Sad Stereotypes
Mar. 29th, 2005 07:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jaunthieThe musing subject for this morning's walk to the van was stereotypes. Specifically, the too-awful-to-be-true-and-yet stereotypes I've been smacked upside the head with over the last week.
First and foremost have been the bad-women-drivers-in-luxury-SUVs stereotype-types I've had to dodge in traffic over the past seven days. The first lady, "driving" (so to speak) a black BMW SUV, was swerving across two of the three lanes as she drove 24 MPH in a 35 MPH zone - because she was too busy applying her mascara to pay attention to the road. She nearly collided with two separate vehicles - leaving me and my vanpoolmates shaking our heads in disbelief (and staying well the heck away from her on the road). The second woman, driving alone in a huge Mercedes cream-colored SUV, blithely cut off our vanpool as she illegally pulled into the carpool lane, put on her turn signal to indicate that she was going to merge back into the near-stopped mainline traffic...then drove the entire length of the carpool lane, slowing down as she approached every turn where a police officer might be waiting to ticket lawbreakers by her - all the while yakking constantly on her hand-held cell phone. I've got news for you, honey: driving a Mercedes SUV and talking on the cell does not entitle you to use the carpool lane. (Moreover, cops don't have to catch you right in the act for you to get busted: one of my fellow vanpoolers got your plate so he could call it in to the report-violators line.) More to the point, ladies: you are confirming every negative cliche that could be said about your gender, your vehicular choice, and your general incompetence. Do us all a favor and get off the road until you learn how to drive; I don't need the extra confirmation that people really can be that stupid.
Speaking of stupid...the second really too-awful-to-be-true-and-yet embodiments of a stereotype: IMAX theater owners in science centers and educational complexes in the Southern U.S. refusing to show any scientific films that even hint at evolutionary theory. Yes, you read that right. You can read a brief article on it here or here. The jaw-dropping idea of science centers refusing to show a film that mentions evolution "out of concern that its references to evolution might offend those with fundamental religious beliefs" (that's a direct quote) is truly terrifying. And the lame excuse that "it wouldn't sell" when they're talking about a movie by James Cameron...well, to use a stereotype-appropriate saying, you could use that horsehockey to fertilize the back 40 and still have plenty left over for the kitchen garden. Gallileo would recognize your type, no question. You are confirming every negative cliche that could be said about your geographic area, your religion, and your general cowardice in the face of "popular" pressure. Do us all a favor: either educate, or find another line of work.
People. Sometimes you just have to wonder.
First and foremost have been the bad-women-drivers-in-luxury-SUVs stereotype-types I've had to dodge in traffic over the past seven days. The first lady, "driving" (so to speak) a black BMW SUV, was swerving across two of the three lanes as she drove 24 MPH in a 35 MPH zone - because she was too busy applying her mascara to pay attention to the road. She nearly collided with two separate vehicles - leaving me and my vanpoolmates shaking our heads in disbelief (and staying well the heck away from her on the road). The second woman, driving alone in a huge Mercedes cream-colored SUV, blithely cut off our vanpool as she illegally pulled into the carpool lane, put on her turn signal to indicate that she was going to merge back into the near-stopped mainline traffic...then drove the entire length of the carpool lane, slowing down as she approached every turn where a police officer might be waiting to ticket lawbreakers by her - all the while yakking constantly on her hand-held cell phone. I've got news for you, honey: driving a Mercedes SUV and talking on the cell does not entitle you to use the carpool lane. (Moreover, cops don't have to catch you right in the act for you to get busted: one of my fellow vanpoolers got your plate so he could call it in to the report-violators line.) More to the point, ladies: you are confirming every negative cliche that could be said about your gender, your vehicular choice, and your general incompetence. Do us all a favor and get off the road until you learn how to drive; I don't need the extra confirmation that people really can be that stupid.
Speaking of stupid...the second really too-awful-to-be-true-and-yet embodiments of a stereotype: IMAX theater owners in science centers and educational complexes in the Southern U.S. refusing to show any scientific films that even hint at evolutionary theory. Yes, you read that right. You can read a brief article on it here or here. The jaw-dropping idea of science centers refusing to show a film that mentions evolution "out of concern that its references to evolution might offend those with fundamental religious beliefs" (that's a direct quote) is truly terrifying. And the lame excuse that "it wouldn't sell" when they're talking about a movie by James Cameron...well, to use a stereotype-appropriate saying, you could use that horsehockey to fertilize the back 40 and still have plenty left over for the kitchen garden. Gallileo would recognize your type, no question. You are confirming every negative cliche that could be said about your geographic area, your religion, and your general cowardice in the face of "popular" pressure. Do us all a favor: either educate, or find another line of work.
People. Sometimes you just have to wonder.
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Date: 2005-04-03 07:08 am (UTC)As