Today in my Apologetics class, someone was wearing my socks. This shock was compounded by the fact that I’ve owned these specific socks for about three years, and they weren’t an especially commonplace edition. If you get shiny new socks for Christmas, and in January you see someone else wearing them, it’s one thing—you can see the causal probability as fairly high. But this…let’s just say the sensation was disquieting. I wasn’t sure whether to feel pleased or revolted. Throughout the day, my eyes kept drifting to the proximity of the guy’s ankles, verifying that this thing had really taken place.
There is surely such a thing as unpleasant coincidence. In the past, I’ve retired a favorite T-shirt because I saw a random person wearing it on the street. Nothing destroys individuality like someone else wearing your clothes. Still, it seemed unfair to hold socks to the same high standard that I reserve for more prominent attire. I found myself toying with the ethics of the situation. Could I continue to wear these particular socks in good conscience? If only the guy had been more, well…cool…
The verdict is still out. As unsettling as the instance was, it did gave me something different (though hardly inconsequential, I think we’d all agree) to think about during the day. When you’re trying to keep your eyes from glazing over, a mental change of pace can make all the difference.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Socks in the Eye
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8 comments:
Coolness is everything, ditch the socks.
Dude, they're socks. Who cares if someone else has an identical pair?
Ditto for the t-shirt.
;)
hey they are just socks , yeah maybe you feel kewl by being the unique one , but hey get over it .
I say throw the guy out of the lifeboat! Surely this is an egregious sin! ;)
Hmm. Judging from these comments, I can see that I'll have to seek ethical clarity elsewhere. I was hoping to gain some insight from you all...but the responses are split right down the middle.
Brutal honesty ("maybe you feel kewl by being the unique one, but hey get over it") versus a tenacious loyalty to cool.
I guess I'll have to decide this one myself. ;)
I think that the fact that the guy wasn't "cool" is a great reason to keep the socks!
i'm weird.
Do you still have the alleged "cool socks" in your possession? Check your dresser, dude.
Incredible.
I returned home yesterday to discover that my dresser had been gone over - socks littered the room, and the window stood open, blinds flapping in the winter breeze. The horror of the situation was increased by the fact of what was missing.
It's obvious now, but the thief had taken only one item. (Two, to be precise.)
Fortunately, he/she got the wrong pair.
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