Posted on 03/30/2012 7:40:12 PM PDT by Sioux-san
Many years ago in college, I took a required psychology class. One day we were told by our professor we had to divvy ourselves up into two groups for a particular project.
I don’t remember the nature of the project, but I am quite serious when I say it took us three class days to divide ourselves. Much of that time was spent discussing all the hidden hurt feelings and angst that come with being “chosen” into one group or another, reminiscent of the painful procedure of choosing sides for softball in gym class.
After one day of this ridiculous procedure I happen to glance at the professor, who had been largely silent after guiding us into this divvying process. He was watching us carefully, noting our emotions. Suddenly it was crystal clear to me: The end result (two groups) wasn’t important. It was the process of dividing us that he found psychologically fascinating.
So, naively, I pointed this out to the rest of the class: “Do you realize we’re being manipulated into endless discussions and painful emotions for what is, after all, a very simple procedure?”
The class stared at me as though I were nuts. No one believed me – they were too busy reveling in their woes and insecurities. My comment was dismissed as the endless discussions of painful emotions continued for another two class sessions. I didn’t utter another word during those days because I don’t like being manipulated...
(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
I sit and watch the mass of people all of the time and one can really be amazed how stupid some people can be.
Sometimes I wonder if they are right about wanting to “Cull” the hurd...
Was there any “twinkle” ups or downs in this story??
Really weird. Must have been a lot of liberals. A conservative class would probably have voted on an impartial means of choosing up sides (like odd/even birth month) and then carried it out.
Do you hire a group of shrinks ?
I finished law school still needing 1/2 credit (any graduate level class in any discipline) to get my degree. I had graduated with a two year old so I thought that was pretty ok. So I found a 1/2 credit summer course in physical therapy, graduate level. All my class mates were very cute chirpy girls. I used my new confidence as a budding lawyer to quietly manipulate the class the entire time. It was so easy. At the end, I told them what I had done. They were not happy.
I think that a physics or biology class would not have had that problem. It being a psychology class, where (I believe) there is a premium placed on exploring feelings and so forth, of course there was a lot of discussion.
I guess I’m lucky that I never had to take a psych class. Endless discussion of feelings would drive me crazy.
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