Ruthless Aggression
It all started last week with a report by Benedict that we have some testosterone fueled meatheads lurking in the law library. After that, it seems the tidal wave of aggression just surged forward from there on. My own encounters this week only served as evidence that there are an inordinate amount of disgruntled, angry, and overly aggressive males out there who are a moment's notice away from erupting into violence. Obviously, this page has seen its own fair share of overt aggression, as evidenced by the previous post and it subsequent deteriorating affect on all participants. So, I have to confess I'm guilty of being aggressive lately as well. This leads me to question why this is happening all of a sudden.

There are probably numerous explanations for this, and there's no point in addressing them here in detail. Most of the problems can be traced back to the usual culprits of joblessness, restlessness, and too much free time. I've written before about the denizens of this town who are constantly visible throughout the day, and I'm convinced that this is, if not the root cause, at least a contributing factor to the growing amount of frustration that's reaching dangerous levels throughout the city. One of the reasons I like winter weather so much is that it keeps most people in-doors, and, while the warm weather is a welcome respite, I'm always somewhat hesitant to greet it with open arms because along with it comes the fact that most of the undesirables will be making a return to open society as well. I don't know how else to describe the arrival of spring, but there's a definite tension out there on the streets, and it's exerting its reach into the workplace as well.

Throughout my recently completed temp assignment, I was able to become emershed in the politics and relationships within the company I was working for. In particular, I was allowed to voice freely my own uncensored remarks regarding one of the full-time employees that works there. I found it particularly odd to be allowed such a forum and asked for my own candid assessment, and I naturally obliged. The person in question is a woman who is apparently rubbing everyone the wrong way, especially her workmate that has the unfortunate position of sharing an open cubicle with this troublesome employee. To sum up the situation, there's a definite communication breakdown between all four members of this operation. Typical advice from human resources advises such measures as open communication and the like, but those are just temporary bandages that don't really address the problems themselves because, as we're all aware, confrontation is the hardest thing in the world to do openly with a co-worker or friend. Just look below for evidence of that. Whisperings of "firings" and the like are the most talked about and likely solutions to the problems. Add to this a "stalker" who calls the "stable" cubicle-mate and you have a situation that's brewing and about to burst.

In addition to the above incidents, there was the confrontation with my neighbor about the volume of music emanating from my apartment, the gang of hoodlums harassing people on the streets of the South Side, and, just today, the frustrating grumbles by law students who were perplexed by how the library could wait to open at ten o'clock. It's all adding up to an ugly situation, and I want nothing to do with it, but I feel like there's no escape from this growing sense of aggression.