One of the communities I belong to is the theatre community.
After rehearsal on Wednesday a few of us went out for a meal. We told stories, we laughed, and sure, sometimes we swore.
Well, a woman asked one of my friends if he would watch his mouth or move. He politely said to her, why doesn’t she move? She froze in place and with an overly exaggerated huff walked off. Who was right?
Well I admire my friend for standing up for his rights of free speech in the face of a person who was trying to take them away. We had just as much right to carry on as she did to sit in peace. The way I see it, since she was not bothering us, and we were not bothering us, it seems she was the only one bothered, and thus my friend was right to ask her to move.
As for what i learned, different communities have different norms. A situation that would be considered normal for us, being loud, cursing, and carrying on is not seen as normal for others. But does that mean we were in the wrong? Can a community be judged because there actions do not fall in line with that of another's? Who is to say who's norms are right and wrong. I could have felt that she was disrespecting her guests by not talking with them, but i did not.
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10 comments:
Matt
Sorry, but I can't allow obscenity in class postings. Seriously. Read the syllabus.
Now, to the substance of your blog -- what did you learn about your community, per the assignment?
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Edits have been made to this blog in order to protect the fragil well being of all thoes who read.
Looking out for the little guy,
-M. Austen Gilbertson
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You make an interesting point, but I would have to say that when you're out in public, you have to at least try to be polite and follow the basic social rules.
If you're all together in a private place, cuss all you want, but think of others.
What if you wanted someone to stop behaving in a way that you found wrong?
How would you react if they dtold you off like that?
Just a few things to consider. . .
Theatre community = mean to little old ladies? What? Who said that? I’d say more, but I’m afraid you’d tell me to go away.
You know, I feel somewhat the same way, especially at movie theaters. I have a friend who is ridiculously tall. On several occasions, he has gone to a movie and sat down. But then a family with little kids will sit RIGHT BEHIND HIM, and then soon ask him to move. Ask him to move? Didn’t they note how tall he is when they were sitting down? I continue to advise him not to move when this happens because he was there first, and it isn’t his fault that those people lack perception.
However, your situation and my friend’s situation does differ. Swearing isn’t always a norm, especially when done loudly. It depends on the time and place; if you’re in a bar at midnight with a bunch of drunk buddies, it may be acceptable. However, in a public place such as Perkins (day or night) loud swearing isn’t happily accepted. It isn’t accepted because there are many other people that come to Perkins not feeling the need to swear loud.
From what I see, I thinking if you would have been swearing less often and less loud, your group wouldn’t have been approached. However, you do have the right to freedom of speech, so in the end we are both correct.
i would have to say i see your point and i think kathrine helped prove your point with her story as well. however, i would also agree with the many post that it is unnecessary for language to be used in a public setting at least not to the extent of interfering with another.
what exactly was the community you were informing about though?
I also think that there is a time and a place for obcenitites. Maybe at a bar or sporting events? For sure not around older women and children. That might make me sound old fashion, but I think it's just respectful.
I agree with you when you say that different communities have different norms. I also agree with other comments that there should be a time and a place for obsenities, its important i feel to be respectful to other people while out in the community.
It was fun to hear about your community- and that you chose something so unique! This is just another example of how there are so many communities around us. Kudos on your blog~
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