Okay, here's the situation. The ever-fabulous Seattle Times - our motto "read us, we don't suck as much as the local television news" - had an exciting above-the-fold story today about a frat that is cleaning up its act. Apparently a former beer and vomit house, it's trying a new tactic, since apparently, fabulous though it sounds, after a while, the b&v lifestyle dimmed for many boys who left the frat house after a year or so. So they're learning to be little gentlemen, or something. To widen their horizons, let's say. Learning to cook, clean, respect property and get art and culture into their lives.

Here's where I twitched: at the part of the story where after explaining "this month the frat brothers also learned how to cook pad Thai and enjoyed an evening at the ballet" there is this quote:

"It was a real interesting expereince. I'd never been to the ballet," said sophoore Scott Twaddle [sic], 20. "I didn't know they didn't talk."

And my question is, gulp, go ahead, i can take it, is it east coast liberal elitist of me to assume that by age 20, even if you've never BEEN to a ballet performance, you know that is a form of dance and people don't talk while they perform it? Or is that just assuming too much?

I don't expect most of the country to know squat about ballet (always fun to watch when the category comes up on "Jeopardy!" to see how players squirm and try and duck beind each other to avoid it) but not to even know that much? Is it snotty to wonder where this kid came from and how he was raised that in 20 years, as a college student so clearly he gets out a BIT, he didn't know "they didn't talk"?

Go ahead. I can take it. I think. Be gentle.