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Notes -
The Cat in the Hat Comes to Court
WSJ Article on cultural and political strife in jury rooms
(Note: I tried to archive(dot)is the link, but it kept failing. If one of you internet wizards could post a non-paywalled link, I'd
move to dismiss all chargesappreciate it).The article does the best that journalism can do today; it begins with a pretty fucking cringe anecdote (more on that below), then generalizes, then backs up the generalization with some "stats" on jury surveys. In weaves in the beginning anecdote throughout the piece to keep the reader engaged. It isn't deliberately misleading or negligently undereported, it's just sort of ... meatless.
The TLDR is that the post-COVID cultural / political situation is making it difficult for juries to come to agreements when, ostensibly, the should be or previously were able. The plural of "anecdote" isn't data and, thanks to the many law-pilled Mottizens, it's plain to see how, if one wants to, it's easy to cherry pick cases (and jury conduct, I would presume) that are absolutely wild. Does that mean it's a real trend? Perhaps, perhaps not. Some of the "experts" quoted kind of gesture in that direction, but the article fails to make a definitive case.
Back to the fuckery
The opening of the article details how a grown-ass jury forewoman decided to make halloween costumes for herself and other jurors and then, with the help of a Boomer Karen, hen-pecked everyone into showing up in red/black shirts and then posing for a group photo in the "costumes":
The triggering thing here, with those who have eyes to see, isn't some sort of pearl clutching around the "sanctity of being entrusted as jurors." It is that a cross-generational alliance of the worst kinds of women guilt-forced everyone else to perform a MANDATORY FUN TIME kafabe.
This is the same character as HR-led corporate initiatives like "dress up as your favorite supreme court justice! (Note: all costumes must be Ruth Bader-Ginsberg)" or "Office pajama day!" or, of course, the LGTBQ+ month. No, they don't actually force you to take part (unless, you know, they fucking do) but if you don't the passive-agressive, begging-the-question bullying becomes its own special torment. This is the infamous office space "pieces of flair" absurdity transformed into a political purity test.
When posters like @faceh directly and others (....me) indirectly assert that "women aren't the problem, but the problem is with women" this is what we mean. This is jury duty. These people are strangers to one another. That these two women would find no qualms in trying to enforce their own personal tastes and attitudes onto strangers is exactly the kind of hyper-entitlement, women-are-wonderful thinking that seems to be creating serious issues in societal competency and functioning.
I mean, it's silly but hard to get worked up over. Women are always trying to bully men into emasculating themselves, if you've reached adulthood without the ability to resist that.......I got nothin for you. This is kindergarten stuff.
If anyone is confused or autistic, try a warm smile and the word "no". It's the most beautiful word in the language. Let it roll off your tongue. Let it flow through you. "No". Do not explain. Do not apologize. Do not elaborate. Never adorn your "no" with anything further. Say it cheerfully, as if someone offered you a drink you don't like. "No". You aren't in school anymore. You are an adult, a free person. Tell them no. Choose, and communicate.
Don't whine that you didn't have the intestinal fortitude to resist the social pressure of a middle-aged woman. And certainly don't whine that culture and the government didn't tell you it was ok to resist the social pressure of a middle-aged woman. You don't need them, you've got me. Tell them no. It really is just that easy!
edit: By hilarious happenstance, I'm on jury duty this week, haven't been picked yet. We'll see how it goes, but I guaranfuckentee I won't be in a costume by the end.
Nancy had it right: just say no. I hate MANDATORY FUN ("MANDATORY FUN could be here," he thought) and I simply say no to it. Once there is a sufficient number of women in an office, they will start coming up with mandatory fun, but their social pressure is helpless against a solid "no." They'll pout and stamp their little feet and then they'll get over it (or they won't; I don't care).
The jury story is especially amusing. A total stranger trying to apply that kind of social pressure? It would start with a polite no but rapidly escalate to a firm "go fuck yourself." I deal with far worse people than her on a daily basis trying to bully me--she doesn't stand a chance.
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