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Saturday, August 28, 2010

Bathroom Stall Series, #7



Why are there so many stupid people in COLLEGE?

I find this rather tragic. Is stupid relative? Is college relative? Do stupid people read the writing on the bathroom wall? Or defend it?

Perhaps what's saddest about this one isn't the sheer existence of stupidity on campus, but rather the realization that there are stupid people everywhere. The world's full of them, and at some point we all recognize that there's no one magical place to be, no one magical thing to study, no one magical job to have. And maybe, the day we realize this, we'll be doing our business on a public toilet, as this young lady has here.

And for the record, I'm not really such a fan of the word "stupid." I overheard a comedian on the Sound of Young America say that hearing his work described as "silly" or "dumb" actually was a compliment, because it was the silliest ideas that he enjoyed pursuing. "Stupid" implies not only ignorance, but willed ignorance, something far more dangerous than simple immaturity.

Personally, I like the silly and goofy on my campus, and don't mind the stupid, as long as it's debated on bathroom stall walls.

2 comments:

Dustin J Delaney said...

Julia,
After seeing this series, it reminded me of the bathroom at my favorite bar, The Tempest. For some reason I was sixth on a list that simply said "I'm coming after ya." Then someone called us gay. Another weird thing that was weird was my friend Max also had his name on the list. I wish I had a picture. It has since been painted over.

miss J. said...

How weird to see your name on a bathroom stall wall!

That's one of those moments where I'd be sitting on the pot, considering how best to maintain dignity: write back, or not? Or scratch it out? Or take a picture?

I bet whoever wrote that had a crush on you and your friend Max.