A Tale of Two Landlords
So when I first decided to go into law school I knew beforehand that based on public opinion the legal profession is one of the least reputed in society and that many people believe lawyers actually work to exacerbate conflict or are only interested in making money regardless of whether justice is done. And not surprisingly, the general public would rate having to deal with a lawyer somewhere between "avoid at all costs" and "necessary evil." (though in reality the Law Society closely regulates the conduct of lawyers and public opinion has been based on only the worst of the bunch).
I didn't know that this public disdain would extend to law students or those wishing to join the profession. Here are two different experiences I had this week, dealing with the perception of lawyers.
Example #1:
This past week I was looking for a new apartment, closer to the the University. I find something that looks interesting and dial the number. The landlord answers (who will henceforth be referred to as 'idiotic landlord') and tells my about the unit.
Then he asks if I am a student, which I confirm and then asks what I am taking:
Me: I am a law student.
Idiotic Landlord: ohhhh. Actually I don't really like lawyers.
Me: Well that is great, I'm not a lawyer. I am a law student. [the model of equanimity and sang-froid that I am, and thinking that maybe Idiotic Landlord can differentiate the two and also realize that not all law students become lawyers; some in fact become professors, writers, politicians, etc.]
Idiotic Landlord: Well I have had some bad dealings before with lawyers. So, ya...how about you call me back at the end of summer and if there is anything left I might think about it. And really, I mostly just rent to international students.
Me: *mouth gaping open in disbelief of what I just heard*
Talk about judging a group by its worst specimen.
So because idiotic landlord rents out apartments at escalated prices because they reside close to the university do I automatically assume he is a land hoarding, evil capitalist? Well, I probably do, but that is beside the point.
Notice the sophisticated double-discrimination that he employs: not only is he hesitant to rent me the apartment because of my nationality, but also because of my chosen future profession.
I know that as a landlord (and as mentioned, an idiotic one) he can choose whoever he wishes to live in his building. But isn't there a general societal principle that says we can justify treating people differently only if we can show that there is some factual difference between them that is relevant to justifying the difference in treatment? (an example of a factually relevant difference would be a University choosing one college applicant over the other because of superior grades).
Can Idiotic Landlord point to any difference between me and other potential tenants that isn't unacceptably arbitrary that would justify treating us differently? (unacceptably arbitrary differences = country of origin + future chosen profession).
It is sad to think that he is so unintelligent that just because he had bad dealings in the past with a minute fraction of a specific profession that he should typecast all subsequent members of that profession which he meets, or members wishing to possibly join that profession.
Maybe he was scared of getting a late night call from me along these lines: "Hi there, I was just reading over article 432.1a(iv) of the Residential Tenancy Act and these nails used in this apartment aren't up to safety standard. Also, these light fixtures aren't up to code, plus in the recent ruling of Schyster v. Doe Canadian law states that these doorways aren't wide enough. So I'm going to have to get you to come up here tonight and replace all the nails, light fixtures, and widen the doorways. Thanks."
Example #2
We will refer to this landlord as "More reasonable landlord" denoting a prevalent lack of asinine, mind-numbingly doltish and idiotic behaviour prevalent in the Idiotic Landlord. Though he too has his imperfections:
As I am filling out my lease today on an apartment that I decided to choose, he regales me with this tidbit:
"I don't think there are very many ethical lawyers. It seems that once they leave law school and get into the big law firms they lose any ethical notions that they had."
Why thank-you for that.
However, you can see that while he still carries the same stereotypes, he at least has the enlightenment to differentiate law students and lawyers.
And also if he should be reading this, my new landlord is a stately, well respected and selfless man of good taste and (according to the ladies) dashing good looks
.............................
Addendum:
"The first thing we do," said the character in Shakespeare's Henry VI, is "kill all the lawyers."
That hasn't happened so far, but the legal profession was abolished in Prussia in 1780 and in France in 1789, though both countries eventually realized that their judicial systems could not function efficiently without lawyers. So there you have it, you are stuck with them!
I didn't know that this public disdain would extend to law students or those wishing to join the profession. Here are two different experiences I had this week, dealing with the perception of lawyers.
Example #1:
This past week I was looking for a new apartment, closer to the the University. I find something that looks interesting and dial the number. The landlord answers (who will henceforth be referred to as 'idiotic landlord') and tells my about the unit.
Then he asks if I am a student, which I confirm and then asks what I am taking:
Me: I am a law student.
Idiotic Landlord: ohhhh. Actually I don't really like lawyers.
Me: Well that is great, I'm not a lawyer. I am a law student. [the model of equanimity and sang-froid that I am, and thinking that maybe Idiotic Landlord can differentiate the two and also realize that not all law students become lawyers; some in fact become professors, writers, politicians, etc.]
Idiotic Landlord: Well I have had some bad dealings before with lawyers. So, ya...how about you call me back at the end of summer and if there is anything left I might think about it. And really, I mostly just rent to international students.
Me: *mouth gaping open in disbelief of what I just heard*
Talk about judging a group by its worst specimen.
So because idiotic landlord rents out apartments at escalated prices because they reside close to the university do I automatically assume he is a land hoarding, evil capitalist? Well, I probably do, but that is beside the point.
Notice the sophisticated double-discrimination that he employs: not only is he hesitant to rent me the apartment because of my nationality, but also because of my chosen future profession.
I know that as a landlord (and as mentioned, an idiotic one) he can choose whoever he wishes to live in his building. But isn't there a general societal principle that says we can justify treating people differently only if we can show that there is some factual difference between them that is relevant to justifying the difference in treatment? (an example of a factually relevant difference would be a University choosing one college applicant over the other because of superior grades).
Can Idiotic Landlord point to any difference between me and other potential tenants that isn't unacceptably arbitrary that would justify treating us differently? (unacceptably arbitrary differences = country of origin + future chosen profession).
It is sad to think that he is so unintelligent that just because he had bad dealings in the past with a minute fraction of a specific profession that he should typecast all subsequent members of that profession which he meets, or members wishing to possibly join that profession.
Maybe he was scared of getting a late night call from me along these lines: "Hi there, I was just reading over article 432.1a(iv) of the Residential Tenancy Act and these nails used in this apartment aren't up to safety standard. Also, these light fixtures aren't up to code, plus in the recent ruling of Schyster v. Doe Canadian law states that these doorways aren't wide enough. So I'm going to have to get you to come up here tonight and replace all the nails, light fixtures, and widen the doorways. Thanks."
Example #2
We will refer to this landlord as "More reasonable landlord" denoting a prevalent lack of asinine, mind-numbingly doltish and idiotic behaviour prevalent in the Idiotic Landlord. Though he too has his imperfections:
As I am filling out my lease today on an apartment that I decided to choose, he regales me with this tidbit:
"I don't think there are very many ethical lawyers. It seems that once they leave law school and get into the big law firms they lose any ethical notions that they had."
Why thank-you for that.
However, you can see that while he still carries the same stereotypes, he at least has the enlightenment to differentiate law students and lawyers.
And also if he should be reading this, my new landlord is a stately, well respected and selfless man of good taste and (according to the ladies) dashing good looks
.............................
Addendum:
"The first thing we do," said the character in Shakespeare's Henry VI, is "kill all the lawyers."
That hasn't happened so far, but the legal profession was abolished in Prussia in 1780 and in France in 1789, though both countries eventually realized that their judicial systems could not function efficiently without lawyers. So there you have it, you are stuck with them!
posted by Kwazer at 11:57 PM
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