Stress. When Does Breaking Free of ‘Group Think’ Just Being Annoying?
Stress relieving entry in progress on rudeness vs. independent thinking.
Dateline: Cabo San Jose, Baja California, Mexico. Pirates lived here. Pirates live in the U.S., too.
Before we let a teenager convince us that tattoos are her way of escaping ‘group think’ or we hear a man explaining away his many affairs as just being “a different breed of cat,” I thought it only fair to make a confession.
Last evening, I was determined to experience a service in the little cathedral on the square (first built in 1720, destroyed by pirates, rebuilt and destroyed by local tribes, rebuilt and…well, that’s another story). I found a taxi for the fifteen mile trip to town, babbling along the way in my scattered Spanish. When he pulled up in front of the church, the taxi driver–who’d up until then been friendly and pretended to understand as much of my Spanish as I pretended to understand his English—changed his tune. He suggested and then got quite pushy saying I should let him take me to another church, the one his family attended.
But I’m too savvy for that ploy. The sanctuary was packed. Luckily I found one pew spot to squeeze into. The service was being video-taped, which wasn’t unusual and the cameraman made kind of a big deal noting my entrance. I smiled and batted the half-Danish baby blues. Of course, he made note. I was the only blond gringo showing up for the late service.
I was catching ‘looks’ from people all around me, probably because they were more classically dressed (I don’t know what that means, either) than I. Being a later service, I’d thought my dress cargo shorts (black) and polo shirt would be fine. According to the stares, I’d been wrong.
Within a few minutes the pealing of bells signaled the service was starting. Along with everyone else, I stood to observe the rite of the priest entering through the front door and making his way up to the altar. My fellow worshipers were unusually gay as they stood, smiling even grinning. I turned to see just what kind of priest in this tiny town had everyone almost too pleased.
Six girls in full length scarlet gowns led the gorgeous bride up the aisle. Oh.
In my effort to not ‘just go along’ with what others thought (friends who say I shouldn’t even be in Mexico and the cab driver who tried to tell me I shouldn’t attend the service) I’d just crashed a very personal wedding. I’d made myself an annoying tourist boob who thought she knew what she didn’t know. Not a first time experience.
Mexico City Driving Tips still to come.
Speaking of ‘group think’ and the people who died in the sweat lodge after being admonished to listen to the motivational and they would conquer their fearf of death…
Explain this reaction. This is from a survivor who still believes JAR knows more about what she should do than she does: “She (Gordon) claimed to have no expectations or any opinion with regard to what was meant to happen that day. Gordon trusted Ray and believed that he would keep her safe. Direct examination ended with Gordon explaining to the prosecutor that she had not been traumatized by the incident. She claimed to “feel sad for the actual ceremony itself…because it didn’t have a chance to properly finish.”
Yes. Too bad those three people died and interrupted her self-awareness weekend. People can be so rude.
