Roswell

Do you believe that people are ultimately good?

I've always perceived that every individual comes into this world with a blank slate. They are clean, they are pure. Untainted by the world, we slowly begin to open our eyes.

The "lab manager" did not come to lab this morning. He texted the postdoc he worked with, informing him that his friend is in serious condition, so he would either come in later or not at all.

One would find themselves sympathetic to the victim in this circumstance, yet if you knew this person, you would not be surprised if you hesitated on doling out your regards. Coming back to lab from the mouse facility, I find this person sitting with his lab coat on, playing games yet again on his iPhone, and chatting with friends on his gmail and facebook accounts, smiling the entire time. Was his friend actually in a "serious" condition? Or was he just hungover from the night before, and this employee found an excuse to ditch work?

After everything I've been through, I sometimes find myself jaded by people who throw out these excuses. I only associate serious situations with near-death experiences or death of a loved one. That criteria is probably too stringent for most people, but if that's what I apply to myself, should I be faulted for treating others the same way I treat myself?

One example would be when my grandfather passed away. I was just sitting there, watching "The West Side Story" with my lab mates, and I get a text from my brother, with the official time of death. The one comfort was knowing that he died with a smile on his face. Regardless, I finished watching the show with my coworkers, and went to work the next day. Finding the entire place still in a mess, not cleaned up nor organized while I was away at a conference, I spent the entire weekend cleaning everything up and organizing all our supplies. No absence from work. On the contrary, I spent the entire weekend dealing with lab organization.

This topic is too negative for my tastes right now. Expect another post!