Asklemmy

History.

I had a great teacher and it was my favourite subject. I wish I could've demonstrated more gratitude instead of feeling the need to act like I didn't like it for fear of being bullied about it by my classmates, and wish I applied myself more and wasn't held back by ADHD, but it was a well-earned B on the exam.

I didn't know it then, couldn't have, but it taught me critical thinking then and there through the simplistic exercises of looking at old political cartoons and recognising the biases and influences there and to see symbolism and metaphor and allegory not just as purely confined to the "entertainment art" realm, but as a core part of communication in general and a tool wielded in politics and propaganda.

Good timing too, that was during gamergate, two years later it'd be 2016 and the first time I would be exposed to targeted propaganda that had any chance in earnest. Growing up in Russia I had already known not to trust, but it was easy not to trust the weird revanchism of a country I never liked that much anyway, compared to loud young and relatable people on the internet, which was my one and only space to socialise back then due to being bullied and ostracized a lot in school.

Not sure if it counts as "High School" though, idk the American school system, I did History for what used to be called "GCSE" in the UK, it was year 11 for me, out of 13 years total in school.