It's a rainy day in New York, so I'm carrying my patented Gustbuster umbrella. When I got to the office this morning, I of course opened the umbrella and sat it next to my desk so it could dry. And that sparked a memory from some months past....
I was doing a contract programming job at Sesame Workshop, and it was another rainy day. I opened the umbrella at my (somewhat spacious) cubicle so it could dry, and one of the employees (I don't recall now who) gasped and told me I should never do that, it's bad luck. She didn't just gasp, actually -- she blanched.
This was a person who otherwise seemed perfectly well educated. How does one react to ignorance like this? I admit I was pretty sarcastic and derisive in my reply, and I believe that I hurt her feelings. But how do you handle superstition like this in the workplace? I mean, several of us ended up having a discussion about possible reasons superstitions like this might have originated, but I don't think that made the woman who reacted feel any better. But I don't have any responsibility to conceal my disbelief in situations like that, do I? Should my umbrella be required to mildew for the sake of a coworker's peace of mind?
Of course, I do have a history of offending people in similiar circumstances. I once lost my shit in a meeting at Sesame Workshop (back when it was still Children's Television Workshop) over the issue of listing the zodiac signs and horoscopes of the Sesame Street Muppets on our web site along with their birthdays. I lost that battle and gained a reputation as a troublemaker, but I still contend that I was right. Astrology has no place on an educational web site. Hrmph.
