January 13, 2004
On Blue Feet
Biology easily could have been advanced torture but despite my occasional ineptitude I quite enjoy the course. Part of my love stems from enjoying my sarcastic teacher and part is being privy to the unknown world of scientists in training, as a few of the people in my class are. And a cute boy that for the past two days has been promptly at my desk when I enter the room does not hurt matters much, either, even if it is mostly to find out about the Euro test and how I did and all that.
If it was meant to be it would have happened four years ago.
Even more exciting is taking biological theories and laws and seeing how they apply to society or human relationships. While muddling through several laws of evolution my interest peaked when reading the different laws that prevent different species from intersecting. If humans are divided into metaphorical species (most conveniently stereotypes, let's be honest) I could not help but wonder if the same kind of laws can apply.
Insects can generally start to consumate their budding bug romance and come to realize that their parts just do not fit. Some species are clued in by behavior that they are about to pursue the wrong species. Blue-footed boobies hop and raise their feet to woo, a wrong step helps clue in the wooed that they are barking up the wrong tree. In an experiment at Yale, fruit flies were more attracted to members of the opposite sex who ate the same delicacies they enjoyed.
Personally I do not think I could ever date a cheese vender, most of it is vile.
While humans are all one species, I think that different sectors can be repelled by the same laws as biologists offer to explain hybrids or the lack of hybrids.
I love studying evolution because it raises so many interesting questions about human relationships. Do we only change when we have to survive? What characteristics select us as fitter in the industrial jungle? Certainly there are certain behaviors or pet peeves we all claim, but why do we reject the characteristics? Are we afraid they will threaten our survival on some level?
I certainly felt threatened at the orthodontist office today. Never anxious to have more wires twisted around my teeth, the assistant I fear the most called my name in the reception room. When the orthodontist came she reported the particulars: wearing a rubberband on the left, something about bicuspids, chains, etc. As she barked each item off of my card I felt accused, wondering if at some point I should plead that I tried to reject the chain on my bottom row of teeth but there is no arguing with the poor unfortunate souls who have to put their hands in people's mouths all day.
If anything Biology helps to even out my unnecessary flair for drama. Most days it is more like a flare for drama, leaving me with burnt hands instead of signal for help.
Perhaps the saddest part of our litigation-obsessed society is that aiding someone on the American roadway is more liability than sanctity.
Love,
Mandy