Don't you wish you'd thought of it then?

[wyrdtimes]

I had my first feedback session at work today. Needless to say it didn't go "well". For 2 main reasons

Comments

[vofleck]

I like your sarcasm and cynicism. It's a distinctly "Anna Brown" thing.

[dreamofk]

I've found that grad school is a time where I learn to keep my mouth shut. Primarily because I don't hold the same beliefs as the vast majority of the people in the program and frankly they don't care what I think because I'm "wrong". I say hold on to your Brit, it is what makes you different and in any scholarly field different is what will ultimately make you successful. And it is never worth chaning who you are for a career.

[_n_i_k_e_n_]

>So the question now is, do I change to make everyone feel better? Or keep my mouth shut?

I found that majority of what I intended to be joking and not serious used to get blown out of proportion and treated in a way that shocked the hell out of me. In my family it's perfectly normal to be sarcastic to the levels that apparently offend everyone else and to be clearly aware that nonsense is nonsense-when I say "I support Huckabee because his presidency will make me watch news 24/7," some people get the point. Others think that I'm a religious nut.

The way that worked so far for me is the one of shutting up and being polite and generally merging with the environment till it's clear who can understand this manner of speech and who can not. Conformity? Sure. Bending beliefs to make life easier? Betcha. Does it work? Sadly, yes.