Tuesday, November 17, 2009

A thin line

Someone I respect once told me that I need to clarify my boundaries. Since this time I've often wondered where boundaries lay in social interactions. For example, I'll present this situation. A professor with who you have class informs you of a position available in his office complex. You start working there and every Thursday the office goes out for after work drinks. People joke, drink, smoke, and flirt. Next semester, he's the only one offering the class you need. You take his class and he is no longer Prof. Right and Proper , you now know him as Joe Shmoe who knocks back a few too many and says inappropriate things. Where does the boundary lay?

These kind of situations are never black and white in terms of answers. They are many shades of grey...and it is in the grey that the boundaries get lost.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Citychick, I think it comes back to the behavior in regards to certain social norms...He is who is outside the class, and if that what makes him happy, so be it. But @ work, he is professor...If he really acts like a complete a-hole, I would record some of his "late night" antics and held it against him, just in case...:)))

Linda said...

haha lol @ nick. i pretty much agree. i'm not sure about the blackmailing part though lol.

Vic said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vic said...

What's two words, two syllables, and is worth two grand?

BLACK-MAIL.

I agree with Nick. I am deferential to most professors inside the classroom, and refer them to Professor or Doctor, but when I'm out of school, I go by first names. Same with bosses. The latter like it like that- at least the ones I've dealt with.

Hm, maybe that's why nobody wants to write me a recommendation for law school.

CHRIS said...

Sounds like a common thing

i would take the class because you know thats a easy A, but the student teacher relationship needs to have its boundaries in the classroom.

my manger is pretty young and once in a we will go out for drinks but we keep it professional at work u know.

Anonymous said...

Hey Hey who said anything about BlackMail?!?
Maybe she likes to record the fun she has when going out & by some chance happen to watch it with this Professor's boss one night? Or sends accidental email??
Who knows...

CityChick said...

So the situation was completely hypothetical, I was just intrested to see what people would say. Obviously the situation applies in a number of cases like boss/friend. or maybe your friends ex who after many years is now a friend. I'm just saying that boundaries are funny little things