Mean people exist - it's a cultural universal. Where 2 or more are gathered, there is a high probability that one of these persons will be a nasty bitch at some point.
We expect this level of animosity among the rich and famous; that is, after all, what we are exposed to on TV everyday. Lou Dobbs, Judge Judy, Rosie O'Donnell when dieting ... the inner bitch becomes a media stunt to draw in viewers who are captivated by the cantankerous and cranky.
But what about the average Joe & Jane? Are we crabby with each other simply to appease our own personal audience? What benefit do we receive by being ill-tempered?
DC has its fair share of quarrels and spats, as was demonstrated to me in the past couple of weeks:
-CVS-PMS: One evening at a CVS a very disgruntled woman was anxiously waiting in line to check out. Due to some confusion by the manager and other store clerks, some customers were waiting longer than usual. Livid beyond imagination, she began chucking her items this way and that, kicking things across the floor, and stomped out. Wow- no need to get that upset about over-priced gum and Aleve!
-Giant bitch: While waiting in line to check out at a Giant food store, my cashier began speaking to another customer in line using her native language (not English). A short, grisly old white lady looked at both of them and indignantly asked in condescending tones -- "What country am I in???" Shocking ...
-Metro blockade: A man with 3 extra-large suitcases held a train at Union Station an extra minute during rush hour while propping the car doors open and laboriously hauling his stuff on to the train. He pushed his suitcases to the back of the train, cornering me and my friend in our seats so that we couldn't get up. My friend, in a fit of laughter at the audacity of this man's inconsiderateness, began to draw the attention of several people on the train. Suitcase man looked at one of the male passengers and growled "Stop looking at me, or I'll claw your fucking eyes out". Whoa.
.... So what fuels this phenomenon?
Maybe it's fear. Fear of feeling inferior and unappreciated, fear of diversity and sacrificing privilege, and fear of embarrassment and the opinions of others. We are mean to others because we feel ... and we feel because we are mean ...
... average or otherwise.
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2 comments:
Your grisly old Giant lady reminded me of the explanations West Virginia voters gave as why they didn't vote for Obama. The theme seemed to be: I'm not one a-them racists or nuthin', I just don't think black people are fit to hold office.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODaxZSz3Awg
My husband has a friend. One of those "conspiricy theorists". One of those fellows who seems harmless enough, yet after one too many brewskis starts talking about who shot JFK and exactly what caliber of weaponry we need to take out the bridge leading into our neighborhood when the revoltion begins. It just so happens we ended up at an all night chinese buffet and sushi bar with us one evening. (my kids only like the place because they get to flirt with all the pretty asian women....I think they get that from their dad...although there is this one chick there that I would love to..oh nevermind..back to my story...)
From the table next to us comes this boisterous family discussion (all in spanish) which leads our conspiricy theorist friend to start a really wonderful tirade about how this is america and how we should all just "get along".
Quite a few heated words were passed back and forth. In several languages I might add since my husband had to step in and explain (in chinese) to the waitress what was happening...which got the theorist all excited again...sigh.
needless to say, all those years working as a bouncer at a gay bar really paid off for me when it became apparent to me that it was up to me to forceably remove mr conspiracy from the resteraunt before the guys tried to out macho each other even farther.
quite embarrassing. the baby ate all my sushi while I was removing the guy too. does it say something about us when our youngest sons first word was sushi?
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