Author: Emma Parker
Occidental dances always leave me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I definitely have a great time dancing with my friends, meeting new people and being a bit silly. But, wow, what is everyone else doing? It seems like only a select few Oxy students attending dances have any notion of self-respect. Too many people in my vicinity are making out with someone (most likely someone they just met or hardly know) or are making it clear that they plan to hook-up with that wonderfully special someone they are currently dancing with. Others look as if they are competing with Christina Aguilera and her posse in “DiRRty” for a “Most Vulgar, Least Self-Respecting Person Ever” award, and by that, I mean they are really embarrassing themselves.
So these people are my peers? Really? I go to class with these people. I discuss the genocide in Darfur and Women’s Rights with these people. I have to look at them and be serious with them after seeing them slobber all over the faces of other human beings and freak dance like there’s no tomorrow. Sure, this behavior may be alcohol-induced, but you still have to maintain a little self-control. People-the ones you go to school with and learn things with-are watching, and it’s hard for me not to judge this kind of behavior when it’s so blatant and shameless.
I’m not sure how I’m meant to respect these people and watch them lose their dignity at once. I understand having fun-I like having fun, but come on, is it necessary to lock lips and “get low” to do so? My answer is: no. I’m glad that you’re letting loose and throwing caution to the wind, but is drunkenness combined with promiscuity the only answer? I don’t think that’s the kind of fun that really satisfies. It seems to me that many of us have forgotten what fun without drinking and “whoring it up” is like. When you wake up with a hangover and muddled thoughts of last night’s passionate escapades do you really think to yourself, “Yeah, I’m awesome! I feel great about my life choices!”? Maybe you do, but I hope not and I doubt it. Or maybe you don’t care, but I think you should. Respect is important. Is respect for our peers and for ourselves not important? Every time I’m in the Marketplace on a weekend morning and hear someone recounting drunken encounters and acts of stupidity I become a little more doubtful of our college’s student body. College is the time to experiment but making promiscuous behavior into a trend is not experimentation.
I don’t know what I’m suggesting dance attendees do. In general, just think a little more. Occidental has an intelligent student body, so I know this is possible. Even when intoxicated, it’s possible to remember to keep a little dignity in front of your peers. I would like to say that I was more impressed than usual at Genderf*ck on Saturday. People seemed to be having genuine fun-I do love silliness-without as much bumping and grinding and smooching as I’ve witnessed a little too graphically at other dances. Sadly, I somehow doubt that these higher standards will carry over to Sex on the Beach.
Emma Parker is an Undeclared sophomore. She can be reached at eparker@oxy.edu
This article has been archived, for more requests please contact us via the support system.
