One of the things lawyers say about law school is that it "changes the way you think". I wasn't sure what this meant before I went – think logically? think clearly? think rigorously? It didn't seem like those would be unique to law school.

But even as a light dusting of impatience settles across my 2L brain, I must admit these folks were right. Somewhat to my surprise, and occasionally to my horror, in the last few months I've found myself questioning longtime positions I've had on certain topics, and finding complexity / ambiguity in issues I thought were simple.

I attribute this change to the effects of becoming generally more interested in methodologies than results. And I blame law school for it.

Honestly, it's annoying. Friends and family have become suspicious of me. Children & animals do not love me intuitively as they once did. Just the other evening I issued the preposterous conjecture "I don't know, would it really be so bad if Roe and Casey were overturned?"

I miss those simple days down on the farm.

18 Mar 06