Saturday, December 13, 2008

the nature of my work environment

in a work place that is dominated by sexists and chauvanists, i admit that, aside from the fact that i don't like my work, it also makes my feet heavier to drag to the office. probably, in such profession that is predominantly for men, it is quite hard for me to look for a circle where i could talk things like these that i post here. although, i know that not all of them are one, i just observed that most of the time, these certain individuals who are not, are easily eaten up by the general norm.



i have 16 colleagues in our group, which is composed of a girl, a lesbian, a gay and the rest are heterosexual men. i have been to countless teams before. but i could say that this group is unique from the rest. being with them for almost half a year now, it just occured to me how stereotypes happened.

stereotypes are general characteristics identified to a certain group. but personally, i never believed in such. for me, it is wrong to identify one based from the group he belongs because no two persons are exactly alike. in other words, every individual is unique on their own.

my officemates' typical conversations include basketball, naruto, xbox, psp, beer drinking, girl hooking, girls, girls and more girls. personally, i really don't have problems about girl conversations. but if the topic is already over boarding to pervesion and "pambabastos." there is where my problems start.

regardless of gender, i just find it insulting as a person to hear remarks regarding someone being identified as an object (of sex and prestige). i hate it when people starts talking how big someone breasts, butts and even bulges are. i despise people who keep on putting themselves higher than anyone else just because they think they are better and treat people like things. worst, they don't even have what it takes. but along the entire conversation, what surprised me was how those people which i deemed not to be sexists nor chavaunist, started talking trash as well. it made me wonder.

two days later, i accidentally had the chance to talk to one of the most sexist and chauvanist colleauge.. i just learned that he is actually taking the same route that i take whenever i go home. surprisingly, not a single word regarding being what i perceived him to be came out of his mouth on our conversation. then it occured to me after we part ways that probably these stereotypes that we might have regarding certain groups are actually brought about by peer association and pressure.

given that each individual has their own characteristics, there is a possibility that by the time they are put into their group, each has the tendency to display these stereotypic characteristics.

call it peer pressure. but i call it a burden that still makes me drag myself to work and that is just another of my two cents.

13 comments:

aajao said...

i don't know if you can relate my comment to your post but i see you can make a good psychologist. ;)

Anonymous said...

negativitis- the most fatal and communicable disease..

STAY AWAY! and if you are infected, medicate.

dak/james said...

i think that to a certain extent we all harbor these characteristics. it's just that some are in the extremes... extremes of fullness and/or lack of such.

. said...

Perhaps you should pick the people you hang out with.

Sa office, kaya siguro intimidated sa akin ang mga tao kasi i don't really hang out with people. Mahirap, pero i'd rather be with the ones I can really engage in conversations.

Sprechtrel said...

Yeah, people do have the tendency to have different attitudes based on who are beside them, I experienced it myself. One of my close friends just become a chatterbox maggot who didn't care about hurting anyone's self-esteem. It's sad really, because he still acts normally, but he changes when his "new" friends are within his vicinity.

Allen Yuarata said...

well.. that's the problem with socializing. It's hard to get along with people.

KRIS JASPER said...

some humans are just weak to fight the system.

gillboard said...

there are just some groups that brings out the worst or best in a person. That's why I like to hang out with the smart crowd...

unfortunately, parang wala dito sa office ko ngayon...

mikel said...

people behave differently when in group. expectations maybe?

Niel said...

One basic need (I was told) of man is to be accepted. So when in Rome...

odin hood said...

i think in a way or to some extent we are all guilty of that, yung nag-iibang anyo depending kung sino kasama... kasi nakikibagay

ako sa school ngayon, parang i belong to two or three different cliques, and to some extent i think nag-iiba rin ang pakikitungo ko sa bawat groups.... hmmm but i think di naman to the point na out of character na.

hmmm and could it be the same as gay guys playing it straight, so they could fit in?????

Denis said...

hmmm id say bookmark this to your book of office culture.

Denis said...

hmmm id say bookmark this to your book of office culture.