What is the best kind of government?
Needless to say, Public Policy didn't go well that day. We had to take a test, and when I read the first question, I couldn't figure out the answer. I read the question over and over again, but there must have been a typo. Something was terribly wrong with the question.
Which of the following is NOT a reason for the proliferation of interest groups in the United States?
A. social diversity
B. governmental fragmentation
C. limited government
D. the weakness of political parties
All of a sudden, I realized what was wrong. I raised my hand, and Professor Higgins rushed over to me. "What is it, Ryan?" she asked, clearly exasperated already.
"I think there's an error in the question," I said to my professor. "None of those answers are reasons for the proliferation of interest groups in the United States, because interest groups aren't real."
"What are you talking about?" Professor Higgins asked.
"More accurately, they might be real, but they might not be," I explained. "There's no way to prove that interest groups are real, or that there are many of them, as opposed to only a few. Have you ever heard of epistemological solipsism, Professor?"
"Ryan, I don't have time for this, and neither do you," Professor Higgins said. "Just take your test." She walked away, leaving me alone to stare at my test without truly understanding a single word on that page. I didn't know what to do, so I selected the first answer and moved on.
The rest of the test didn't go any better, and when my grades were posted online later that day, I saw that I was failing Public Policy. It was clear that I had a problem on my hands. I had never failed a class before, and I wasn't about to start now. I needed to get help, but I had no idea who could help me. Professor Higgins wasn't exactly sympathetic, and I wasn't friends with anyone in that class. Studying on my own hadn't done me any good in Public Policy. What was I supposed to do?
I was still pondering that question on Tuesday, when I headed to the Pendragon Center once again for a Guyliner Club meeting. I found the rest of the Guyliner Club sitting in a circle, gossiping about their classes and the Greek Friendship Society, among other things.
"Hey Ryan," Pete said as I sat down next to him.
"Hi Pete," I replied.
"I was just telling Laura, Gerard, and Frank about my statistics class," Pete said. "It's my favorite class this semester, mostly because there's this really hot guy who sits in front of me. He's the nicest person I know, he has this amazing soul voice, and did I mention that he's adorable?"
"Pete, we get it," Laura said. "You think that this guy in your stats class is hot. What's his name?"
"Oh right, I forgot to tell you that," Pete said. "His name is Patrick. Isn't that such a cute name?"
"It's kind of cute," Frank admitted. "I don't think anything can beat Gerard though."
"Thanks Frank," Gerard said. "You're the best."
"Do any of you guys happen to know him?" Pete asked.
"No," Laura said.
"I don't think so," Frank said.
"I recognize the name," Gerard said. "Maybe he was at a Greek Friendship Society party once? I don't remember all that well."
"Wait, are you talking about Patrick Stump?" I asked. I hadn't exactly been paying attention to Pete's gushing. Then again, I wasn't the only member of the Guyliner Club who wasn't listening.
YOU ARE READING
The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know
Fanfiction"Who do you think you are - some sort of modern day Socrates?" "Don't you know who I think I am, Brendon?" Ryan Ross has always wanted to study philosophy. Everyone he knows thinks that he'll never get a job, but that won't stop Ryan from dreaming...