excused myself from class 20 min. early today

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Our topic today was "social construction of reality." It disturbed and disgusted me to learn that even things that are considered "traditional," such as diamonds in engagement rings, are in fact products of carefully planned manipulation of the general public by people who wanted to make money. We also discussed deodorant and pomegranates.

We then talked about things that have no value in society that would be really important if one was lost in the woods, and things that are supposedly important in society that would be useless in the woods.

Since I have pretty much lived in the woods outside of town for the past few weeks, I figure I have a REALLY good grasp of the concept. Well, then the instructor put us in groups and had us list five things we have seen this morning that would be useless if we were out in the woods, and then come up with a product or service that either doesn't exist or is currently considered of little to no value in our society, and think of ways to manipulate society into believing it's a necessity.

So we get into our groups and these people have NO CLUE about what you do an do not need in the woods. I could have given them about 50 things instead of 5, but they didn't want to listen to me, even though I was being nice and friendly and not at all pushy or bossy. I tried to explain to them that I had in fact just spent last night in the woods, and they just looked at me funny and asked why I would want to do something like that. I said that it was fun (I did not add that I am so sick of people and society that I have to be out there to keep my sanity).

Then for the product or service, they wanted to promote toothpicks, which, although inexpensive, are a very useful tool for many people already in social situations. I thought we should do something really off-the-wall like boogers or something, to illustrate the point that people will buy absolutely *anything* if the media tells them it's cool enough. They ignored me, and the whole assignment, and spent the alloted discussion time chattering away about non-class-related stuff. I could feel my NT facade rapidly slipping, and I told the instructor I needed to leave class because I wasn't feeling well (which was the truth). As I left, one of my group said something about "don't catch any diseases out there in the woods."

I am sickened by the whole "social construction of reality" concept in general and my group's actions in particular. Thank God we aren't graded in any way on our group exercises, or I'd have been even more upset.

OK, now that I have gotten this off my chest and taken a Xanax, I think I can make it through the rest of the day in this insane, extroverted, NT world in which I exist. I am going to try to get calmed down enough to get some homework done before my next class. Right now, I am really feeling down on the world. Any comments, especially cheerful ones, would be most welcomed. Thank you!

I agree, our society is totally messed up. When you really think about it, if you don't by a wedding ring that is diamond and ample, it will appear misfit in society (at this point) and even knowing that it is a arbitrary sham, this doesn't effect the decision of purchasing a wedding ring. It's an abused culture we live in. Lol, next time I see a diamon wedding ring I'll have to remember saying something like "oh a diamond, that's original." Culture can bend both ways, join me in my hipster-esk rebuttle! =P


I think this translates to: "I don't notice anything odd about you, so much so that I percieve you a peer and am willing to joke with you." I would say that your veil is well in place. Or maybe it translated to, "It's a bit odd that he's leaving so abruptly, I better say something to him to give him a chance to prove his happy disposition." Either way it doesn't register as a comment of malice with me.

This other comment isn't entirely cheerful, but maybe important. One of the problems with using boogers as an off-the-wall idea is that long ago, the idea of boogers alone was enough to constitute as humorous when we were younger. Once we grow out of that, making any reference, even a thoughtful one, to such a subject becomes inapplicable as humorous/off-the-wall. That's just my take on it, I don't have any citations or what not.

Also, it seems like you wanted to derive pleasure from the exercise. The pleasure must come from having the submission meet a standard of yours (humorous/ interesting/ creative at least). This desire of yours departed from the desires of your group mates (to submit a tenable idea meeting the minimum criteria for approval by the instructor). And so, the situation seems in essence that your hopes for satisfaction were stomped on by the fact that your desires were different from the desires of the group. As it were (and I'd say should be), the desires of the majority are satisfied in the sacrifice of the minority. Using rhetoric, you may be able to pull off the submission of an off-the-wall group assignment, but only once you've convinced the majority of the idea's merit. Simply being convinced of the merit yourself isn't enough. I too desire that group exercises meet my own personal standards, but I try not to get my hopes up about this stuff. And I try not to let it make me feel defeated when the group doesn't agree with my ideas. If the group decides to do it their lethargic way, I'm fine with it. After all, the group assignment is for the group, not for the one.

I know exactly how this feels. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the whole 'I need to take a break from class right now' thing till this last year, and most of the time I try not to use it cause of certain consequences at home.

Recently I had a similar project which involved working in a group to form an argument on whether flag-burning was within our First Amendment rights, and then debate it at the end of the week. Worst. Experience. Ever. No one in my group did any work and all they did was goof-off during the debate. When it was finally my turn up at the podium (even after I requested to remain sitting and flatly denied) I made a complete and utter fool of myself and forget ALL the research I did. Of course the moment I sat down the other team started jeering at me and I remembered everything I was going to say. The debate was lost horribly and I started to have a very bad attack afterward. Went to my internship told my supervisor I was having an attack then left for the nurse's office.

Your project sounds surprisingly simple to me, and that they couldn't come up with things they had seen that morning that would be useless in the wood is really surprising. I mean I could list off 5 things sitting around here right now. I would have loved to have seen some sort of advertisement for boogers. That would be so freakin' funny.

Relating to the thing they said to you, are you not more likely to become sick in a populated area then in the woods? Especially if you know how to live in them. If they ever say that again perhaps you could tell them some interesting facts about whats in the things they think are useful in everyday life. I shudder to think of the chemicals placed in some of those cosmetics.

(By the way I find the fact that you spend time out in the woods to escape society totally cool. I've always dreamed of doing that but have never actually gone through with it.)

When my late wife was still living,
I Made her a ring out of a silver
spoon's handle and an old diamond
that Grandma gave me.

Tammy loved it and when she heard
I made it, it means more to her and
she would not let it go or put it down
for Anything. She'd kick someone's
bum first before putting it down
or letting go of it.

When she showed it to her mum
she said "Mama!! Look what Tigger made for me!"

That's reassuring; thank you. BTW, I'm a she, but I come across as a he a lot of the time, so I'm not very concerned about it.



That was exactly my point. Booger references are immature and gross, but the media can tell the "sheeple" that *anything* is cool, and they will buy into it.



Yes, I want to have fun and be productive. The rest of the group was apathetic. I admit that I still have a long way to go as far as being able to work in groups.