My department here moved to an old, marginally maintained mansion it had reclaimed from use as graduate student rentals. To celebrate the move, and I think we were living there as well, it announced a party but did not tell anyone it was not providing food, drink, or music. Arriving guests were nonplussed. Then everybody wandered around complaining and arguing. We could order pizza or send someone to the store but how non-festive, people were saying, and why were we so hostile as to have a pot-luck party but not tell anyone to bring things?
The Europeans explained that their choice to bicker rather than pitch in to create the party had to do with maintaining dignity. To step in and provide the missing party was to change roles and do work that took time from research and recreation and was beneath them anyway. It was preferable to turn upon each other, they said.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 