People: one of the many reasons I don’t like going out in public. More specifically, people whose voices carry their moronic conversations over to my ears and make me want to perform a chopstick lobotomy. If I’m not part of your conversation, but can still hear every word of it, you are too loud. If I am responding to your rhetorical questions a table away, you are too loud. As fun as it is to make sarcastic commentary that you can’t hear because I know what an “inside voice” is, I would still prefer that you have your conversation and I have mine. I didn’t come out to a restaurant to be inundated with stupid from every table around me.
This weekend I was sitting a table away from a particularly loud-mouthed 20-something. She had just graduated college, so naturally she knew everything about everything. She was in the process of explaining the ways of the world to her mother and younger brother when she came upon the subject of the metro. The metro really isn’t that bad, she explained, but you do have to deal with the occasional creep who tries to hit on you, or worse, cop a feel on a crowded train. As an expert on the topic, she took a moment to explain to her mother and brother just how annoying it is to be hit on by strangers, because nobody really understands it quite as well as she does. “It’s not just that you are getting hit on,” she explained further, “it’s that it is always by these ‘gross’ people, like working class, blue-collar people, like people who are in a lower social class — I know that sounds bad,” she acknowledged, “but you know what I mean,” she defended.
You know what a good thing to do is when something sounds bad out loud? Don’t say it! Especially when your voice is a shout and 20 people are going to hear you. Or, even better, take a second to think about why it sounds bad (because there is probably a very good reason!) and then maybe think about what you really mean and rephrase your elitist, ignorant comment before it comes tumbling out of the loudspeaker that is your mouth.
Being in the ‘working class’ does not make you gross, nor does it make you a womanizer. Don’t stereotype every working class guy into your image of the construction worker who cat calls women as they pass. Working class men aren’t inmates in a men’s prison, starved of regular exposure to the female population. They have wives and girlfriends just like everyone else. They are not automatically interested in you because they perform manual labor. Grabbing a girl’s ass on the metro makes you gross. Leering down someone’s blouse makes you a creep. It doesn’t matter if you are wearing coveralls or an $800 suit.
Would she prefer that only CEOs and college professors ogle and grope her on the metro? Yes, that is so flattering and romantic! *Swoon* Who gives a shit what he does for a living – a creep is a creep! Here is an idea for you – repeat what you just said next time you are on the metro – you might get hit, but I promise you won’t get hit on. Problem solved!
Glad I got that off my chest! Now it’s your turn! Vent about the biggest idiot you encountered this week in a post, then share the link in the link-up below anytime between now and Sunday. Don’t forget to include this badge in the post! (Get the badge code on the Idiot of the Week tab). Check back at the end of the day on Monday to see who had the most likes!
Is Everyone an Idiot but Me? 
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Few people are more annoying then a twenty something academic know it all pontificating loudly in public.
so true
Can’t agree more.
Also really annoying: overhearing phone conversations. Why talk about your sex life or your psychiatric history loudly in the train?
Agreed! I refuse to talk on the phone on a bus or train because I know 20 people can hear even in my quiet voice.
Exactly why I don’t go out. I have an ongoing war with reclusion, while Mathair’s kind of the face of Inion N. Mathair. But, I just can’t stand belligerent, rude people and have a problem holding my tongue when I hear their belligerent rude mouths. Stereotyping the working class seems to be a very popular thing right now, even in the mass media, which I think is peculiar given how poorly the economy’s doing. Love your rants! Keep ’em coming.
Good point! Thanks for reading and commenting!
watch Miss Piggy here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfVsyZ_Zl3A
Haha, that is awesome
🙂
As I was reading this, I remembered that scene from THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN, where Miss Piggy is whistled at by construction workers as she is spying on Kermit. (See, you never know what memories your posts will evoke in your readers!)
And let’s face it – the 20-something in the restaurant? She was bragging and probably likes the groping despite what socioeconomic class the groper belongs.
haha you already know how I feel about people who brag about getting hit on: https://iseveryoneanidiotbutme.com/2013/07/02/once-upon-a-time-some-guy-honked-at-me-and-we-lived-happily-ever-after/
I loved that post. I read it out loud to my husband and he was cracking up.
haha I love it!
Want to wratchet-up the ole’ anger a little bit? Listen to one of those loud inane conversations on a cell phone. It make the top of my head pop off and stick to the ceiling. Why can’t everyone be as sensible as you and I? Behaving in public: it’s not that hard.
Girls who are recent college grads all have a social disease. It’s called vocal fry (laryngealisation). Listen to them yammer. As they get about midway through a sentence, their voice will suddenly trail down a few octaves and they’ll speak in a guttural growl. It’s an actual condition. Look it up if you don’t believe me. Now that I’ve pointed it out, you’re going to hear it everywhere. You’re welcome!
I think I know what you are talking about, it’s like, you must be trying to sound like that on purpose…but why??
I don’t EVER say LOL because I think it’s dumb. But LOL-ing happened at my house when I read this. FYI.
Hahaha I am so honored to have made you LOL, against all odds. Thanks for reading!
I;ve been the biggest idiot I’ve encountered this week so hopefully someone overheard me and can report back to you.
haha, I’ve been my own Idiot of the Week several times, posting about yourself is totally allowed
“You know what a good thing to do is when something sounds bad out loud? Don’t say it!” Exactly. Thank you.
See, it’s conventional wisdom! If she knows so much, how did she miss that life lesson? haha
Her brain must have been too full with all the other knowledge
ah, good point!
Recent grads are so cute the way they think they have the whole world figured out. Funny you should mention trains, because I remember riding on the El once and seeing a college-age girl whose family was clearly visiting her for the weekend. She hissed to her little brother, “This is the *big* city. Don’t talk to ANYONE.” Yeah, ok.
I may have to join your blog hop this weekend. There are a lot of idiots in my town who I could talk about. ;D
Hahaha, I would have loved to overhear that. Yay please do join, I love hearing about idiots far and wide haha.