To Assume Makes an Ass Out of U and Me

I went to a lunch today hosted by my graduate school, Harvard Business School.  It was not a large lunch, about 8 of us had been invited.  The purpose of the lunch was to get an update on what's happening at the school from one of HBS's marquee professors. 

I arrived and the only person there was the woman who works at HBS, whose job it is to organize these things.  I put on my name tag.  Her name tag, as the organizer, was different in style from mine.  A guy walks in, also an attendee.  He looks at both of us and says "Hi, I guess I am the first one here."

Interesting.  I was there.  He assumed, however, that I was an administrative organizer of the event rather than an HBS alum who had been invited to attend the lunch. 

Some will disagree with me, but I think that is a little odd.  Why do we think he would make that assumption?  Would he make that same assumption if I had been a man?

Comments

[Charlie]

Not to mention that there's absolutely no upside to that comment at all. Regardless of his faux pas, why feel the need to say that at all. What did he expect?

"Yeeeeeeesirie Bob, you're FIRST! Congratulations"

[Balloons stream from ceiling]

"You win a trip to Tahiti!"

Most of the time, when your lips start flapping, and there's absolutely no substance to any of the words, you're going to get in trouble.

So how come the VC who invests in for-profit education companies in NYC hasn't reached out to me yet?

I guess my blog is actually in the Rarely/Should Read part of your list over there. ;)

[tismoi]

Charlie - you are an often read! You have inspired me to add Hudson River kayaking to my list of Must Dos. I will email you directly. Would love to talk.