It's astounding (and really quite scary) to see how quickly people jump to conclusions - and this is when I'm quite happy to be borderline OCD, as it doesn't prevent me from working and living normally, but I check (and double-check) important things. When I post a comment, I make sure that I've read the article properly (and sometimes Paranoid-me does a bit of checking in order to make sure that I'm not being conned into having a strong reaction to some moving topic - yep! I'm that kind of nutty/weird), and I check what I typed.
There are sooooooooooo many bipeds jumping to conclusions now, that I can't decide if our modern gadgets have done something to their brains, or if we get to see this phenomenon more clearly and quickly, and widely, as the Internet allows us to read worldwide reactions at the speed of a demented neutrino.
As well, the number of bipeds rushing to post any comment, just for the rush of being "the first" is somewhat worrying. Life isn't a competition, guys! We're all going to die and return to Mother Earth, one way or the other; typing: 'First to comment!' and adding nothing to a thread is childish - and I'm being veeeeeeery kind.
What's scary, too, is that it's not only young bipeds who are jumping to conclusions. It truly is an intergenerational issue.
What prompted this post was a piece of news that I read (somewhere on the net). It sparked some sexism and some jumping to conclusions, as well.
It was about a High School student who went to her Prom in North Carolina in red jeans and was kicked out by a teacher because that bully thought that she had the right to impose her own Dress Code upon this young lady. The student's mother managed to have the school's headmistress admit that there was no dress code, and that was clearly stated in the article I read.
Now, let's head to the comment section, shall we? Comment #1: "She should have followed the dress code!" (I paraphrase, but that was it).
Other comments were on the side of the victim of academic bullying, but quite a few seemed to be judging the victim - a young woman - for daring to wear trousers (fake gasp!!!) at a dance.
This kind of sexism is quite annoying in 2014. Women are still supposed to wear dresses in some occasions.
I love my skirts, but when it's cold, I wear trousers, and the first to tell me that it's against some dress code would be invited to kindly go to hell and mind "its" own business.
The amount of sexism bugged me, but the fact that some commenters blamed the victim because she didn't follow the dress code (the one that does not exist!!!), that took the cake. All that because bipeds read a headline, maybe a few words in the article, and they jumped to conclusions as they applied what happens in a lot of Proms, where there is a dress code (plus that idiotic belief that a woman must wear a dress in certain situations)...
But then again, just this month, we were treated to a fantastic demonstration of massive jumping to conclusions with this. Some bipeds really need to pay attention if they don't want to look like utter fools all around cyberspace (and perhaps in Real Life, too).
That (very!) strangely reminded me of something a student asked as I was teaching his class how to write a curriculum vitae or résumé that wouldn't be tossed into the dustbin upon reception (though I probably made that association because I somehow think that people jumping to conclusions aren't paying attention to details - or just not paying attention, full stop). About their choice of title (and particularly about its British or American spelling), that student asked, 'Is it really important?' Now, I must say that I wasn't in a good mood and I growled, 'First, do you think I would bother to mention something useless? And then, it's up to you: either you send something that looks professional or you look like a fool. It's your life.'
I can't decide if we're dealing with laziness, sheer stupidity or something else, but I can't help wondering what the world would be like if bipeds paid attention and they didn't jump to conclusions so quickly.
There are sooooooooooo many bipeds jumping to conclusions now, that I can't decide if our modern gadgets have done something to their brains, or if we get to see this phenomenon more clearly and quickly, and widely, as the Internet allows us to read worldwide reactions at the speed of a demented neutrino.
As well, the number of bipeds rushing to post any comment, just for the rush of being "the first" is somewhat worrying. Life isn't a competition, guys! We're all going to die and return to Mother Earth, one way or the other; typing: 'First to comment!' and adding nothing to a thread is childish - and I'm being veeeeeeery kind.
What's scary, too, is that it's not only young bipeds who are jumping to conclusions. It truly is an intergenerational issue.
What prompted this post was a piece of news that I read (somewhere on the net). It sparked some sexism and some jumping to conclusions, as well.
It was about a High School student who went to her Prom in North Carolina in red jeans and was kicked out by a teacher because that bully thought that she had the right to impose her own Dress Code upon this young lady. The student's mother managed to have the school's headmistress admit that there was no dress code, and that was clearly stated in the article I read.
Now, let's head to the comment section, shall we? Comment #1: "She should have followed the dress code!" (I paraphrase, but that was it).
Other comments were on the side of the victim of academic bullying, but quite a few seemed to be judging the victim - a young woman - for daring to wear trousers (fake gasp!!!) at a dance.
This kind of sexism is quite annoying in 2014. Women are still supposed to wear dresses in some occasions.
I love my skirts, but when it's cold, I wear trousers, and the first to tell me that it's against some dress code would be invited to kindly go to hell and mind "its" own business.
The amount of sexism bugged me, but the fact that some commenters blamed the victim because she didn't follow the dress code (the one that does not exist!!!), that took the cake. All that because bipeds read a headline, maybe a few words in the article, and they jumped to conclusions as they applied what happens in a lot of Proms, where there is a dress code (plus that idiotic belief that a woman must wear a dress in certain situations)...
But then again, just this month, we were treated to a fantastic demonstration of massive jumping to conclusions with this. Some bipeds really need to pay attention if they don't want to look like utter fools all around cyberspace (and perhaps in Real Life, too).
That (very!) strangely reminded me of something a student asked as I was teaching his class how to write a curriculum vitae or résumé that wouldn't be tossed into the dustbin upon reception (though I probably made that association because I somehow think that people jumping to conclusions aren't paying attention to details - or just not paying attention, full stop). About their choice of title (and particularly about its British or American spelling), that student asked, 'Is it really important?' Now, I must say that I wasn't in a good mood and I growled, 'First, do you think I would bother to mention something useless? And then, it's up to you: either you send something that looks professional or you look like a fool. It's your life.'
I can't decide if we're dealing with laziness, sheer stupidity or something else, but I can't help wondering what the world would be like if bipeds paid attention and they didn't jump to conclusions so quickly.
3 comments:
Thank you for this, I was helping on our election event happening in school today and a 2nd year (age 12ish) took a voting form, voted and then came back to put it folded in my box and asked 'What do I win miss?' I managed to keep a straight face as I pointed out it was a election and not a prize draw, but I am not sure he was convinced! I shared this later when all the kids had gone and we fell about laughing!
On reflection it seems sad that kids expect a draw or a treat to do anything extra in their world, but then I may be jumping to conclusions! ;-)
;) Nah, you're not jumping to conclusions. You're observing weirdness first-hand, that's all.
It's a tad scary that he doesn't know what an election is. By 12ish, my relatives had taken me with them when they cast their ballots several times.
You know, I fear I wouldn't be surprised if some people (whatever their age) expected a form of "payment" for doing their duty - but perhaps my pessimism is showing on this grey Monday...
Right... off to work to tell a colleague that one of our problem kids is expecting to pass just for showing to class (but not doing what I asked, and after making a mess several times). I expect to be asked to "do something to help the kid". *not a happy bunny right now*
I read somewhere once that for some people, jumping to conclusions is the only exercise they get ... I think that that may be true, Sis. Oh, and I haven't figured out if they jump to their conclusions out of laziness - too lazy to read properly or research - or stupidity. I don't suppose we'll ever really know the answer. ~Mikee
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