Think Before You Speak

Prior to Thanksgiving break, I was in my history class learning about the disappearance of the middle class in ancient Rome and how the same patterns are presenting themselves today. My teacher asked, “…so, what do you find in a banana republic?”

Feeling overjoyed that I finally knew the answer to one of his questions, I raised my hand and without being called on shouted, “Underwear on hangers.” In retort, he said, “Yes, and toilet paper flying out the windows.”

Quietly I turned to the girl behind me and asked, “He’s talking about the store Banana Republic, right?” Immediately the class erupted in laughter. Luckily, I managed to make it look like a joke that I was in control of, that I knew what I banana republic was, and that I didn’t feel 3 feet tall.

I discovered after investigating what exactly my professor was referring to when he said, “banana republic”. For those of you who don’t know, if there be any, it is a small country with an unstable government and its economy is dependent on the export of a single product and/or outside financial help. They are countries with a vast gap between the very rich and the very poor.

I suppose it is experiences like these that help us to grow and learn. I know that I will never walk into a Banana Republic again without an instant recall of what a banana republic is, which leads to a whole other discussion. Why is it called Banana Republic? Does the clothing company manufacture their clothes in a country filled with sweat shops and old women sewing their fingers to the bone? If so, this seems like poor advertising on their part. Maybe they should have considered a name more like “Prosperous Fatherland” or “Plentiful States”. This way, naïve college students like me wouldn’t have to think twice before grabbing the underwear off the hanger.