Holy crap I'm angry for you. This patron sounds like he's visited menarebetterthanwomen.com a few too many times. He might actually believe in the crap Dick Masterson spews.
As enlightened as we like to think we are these days, it's eye-opening moments like you had that wake us up to the fact that problems with racism and sexism still exist and are going strong to this day.
It burns me up.
Ighnot
David
· 1 year ago
The next time he asks for your help, I'd look him dead in the eye and say "Since you have to ask a mere female like me for help, that must make you really stupid."
pixie
· 1 year ago
That person sounds like a complete idiot, wow. Just, wow.
Jef Poskanzer
· 1 year ago
Well, this is why you have us - you can vent about the idiots and not lose your job.
thedonofpages
· 1 year ago
Yes, he was wrong. Fortunately, it isn't your problem to make him right, so sit back and enjoy the entertainment. The "isn't making a difference" part must mean when you are helping him. You know you are doing the job correctly, so his opinion about this is worthless.
fivecats
· 1 year ago
i never had the same in-my-face confrontation while being an elementary school librarian, but the question loomed just beyond the surface. after all, what was i, a man, doing working in a double-woman's job? didn't i have a family to raise and support? wasn't i supposed to be making a genuine contribution to society to validate my manhood and very existence?
the important thing is that you know what you do is important. you know what you do makes a difference, that it helps better the lives of those people you interact with and, through them, helps to improve your community and the world.
'tis a pity you'll also have to educate some of those whom you help to that fact as well.
peace & strength,
...
sue
· 1 year ago
omg what a complete and total arse and becuase you are awesome and lovely and care about your job and deliver great customer service he just assumes you are mindless. So mindless that you can do things he can't
oh grrr
Jason W.
· 1 year ago
Wow that is disturbing. Everyone should do what makes them happy, not what other people feel they should do. Too many people in the world feel the need to break everyone else down, instead of building people up.
My mom is a librarian as well.. and she gets the same level of respect at times. It seems alot of people don't see the value of books in the digital age.
Ned
· 1 year ago
Even in a job that entails helping anyone, there's still no helping some people. Sucky paradox! My sympathies.
FWIW, my first guess would be that because he intuits (on some level) that his enquiries aren't making a difference to anyone's quality of life, he doesn't feel respect for you doing your job by helping his (pointless?) enquiries.
Then again, each of the unhelpable ones is unhelpable in his own way, so who knows? Sigh.
Jason
· 1 year ago
I'm late to the comments as usual.
What. The fuck. Was he on.
Goddammit, this city is a lie.
Art
· 1 year ago
sheesh.. well, as you say, if he has needed your help 20 times and doesn't think you have a "real" job, I guess he doesn't have "real" needs. Ignore the jerk.
Mike Goad
· 1 year ago
What a bunch of nonsense! I guess I'm in your father's generation -- since my daughter Melanie was born February 23, 1973 -- and those stereotypical views were the norm back then. Librarians ARE important! So what if more women do the job than men. It's still a REAL job. Good grief!
All Comments
As enlightened as we like to think we are these days, it's eye-opening moments like you had that wake us up to the fact that problems with racism and sexism still exist and are going strong to this day.
It burns me up.
Ighnot
the important thing is that you know what you do is important. you know what you do makes a difference, that it helps better the lives of those people you interact with and, through them, helps to improve your community and the world.
'tis a pity you'll also have to educate some of those whom you help to that fact as well.
peace & strength,
...
what a complete and total arse
and becuase you are awesome and lovely and care about your job and deliver great customer service he just assumes you are mindless. So mindless that you can do things he can't
oh grrr
My mom is a librarian as well.. and she gets the same level of respect at times. It seems alot of people don't see the value of books in the digital age.
FWIW, my first guess would be that because he intuits (on some level) that his enquiries aren't making a difference to anyone's quality of life, he doesn't feel respect for you doing your job by helping his (pointless?) enquiries.
Then again, each of the unhelpable ones is unhelpable in his own way, so who knows? Sigh.
What. The fuck. Was he on.
Goddammit, this city is a lie.