Diary date: 19th May, 1985
Whoever wrote my diary 28-years ago this week sounds like a bit of a whinger. Whoever he is, he’s angsting about revision. A lot.
However, if you’re prepared to believe my A-Level-studying daughter, this is one area of life where times have definitely changed for the better. It seems the best place to deal with revision angst these days is not your desk or the library, but in fact mobile messaging service WhatsApp. A quick demo was enough to convince me that it might amount to more than the usual phone-based time-wasting, so I’ve magnanimously agreed not to pass final judgement until the exams are over – at which point my already irrelevant opinion will be even more academic.
As for the mutual support and expertise WhatsApp helps provide, a real-life example will tell you all you need to know. Faithfully reproduced from my daughter’s phone and saved for posterity, here’s a revision thread covering the complex, highbrow and morally challenging world of A-Level Philosophy and Ethics.
I pass no comment. But I may conceivably be arching an enigmatic eyebrow. Needless to say, names have been changed to protect the innocent:
AP: Shit for ethics I’ve barely gone over genetic engineering and war haha
EM: Neither but ive done bentham and kant
SC: Mee too
EM: So lets hope they come up!!
FG: Im going bentham and kant hopefully
AP: When it says prime mover, what argument is that from? Cosmo or aristotle?
FG: Aristotle
AP: Kkk chillin
SC: Im going ontological and god as creator if thats right
EM: Ok thats not terrible if they come up, wanted ma boy plato though
AP: I really dont mind any of philosophy but not god as creator
FG: I was hoping cosmological?
AP: I wanted paleys watch but that was too optimistic
EM: All the ones i havent done properly have come up apart from science and religion, which is scary
SC: The 2 i know quotes for arent there ffs haha
EM: Can i use ‘good will shines forth like precious jewel’ for kant in ethics?
SC: Yeah
AP: I literally havent even looked at genetic engineering!!!! Scared 😦
FG: I know a long teleological quote, i want that to come up
AP: Quite honestly, im going to fail
EM: Mee too
AP: Seriously id be better off not turning up
EM: Gonna die
AP: Its gonna be horrific
SC: Im gonna bring snacks for that six min break haha
AP: Cant seem to find all my revision for ethics, theres an issue
FG: So funny how we have a six minute break i dont quite understand
SC: Wonder why six not five
AP: Hahaha
FG: We wont leave the room
EM: Omg gals this time tomorrow we’ll have finished philo!!! Woooo
AP: No guys ive lost all my ethics
AP: No ono
AP: well im failing ethics.
