Got You Pegged

This morning, I decided that my life needs more multi-tasking. So, I set off on my long run with my iPod...something I haven't done for months and months (in Nicaragua, I decided running with an iPod was an all-around stupid idea so I got used to running without it). I am setting out to organize my computer files and get rid of things I really don't need. The easiest place to start is with podcasts I've already listened to. The problem is, I've had no time to listen these days. So, my iPod came for a run with three episodes of This American Life.

The first episode, from last week, was called "Got You Pegged." This was exceptionally appropriate, given my post yesterday that touched on the stereotypes of a math teacher. One of my favorite bloggers at The Gourmet Project also touched on this in a recent post. She relates two jokes she has often heard while working in the math world:
1. I asked a friend once if there were a lot of women in his computer science department and he responded, "None identifiable as such."
2. There is this saying in Boston about the college women in the area: "BU to bed, Harvard to wed, MIT to pull a sled."

Oy vey! So, this episode of This American Life was so fun to listen to, given the confluence of this idea of being pegged or stereotyped. There's a story about a woman who, while accompanying her autistic brother, was mistaken for someone who is differently abled. Another story about a young white boy and black man who were pulled over by the police for riding bikes without helmets, but the police try to find fault for something more serious. Finally, I enjoyed the story about a man who has routinely ruined every family vacation. It becomes clear how this might have happened so many times when he says, "Here's the thing about people: I don't really like them. That's why I find racism so curious. There are so many reasons to dislike people, you're going to go with color?" I often feel this way. There are so many other reasons to dislike people...and so many reasons that are totally under their control. I'm more likely to pick a reason that is controllable and dislike someone for that. That's why I have a tough time with kids who don't get their homework done. I just can't understand how they get to that "decision."

You can listen to the episode anytime at the This American Life website or you can search for TAL at the iTunes store and if you subscribe today, you'll get the Pegged episode for free (there's a new free episode posted for download every Sunday...or maybe it's Monday).