Are triangulation, encroachment and enmeshment particularly Latin, or are they just epiphenomena of any patriarchal system?
Man 1, at work: wants me to ally with him against Woman 1. I refuse so I am a “Puritan.”
Man 2, at work: wants me to ally with him against Man 1 and with Woman 1. I refuse so Man 2 creates alliance with Man 1. Man 1 also wants to interrupt my friendship with Man 3, saying he would be a better friend. I say we can all be friends but this is not acceptable, so Man 1 me retira la palabra.
Note: these alliances are for purposes of excitement and gossip only — there is no content to them and no concrete objective, just an alliance and some enemies.
Meanwhile, elsewhere:
Man A wants to complain about his wife and chooses me, her friend. I say he should talk to a marriage counselor, not to me, so I am once again a “Puritan.”
My conclusions:
1. All of these Men really think I should want to drop everything and follow them into battle.
2. They also think the accusation of “Puritanism” will work on me — of course I do not want to be called that, because it would mean my Americanness is showing, which would call my command of Latinness into question, it being the case that becoming Latin must be my goal, because the occupation of that identity would make my work valid.
3. That, if true, means they imagine I am a certain type of undergraduate.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 