Friday, July 28, 2006

Doppelganger


While a bit of paranoia about blogging prevents me from putting too many identifying characteristics on this blog, I figure that the following is oblique enough. I ran into a former student at the grocery store. The first thing she says is "you probably do not watch television, but...." Well, I am not sure what to make of this: should I take it as a compliment, meaning that I appear to be so knowledgeable in my teaching that I could not possibly be spending time watching TV? Or, is it just part of the general way in which students perceive professors, as strange creatures who live in their offices and only travel to the library? Anyway, she went on to tell me that she and other students (who were not counted or named) had come to the conclusion that I resemble this person (pictured left) one of the "stars" of the reality TV show "Big Brother." I do not know what to think of this, the person seems a bit bland by my taste. Does anyone really like "Kashi Go Lean"?




Just for the record, my last doppelganger according to students was Rivers Cuomo. This is something that they actually wrote on student evaluations, which have now become a part of my permanent pre-tenure record.

Neither of these qualify as a true doppelgänger. In order for that to happen there must be consensus. A true doppelgänger is a famous person who one is compared to regularly and consistently.

No comments: