Some people find it difficult to learn algebra, so they don’t bother. Some can pick it up quickly, so they do. Some of the ones who struggle learn it anyway, because it’s important. No matter how much people say “algebra doesn’t matter”, it does, and it will mature your mathematical mind for the...
And some people can’t learn math. It’s a disability called dyscalculia.
You can’t tell from looking at a person whether they have mastered algebra, or if not, why not. It has nothing to do with laziness or lack of trying. And even people who haven’t attempted don’t owe it to you to master algebra. Maybe they weren’t ready for it when their school decided they had to be. Maybe it’s just not a priority in their lives. Maybe they used to do it when they were in school but never had a single reason to remember it.
Mod response: Well, yes. Apparently I should have said this in my original response, and I was just too busy snarking. Sorry, folks. -MG
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh look, how typical of TITP, getting rid of the original ask and evidence of them calling a perfectly polite responder a 'f*****' among other things.
That’s fine if you don’t want to learn algebra. But don’t try to bring other people down with you by saying learning algebra is impossible.
Because you never really tried to learn algebra, did you? You didn’t study consistently every day, or ask the teacher for help. You didn’t get extra reading material from the library or look online for additional resources. You didn’t join a study group or create one if a group was unavailable. And you certainly didn’t spend time every weekend doing extra problems on your own.
No, what you did was waste your time and then tried to do your homework at the last minute. You tried shortcuts. You punished yourself with algebra instead of learning it in a mentally healthy way. You got a bad grade on your pop quiz and demonized the teacher, saying she was out to get you. Instead of learning each lesson until you were confident, you tried to get by on the bare minimum. You grew to hate algebra. You didn’t pay attention in class or even ask questions when you didn’t understand something. You got angry at the guidance counselor when he warned you that you wouldn’t graduate if you failed algebra. You self-diagnosed yourself with dyscalculia as a way to excuse your bad grades. You took caffeine pills and drank soda to keep yourself awake instead of eating breakfast. You crammed for exams instead of organizing your time more efficiently. And when the pressure was really on from your parents, you tried sneaking a cheat-sheet into the classroom. And after you failed algebra, you were so angry at the teacher, your parents, and yourself that you declared learning algebra impossible. And when you said you tried to learn algebra, they asked you why you did it in such a chaotic manner. Why did you try learning algebra in the unhealthiest way possible?
But it was already too late. You demonized anyone who saw the value of learning and using algebra. You couldn’t stand people who talked about algebra within hearing range, let alone people who actually wanted to learn other kinds of math. You cried oppression when good universities wouldn’t accept your below average math score. The struggle to improve the United States’ math scores became in your mind a personal attack. It didn’t matter if other countries were now passing the US in test scores; you argued that Americans were just naturally bad at algebra, that we had always been bad at algebra. You told other people that math camps were equivalent to Japanese internment camps. You appropriated the PTSD term ‘trigger,’ and a very serious and debilitating mental and emotional response became for you the annoyance you felt when you saw a fraction on television or the sadness you felt when your coworker talked about her old algebra teacher. Anyone who disagreed with you was a ‘fucker’ or a ‘privileged shitstain.’
You acted as if the world wanted you to be an algebra genius, when all it ever asked of you was to learn the basics so that you could function and succeed in society.
(Wonder how long my reblog will last until the note is removed)
