Hello, Coffee Talkers!
Alright, something a little different tonight. I want to take an informal poll, to find out if you all have any thoughts on why some men (most often in response to women, it seems) make up fake names (and other falsified information) when introducing themselves. Here's an example:
[Setting - college cafeteria. Leslie and Brendan are both music majors.]
Leslie: Hey, do you wanna sit here?
Brendan: Sure, sounds good. [They sit down at a table. Another young woman walks toward their table.]
Caitlin: Hey, Leslie! How's it going?
Leslie: Good, Caitlin! Come join us!
Caitlin to Brendan: Hi, I'm Caitlin! What's your name?
Brendan: George.
Caitlin: Nice to meet you, George. So, what are you studying?
Brendan: [completely straight-faced] Well, I designed my own major. A combination of women's studies and underwater basket-weaving.
Caitlin: Oh. That's...different. So Leslie, what's new?
Leslie: [sits in dumbfounded silence, pondering what has just transpired.]
Okay, so I have my own theories on why some men do this, but I want your feedback here. Tell me what you think, Coffee Talk friends! Have you ever made up a name or other personal information? If so, are you a man or a woman? If not, have you witnessed others making up names? Why do you think they did it?
Peace and all good,
Leslie
As a man, I do not recall ever having done something like this in conversation. At least, I have never introduced myself as someone with a name other than my own. If men do this it is probably because we think it is amusing.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your manly feedback, Mr. McCaffrey. Thanks to your insights, and those garnered from the Facebook community, I have learned three things: 1.) if women make up names/phone numbers, it is generally self-protection from creepy guys; 2.) if men do so, they usually think that they are being funny; 3.) however, the women find this type of humor strange and ridiculous. Thanks to all who have contributed to my quest for useless knowledge -- the search continues. :)
ReplyDelete