about taxes — which, I think, is also part of the problem. I'm supposed to know about them, and I don't, and I can't ask because of the social repercussions, nonexistent as they may actually be. Maybe it's not that big of a problem where you are, but here, social repercussions are a non-minor issue. People are afraid of asking questions on important matters and have no other easily-accessible way to learn about those.

You may think I'm exaggerating. What book did you have when going through Sex Ed? Have you ever seen a comprehensive guideline to renting an apartment? Do you know which doctor to go to for every health problem you might have? I still don't know many areas, and time comes soon for me when I can no longer naively skip yearly check-ups. Fucking embarrassing.

"Filing taxes" — which, in our conversation, somehow turned into euphemism for grown-ass people's activities — takes more effort than simply reading and writing, much like every other skill. Was math simply about repeating what's written on the blackboard? Of course it wasn't: it was a science of problem-solving more than it was about the numerical part of our understanding of the universe. You can't solve a problem if you don't understand what the problem is.

(regret biting yet?)

(News flash: the kids who sign up for an elective life skills class are the students who are proactive enough and already care - scratch that, already worry - enough about these topics that they don't actually need such a class)

Ah, yes: the "already" razor.

Because people who understand the importance of healthy living already exercise, so there's no point to advertising physical activity to all of those lazy-ass overworked white-collars.

Because those who realize the negative effects of alcohol already don't drink much, so there's no reason to educate the alcoholics and their loved ones of what they can do to make the situation better.

Because people who understand that suicide is a point of no return, so why would you even start the suicide prevention line and tell people on the bridge that they matter?

Having a map is not the same as walking the territory. Your worry about the subject does not automatically translate to you knowing the subject. Knowledge and experience require data to operate from. In absence of either, your intent is just your intent, fading slowly without the oxygen.

So you are going to, again, derail your students from state-wide and national metrics

Because of course that's how electives work. Without them, students are studying for 16 hours straight. But here I am, wrecking my way into the delicate workflow of people who have, somehow, acquired enough acumen to prioritize exams over living their lives, and giving them something they might not need but would likely not regret knowing later on... Oh, hello: that's the whole educational system beyond the first few years.

Come on. Antagonism, on its own, does not automatically qualify as worthy criticism. You aren't even pretending like you care about what I have to say. I'm not your enemy, but — feel free to act like it, 'cause you're an adult yourself and you can do whatever the hell you want.

Tell me. Is "LOL" your usual contribution to the conversation, or was I somehow particularly unworthy in your eyes? I'm a particularly agreeable person, you see; I don't like conflicts, even with people who I can't be sure exist, and your initial stance, if I can call it that, was hurtful.

Yeah, yeah, I know: "if your hackles are raised by an anonymous person on the Internet, you better GTFO". That's the kind of a person I am, though. Hubski is not a place I expect troll-like behavior from, and let's face it: that's what you acted as because your comment had no axiomatic content.

Would it be simpler for my emotional equilibrium to block you and not worry about your presence in my life? I wouldn't want you to waste your time with me, either, but my calm is more important to me because I already have enough stress in my life as it is. I'm here for a reasoned conversation that would lead to either of the participants to improve through learning — which may be why I'm going into education to begin with, by the way. Do you want to partake in the same, or do you want to keep telling me how useless you think I am?