Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Oh the humanity!

Morning all,

Just want to say welcome to all  the new followers. Just two more and we hit 100!

When we do (depending on when this happens), we're going to do things a little differently from the usual.

Firstly, you can ask me any questions and I'll try my best to answer them honestly. But please keep it clean. It feels silly to write this, since if you joined this blog, you must have impeccable taste. ;-P

Then I will hold a draw where the winner can pick the topic for a blog post.

And... I will use the 100th follower's name as a character in a short story or poem or some other form of creative writing.

If you have any other suggestions for what else we can do to celebrate, please leave me a comment. :-)

On to the post... (I'm going to try to keep it calm and civilized, but be warned that my fuse has been lit... and that it isn't exactly long.)



Today I'm feeling a little upset with humanity.

Actually, forget a little. I'm pretty ticked off with humanity.

The sad thing is that this has not been triggered by the fact that some South African Veterinarians have been largely responsible for the spate of rhino poaching. Or the fact that in certain African countries, Albino humans are forced to live in hiding because they are hunted for body parts. (I kid you not.)

These things always make me wonder about this topic, but they weren't what raised my ire.

I am upset, because I was forced to join a group, otherwise I can't hand in the group project. Incedentally, if I ever meet the person that instated group projects in the afterlife, he's going to suffer and eternity. After all... I'm creative. And I'm going to have a LOT of time...

Anyway... Said group took my details and said they would contact me a few days later. I didn't take theirs because of the fact that a) I had no cell phone b) by some evil twist of fate I had nothing to write on/with c) He was going to contact me so I could just reply.

It is now a month later, and due date is next week. Think I'm going to be contacted? Doubtful highly doubtful. Very likely they bumped into a buddy that needed a group and decided to shift me out.

This does not upset me as much as the fact that they didn't bother to let me know.

When I raged about this to my room mate last night, she commented that I should have prepared for this, since it's much easier to replace one person than an entire group. But I think she misses the point.

That bastard (and I apologize to all other bastards for the insult) could still have taken me into account enough to let me know. I would have done it. I can't see why other people are incapable of a little bit of common courtesy.

If you think I'm over-reacting, think again. Last year I failed a subject because half the group decided to leave an entire term before hand-in of a massive project and kindly informed us of this only a week before the due date.

Then there are other things like people thinking that ethics can ever replace morality.

That it's very clever to not have promises written on paper because then they can back out of it.

That it's OK to be disrespectful to other people as long as they are beneath their station.

And on... And on... And on...

At what stage did humanity lose its sense of honor? When did our word lose its worth? Why can someone do anything they like as long as they are not the one being disadvantaged? When did people become such hypocrites?

27 comments:

  1. I hate group projects too for too many reasons to get into.

    Sorry about your experience ... that was a bastard thing of them to do.

    Anyway, albinos are hunted in Africa for body parts?!?!?! I never knew that. Wow!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes they are. Heard it on the news this morning. There are those that believe that the body parts have medicinal value.

    Go figure.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm sorry for you troubles. I guess there is no way to do the project without the group. I have never heard of this before.

    The albino thing is positively evil. As for humanity, it tends to go back and forth and turn upside down on itself. I suggest you write a short story and kill him off.
    Nancy
    N. R. Williams, fantasy author

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nancy, genius, sheer genius!

    As it turns out, I have now had three groups that say they can take me in and that consequently vanished. *grumble*

    So I went to my lecturer, explained this to him and very nicely obligated him to let me do the stuffing thing on my own.

    He said OK. So I can finally get back to working with the one person I trust. (It's amazing what you can arrange if you're nice to lecturers and have the audacity to ask...)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hear ya. Whatever happened to class? To common decency? Gone with the wind, it has...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Reading your post took me back to university. These kinds of things have happened to me, too. And outside academia, people don't always behave better within the moral contexts of their careers, marriages, and relationships. But don't be disheartened. You can make a difference in the world, by being proactive in your pursuits. Have the foresight to take down contact information with the people you deal with, so that you can follow up on their progress in projects that concern you and your success. (I even have a notebook near my home phone. Every time I make a call to my bank, utilities companies or insurance companies I note the time of my call, the NAME of the representative I speak to, and exactly what that person said to me. You wouldn't believe how many times I'm assured a problem will be resolved, only to find out the person didn't do jack $h!t when they hung up with me. My follow up calls are detailed and irrefutable, and not only does the job get done, but the representative that dropped the ball has to answer his or her boss's questions!)

    Imagine if everyone in life took the time to improve what they could about themselves. The world will be a better place, one person at a time.

    Hope your projects are successful!
    ((hugs)) Nicole

    ReplyDelete
  7. Can you still do some kind of project on your own? I mean you have blog with almost 100 people---consider us your group. And screw the bastards!

    I'm a huge animal advocate and I want to have all poachers hung by the balls.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The group is probably out hunting rhinos.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sorry to hear about this, Misha. I hope it works out well in the end even if you have to do it on your own now.

    I'm totally shocked about the albino human parts! This is absolutely shocking. Have you also heard of young children in tribes (not sure which country) that are buried alive because they offer them as a sacrifice? Something is horribly wrong with the world.

    I agree with Samantha - we can be your group! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Discourtesy is one of my pet hates! Totally unnecessary and ignorant at all levels.
    The enigmatic, masked blogger

    ReplyDelete
  11. Alexandra, it's sad, isn't it?

    Thanks Nicole, you have some very good advice here. I have learnt my lesson. *hugs*

    Yes, Samantha, after the third group ending up not delivering, I went to my lecturer and requested permission to work on my own. It was granted. I did get a fourth group though. So I now have two options open. If they don't deliver by Friday I'm doing my own kick-ass assignment.

    I totally agree about the poachers.

    Nevets, with our annual fees being what they are, I wouldn't be that surprised. ;-P

    Thanks Len, I'm sure I'll land on my feet. It's my uncanny way. :-) I just enjoy blustering about pitfalls every now and then. I was horrified about the albino body parts too. Especially when I heard that the... uhm... "medicine" works if you wear the body part. Not sure exactly how, but any way I can imagine is pretty creepy. Only in Africa.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I HATE that. If people aren't going to do what they say then they at least need to tell me, you know? That will make me less angry than just being blown off. Just get a pair and say you changed your mind. Hope things work out for the best for you!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I completely agree with you Blogger. And I deal badly with ignorance.

    Colene I know! I wouldn't have been upset at all if they had just informed me of the change. But some peopole are just too wishy washy to actually stand by doing the right thing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ohhh....
    There's one thing I definitely don't miss about college - aside from finals. I HATE group projects and have gotten bad grades due to others more than once.
    Best of luck to you.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sorry to hear that! :( But I agree - we'll be your group! ^.^

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. That's very frustrating for you, and definitely very, very inconsiderate of him!

    Emy Shin (my new blog)

    ReplyDelete
  17. That must be pretty darn bad to have to go through. I'm sorry you did. Humanity is just so infuriating when you really take into consideration the things people do . . .

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm so sorry about this terrible experience Misha. I can't believe how incredibly ignorant and inconsiderate some people are :( It's a very sad thing. I'm not a fan of group projects either.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I totally think we, as a people, have lost the value of our word. We are no longer basically good, basically truthful.

    Sorry about the group, Misha. I have to agree--group projects stinketh.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I don't like group projects for this reason, too. If they're going to do group projects, the group as a whole should be accountable to the teacher. There ought to be some kind of check-in system because clearly, people aren't going to keep their own word these days. =P

    Congratulations on making 100 followers! That's a great accomplishment!

    ReplyDelete
  21. There are so many things we just don't have answers for. But by giving those affected a voice, we do create awarenness and hopfully on some level, change.

    Hugs!

    Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hey Misha, just wanted to let you know that I gave you an award on my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I dislike group projects. And I have a saying: "It's free to be nice." Sorry you didn't get notified. :(

    ReplyDelete
  24. How frustrating and awful! And OMG! about the albino hunting! I had no idea. That is horrible on so many levels!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Dear Misha,
    There is little I can add to this. The articulate responses here to your, points to ponder posting, rather sum it up.
    So, please allow me to congratulate you on passing the century mark in followers.
    May you have a peaceful and positive week.
    With respect and kindness, Gary.

    ReplyDelete
  26. So, Misha...What are you going to do about the project? I understand you're upset about not being contacted...(I'd rather be responsible for my own grade personally.) The bigger question is how does not being in that group affect your class/grade/project? Is this something you an do alone under the cirumstances? Have you approached your instructor?

    I hope you are able to get everything straightened out. :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thanks Jolene. It really does suck.

    Thanks Marieke. :-)

    I know Emy. I console myself by remembering that the wheel will turn. I'll join your new blog ASAP. Thanks for the link :-)

    I agree Golden. And just when I think we've hit rock bottom, humanity surprises me yet again. (Of course I am now thinking beyond my own circumstances.)

    I know what you mean, WritingNut. The thing that makes me laugh about this is that I know that the same people who do these things would be furious if it happened to them.

    Ali, I fear that what you said is becoming more true every day.

    I agree with you there, LT. We actually do have a system, but it only kicks in once the groups are registered - which it was, I assume, just without me. Loop holes... Anyway. Thanks so much for joining!

    So true Angela. Thank you for commenting. *hugs*

    Oh my word thanks Quinn!

    Elana that is so true. And being nice usually pays a lot more than being a *&^%. I'm always nice to the lecturer of this project, so he was nice to me when I asked him to bend the rules for me.

    I know Shannon. Just goes to show that we humans aren't as civilized as we would think...

    Thank you so much, Gary (or do you prefer Phillip) :-)

    Sharon,as soon as I had taken twenty breaths and calmed down, I launched a multi-fronted attack on the problem and created as many solutions as I could. I went to the lecturer and asked if I could do the project alone, should I fail to succeed at my other options. He said yes. I then went in search of any groups that could and wanted to take an extra member with a quite awesome project track record. After a few false starts, I found a group that wanted me in and are working their butts off for a good mark. So things are looking up... Thanks for asking. :-)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for commenting! I love to read what you think.

Feel free to ignore the check-box saying "Prove you're not a robot." My word verification is off, but I moderate comments to posts older than two weeks.