Insignificance
The view from atop Hochstetter Hall was stunning. On a campus of stout buildings that chose to dig basements rather than face the biting Buffalo winds, it stood apart. I stared out the full-length window on the sixth floor and could see the entire school and its countless ant-like students. Hundreds of lives passed right before my eyes, each with its own insurmountable obstacles and hopeless problems.
Then, in thecenter of the open plaza at the heart of the campus, a student tripped and fell. It was not a minor accident; from my vantage point I could see that she had not managed to bring her hands up in time to effectively shield her face. The student quickly jerked back to her feet and ran to the closest building, turning red from the combination of embarrassment and her fall.
Her mortification will not fade quickly although the witnesses and myself have already forgotten her and I would have likely done the same had it not struck me as a perfect example of how we live our lives. We all think so much of our own lives…we see what is happening around us but we still consider what we are doing more significant.
In the end, we are much more forgettable than we would like to think. If you trip and fall, no big deal, you’ll be forgotten by the time you get back up.
Eric. I
Mar 9, 11:14 AM
Very true. “From our self-focused perspective, we too readily presume that others are noticing and evaluating us”, (my Psych text). It’s known as the spotlight effect: we presume that people are watching and judging us much more than they actually are.
There’s also some sociological theories contending that we see ourselves through the lens of others. I’d say that they are also probably true.
This may sound weird, but I also watch people from my library Especially after anthropology class when I was considering all the changes it takes for us to walk bipedaly, and I remember I found it funny how much people wiggle their arms back and forth. We all look like little machines from up there.
Atul
Mar 9, 02:51 PM
A prime example to support what you both wrote. I always say that everybody is their own worst hair critic. When I think I’m having a bad hair day, I don’t think anybody really notices. Nobody (at work at least), cares enough to look me over that closely. And even if they do notice that my hair isn’t at its best, they won’t hold it against me.
– Atul
Thame
Mar 10, 05:26 AM
Eric: A spotlight is a very good analogy. During my psychology class a few weeks ago (after the failure of the clickers) the professor told us to raise our hand for the answer that we liked best. Unfortunately, only about 1/3 of the class participated and he explained that nobody was looking at you thinking “He answered true to that shit?”.
I guess you had to be there :D
Nice looking library by the way. I could see myself getting some serious work done there.
Atul: I agree. It has two sides: on one hand, if something bad happens it likely won’t be counted against you as you probably think, on the other hand, we – as individuals – aren’t very memorable.
Jok
Mar 6, 01:41 PM
A prime example to support what you both wrote.