Last week, while I was at work, and in a bit of a giddy mood, I decided to tell a colleague that I didn't believe in science. We were talking about science (or some aspect of science) at the time.
This was a bit of a repeat of something I'd posted on Facebook a few years ago: "I believe in science, but not in a literalistic way." Not only do I think that's funny-- it happens to be something like the truth.
Anyway, to my colleague I said: "I don't believe in science. Well, I do, but not always literally. The dinosaurs, for instance-- have you ever seen a dinosaur? We just take their existence on faith."
Now, when I said this, I was well aware that everybody in work knows that I am a conservative Catholic. That, to me, is the whole humour, point, and challenge of such a comment.
But my colleague said: "I can't believe you're talking about taking things on faith! Besides, crocodiles are dinosaurs."
Fair enough. But my immediate supervisor was listening in, and within two minutes she had told three different people that I had said I didn't believe anything I couldn't see with my own eyes. She literally walked up to people just to tell them this!
Which was not what I said, anyway.
And I was kidding.
And I thought it was plainly being self-satiricial, paradoxical, provocative.
You have to be careful what you say.
my daughter is an assistant librarian in a secondary school. not in Ireland. there's always much to tell. some boss came up with the bright idea of an honesty meeting every so often. library staff have to say honestly what they think of each other's work. she doesn't have any malicious enemies there,but a few pragmatic staff will see no reason not to be honest. and she's once or twice stuck the protective covering on books with the jackets upside down. one of the'pragmatics'commented once 'it must have been a Friday when you did this one'
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