A friend of mine asked me about the quality of those people at the clinical level, where I meet everyday. Let me put it this way — people here are sandwiched between grocery store salesperson and those who work at big company like Sprint. This is the worst part, because very often they have a little bit education, like two-year technical training, better than nothing, yet not high enough to move up. The dangerous part is with a few drops of water in their buckets, people are more likely to boast about their meager education and show undisguised contempt toward those they perceive as below them.

This is what I experienced not long ago. This is not a true revelation to me, but shocking enough for some people at my office.  Last Friday a question was posed to me as if I had not graduated from high school. I must look really dumb to many of them as I am friendly and good-natured, which could be ill-interpreted as being a dim-wit. This time I was fed up with the assumption that I had not even finished high school here, so I inadvertently told one of my colleagues to type in my name in full and do a yahoo search. That colleague was totally dumbfounded to learn of my level of education — unbelievable for a high school dropout to be a Ph.D holder.

I have been utterly amused observing the way some people talk to me at the office, imagining what is going on in their minds when they talk to me in a babyfeeding manner.  An interesting interval to an otherwise boring daily routine.  The contempt has never been concealed because some of them think it unnecessary since I have been considered too dumb to even comprehend any contempt shown on their faces.  

Normally I don’t bother to explain anything. I would rather have some peace of mind. I engage in intelligent conversations only to those who can appreciate it.  Otherwise, I avoid any chance of depreciating myself. It is so funny that an explanation is even necessary. I must be genuinely bored to death.

Will continue on the book Time Paradox tomorrow.
P.S. 7/12/2009 since that time, that colleague has been trying to avoid my eyes, as if she was a bit intimidated by something. Strange things do happen.