He was upset we didn't have coffee (the brewer was broken). When he found out I was in charge, he took it upon himself to start giving me a bad time. He ordered a beverage, then decided he wanted a different size and ultimately decided he wanted it iced. So as I'm re-making the beverage for the third time, he asks me my name.
"Kate," I answer warily.
"You from Columbus, Kate?"
"No, I'm from just outside of Portland, Oregon."
To which he replies (verbatim): "Oregon, huh? Well, you must be a tree-hugging liberal, then. Are you voting for Barack Obama?"
I was stunned. I was shocked that that kind of ignorance actually existed. I mean, he was totally serious.
I wasn't insulted; I happen to think environmental awareness is a key issue, I think Obama is the man for the job and they're both things I'm proud to say.
But why are people so obsessed with labels?
Even right after he said it, I came up with more than several unflattering terms for this particular gentleman, none of which I'm proud of, so I won't repeat them.
I'm currently reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, in which he suggests that name-calling and labeling are the most basic and crudest manifestations of our unconscious' need to feel superior to others. By making someone a "this" or a "that", we make ourselves "feel better" by placing ourselves above them.
There's no point. There's no purpose to making yourself superior. There's no purpose in being superior to anyone, because it's impossible. We're all the same in the eyes of God.
How did I respond? I smiled smugly and replied "I'm not allowed to discuss politics while I'm working." According to Mr. Tolle (I'm totally paraphrasing, because I can't find the particular pages I'm looking for), lack of retaliation is the most effective response in regards to the positive upkeep of one's spirit. It really resonated with me when I read that.
It's beautiful outside. I'm going to the pool.
No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
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