Bug List- Assignment 2A

What bugs me? Here is a list of 20 things!


1. Customer service lines where it is nearly impossible to get connected to a person.
Why: It is probably more cost effective and more efficient for companies to use automated systems for a large percentage of their customer service calls.

2. The food supply boat only comes to the island on Thursdays, so if you don’t shop Thursday or Friday, the produce is usually gone.
Why: It’s more cost effective to bring things over once per week on a large cargo vessel versus multiple short trips. It also means suppliers and purchasers can get on a regular schedule.

3. People still believe Megalodon exists.
Why: Discovery had a show that made it seem like they might still be around. People want to believe in “monsters.” The ocean is vast and it terrifies people.

4. People think sharks actually target human beings.
Why: shark bites do happen, although extremely rare ( average 5 fatalities per year around the world from sharks). Media hypes up the monster and man-eater hysteria, so it’s easy to think this happens all the time. This is not just on social media, but also on reputable news outlets. It’s human nature to be afraid of large predators ( land or sea). Many people also assume sharks eat everything all the time.

5. When a file takes 8 minutes to upload in Florida/US, but takes 3 hours on our house internet.
Why: We have an older system on the island, which has not been updated. Older system means slower speeds. Internet has become extremely fast in other locations, so its hard to not expect the same everywhere.

6. There is no recycling on our island, so all the trash is burned.
Why: Recyclables have to be flown out or shipped ( by boat) off island. This is expensive. It also costs to have it recycled at another location ( US or another island). The expense and effort to do so are high, so people don’t do it or can’t afford it.

7. People at the grocery story in the ’10 items or less’ line with 30 items.
Why: people are in a hurry and look for the shortest line. No one likes waiting in a long line. Maybe people do not realize they have that many items.

8. The judgmental looks I get when I walk my pit bull.
Why: There are over 20 breeds of dog which are considered bully breeds and they are grouped together when looking at bite statistics. They have also been bred to fight, so there are a lot of stereotypes associated with them. Any breed of dog has the potential to show aggression. Many areas in the US and some countries have outright bans on these breeds, which only increases the negative perception.

9. The mini single use plastic water bottles.
Why: People want convenience and these are more cost effective for businesses to hand out. They are also more ideal for kids ( less water).

10. When people assume I sit on the beach all day with cocktails because I live on an island in The Bahamas.
Why: People go the Bahamas to vacation. Their experience probably involves sipping cocktails on the beach or at the pool. It can be hard for people to think of normal every day life in the places they vacation.

11. Requests to play games on Facebook.
Why: People like to play games and want their friends to join. It’s natural to want to share a fun experience with friends or to try and get them involved. There might also be points earned for signing up new people.

12. When someone sends a email telling me I need to answer their homework interview and it’s due tonight, so please do asap. (I get a lot of emails from students requesting interviews because of my work with sharks.)
Why: We live in a society where things have become instant. Instant access to everything has become part of our every day lives.. The assumption that our needs will be met instantly can be translated into experiences and interactions with people.

13. When I ask for no straw and the server puts one in my drink anyway.
Why: Drinks have been served with straws for years and people are creatures of habit. We don’t need straws but have become accustomed to seeing them in drinks. People probably don’t even think about it and just go into auto pilot. It might also be required protocol at some establishments.

14. When people wash the sidewalk or pavement.
Why: People want their yard or area clean and this includes sidewalks and driveways. They believe water is an endless commodity.

15. Being on email lists that I never signed up for and having to unsubscribe.
Why: We live in a world of bots and lists. We sign up for one thing and our email is part of a list sold to another company or site.

16. The new format of Gmail.
Why: Google probably thinks it is easier and more user friendly. They want people to think they are progressing and keeping with technology changes.

17. When people assume because I work for myself, I can drop everything and meet/call/do what they need at the exact moment they need it.
Why: People believe working for yourself gives you endless freedom and no set schedule. This can be true is some cases, but there are still tasks, meetings, appointments and deadlines just like any other job or business has.

18. When people throw cigarette butts out the car window.
Why: People think they are natural and do not realize they contain plastic. People think someone else will clean it up. People think they are small, so it doesn’t matter.

19. Coffee shops without almond milk or soy milk.
Why: Most people drink regular milk and milk drinking is ingrained in our society. Milk for calcium and strong bones.

20. Armchair shark experts on social media.
Why: In our instant society we have endless access to immediate knowledge. We can watch and learn how to do just about anything on YouTube. Social media has given people a platform to speak out on, but it also allows them to hide behind a screen.

The first five to seven “bugs” were easy! There are definitely things we deal with on a regularly basis which are annoying and frustrating. Numbers eight through 10 took some thinking, but then it was like hitting a wall. I read through the list quite a few times and many of my later “bugs” were derived from some of the initial ones. I started thinking about daily activities, things I encounter, and life in Florida versus the island I live on. It took a lot longer than I anticipated and made me feel a little like I was complaining.

All of these “bugs” are really first world problems. We have access to so much, yet we are still able to complain. It really is interesting to look deeper into our lives and analyze what we see as a problem or annoyance. Waiting in line at the grocery store means I have the ability to get to the store and money to buy food with; is a line really a problem then? I am lucky enough to have a dog, so who cares what people think of her? Identifying the “why” for each was even more insightful. So maybe it doesn’t matter if I get one nasty look from a person judging my dog, but those judgmental views add up. According to the ASPCA, 1.2 million dogs are euthanized in shelters in the US each year and 40% of those are considered pit bull breeds. If we assume a person’s judgment is based on things they have heard or seen, but not personal experience, then we need to change the conversation. This is true for the stereotypes surrounding sharks as well. Here, an annoyance has been linked to something much larger and a niche exists for education, protection and change.

Once I started looking at each “bug” from this perspective, I began to think more creatively about solutions. It’s pretty cool to think about how many incredible products or movements have been born out of someone somewhere being annoyed about something!