I have
always claimed to have a technologically enhanced passive aggressive force field (TEPAFF) that is comprised of my iPod, cell phone, book (now iPad),
and either a hat or shades, or the combination of the two. The goal of this is to prevent human
interaction unless it is absolutely necessary.
I later observed that another purpose of this is to avoid a breech of
ideology that is incompatible with mine unless that breech is invited. I did not however have this insight on my
own. I'm introspective but I am yet to
achieve that level of self-actualization.
Instead it was at a moment where I wished for a camera (I dabble in
photography too). I sat in the hallway
of Hilbun Hall after a Medical Microbiology exam (I love Medicine so I
occasionally take medical classes). The
demography makeup of a class is an immediate observation. Then I watch as patterns emerge. This class was comprised of:
1
uber-conservative Southern Baptist (I say that because she informed of this the
first day as a disclaimer to some of her future comments and view points.)
Professor who felt the need to expound how the immune system was proof of God
and who actually expected students to answer the exam question, "why is
the cost of pharmaceuticals justifiable?"
1 black,
female continuing education student who has been told she is too smart for her
own good. (Guess who that was).
1 white
female student who said she is Catholic because it is the only religion
"flexible enough" to adjust to her individual beliefs.
1 black
male student who felt the Daily Show was offensive, stupid, and needed to be
taken off the air. He also said it wasn't funny.
1 white
female nursing student who needed the course before she could continue at MUW.
2 black
female students seeking entry into any nursing program.
1 white
female student from Belzoni, who was the daughter of a man I came in contact
with everyday as the office manager at the clinic, but had never seen because
Belzoni remains that segregated. *Side
note I love when I meet white people from the first time. Depending on my mood, I feel the need to say,
"Hey, isn't funny that we grew up in the same town and had to leave that
town to meet?"
Now the
picture perfect moment that made me realize that more and more people carry a
technologically enhanced passive aggressive force-field and to what end it was being used for
happened as we awaited the last people's finishing the test. (For those of you
who are curious it was the two unclassified black girls...not necessarily
racist just a fact.) This was a summer
session and after the test we would have another hour of lecturing. As I sat there with my iPod blaring French
pop singer Camille and Corneille, hoping to glean a bit more unapproachability,
I observed similar efforts in other students.
One
student had pulled her hat down over her face and plugged in her ear buds and
was texting. She had also gone to the
far side of the corridor closest to the exit and was leaning so that neither
the students in the hall nor the students and professor remaining in the
classroom was able to make eye contact with her. The catholic student and the Daily Show
dissenter were engaged in a conversation with each other, but they were
standing closer to the classroom facing each other. The nursing student never left the
class. Instead she pulled out her notes
and began to prepare for the pending lecture while listening to her iPod as
well. (I don't know that she was actually reading her notes, but I do know that
feigning intense academic diligence is a very effective means of deterring
interruption while simultaneously avoiding eye contacts with whom I like to
refer to as "undesirables." My
homie (the student from my hometown) stayed behind to quietly talk to the
professor.
Finally as the two young
ladies exited the classroom they both mean-mugged (sneared/glared) at the young
black man conversing with the young white woman. At this point I must tell you that these two
individuals' conversation appeared to be the most inviting. They were talking Biology in the Biology building. They were smiling. They're body language said hey come talk viruses and labs with us fellow nerds.
Nevertheless the two black students who
appeared to share their distaste in a conversation between a white female
student and a black male student that neither of us would ever date (not gonna
get into that), did not sit and speak to me (I after all participate in class
discussions, finished the test first and was listening to French music - Weird)
nor did they speak with each other. Instead they sat right next to each other,
buried their heads in their phones and began to text.
Now you
may be asking yourself why does she remember this day so vividly. Could it be the D I got the exam for my
failure to fully understand the financial commitment made by pharmaceutical
companies in Research and Development? Was it that it was the beginning of the
end of one of my sexiest summers before the graduate school weight gain
began. No, it was the imagery. It was the fact that if I hadn't looked up
everyone involved would have been totally unaware of how technology and the
interaction order (Google it) worked together to create a living &
breathing still shot of human indifference and my own misanthropic avoidance
techniques. Its also because it’s the Theresa Story I tell whenever someone
questions what my TPAFF is and how are they breeching it.
