On a Scale From One to Bitch..er...Ten

I would say this woman in my focus group is a 10+.

I'm participating in a study on consumer opinons of fresh vs. frozen food. (Getting paid, of course. I don't contribute my opinions to the vast machine that is American consumerism for free! Feh!) Today was the first day, and since this morning, the 10 or so people participating have been logging on to give a little rundown about who they are, and giving their opions on the questions and products presented. For the most part, it's a group of nice, regular women. There are people from Colorado to New York, some retired, none with kids, 2 of them widowed, and almost all of them with pets they lavish attention on. (no exception here)

We were focus surveying along, minding our own business, when one woman (who has a line of jewelry and a spoiled lapdog--I picture her as Paris Hilton's mother) took it upon herself to, in the rudest possible way, let us all know how ignorant and bourgeois we were for believing "the ridiculous lie" that frozen food could in any way, shape, or form be acceptable (instead of answering the queston that had been asked). Every single thing she writes proves she is consienciously snobby. Other people have expressed similar views, but everyone else manages to do it without being entirely offensive and condescending.

A few questions later, she reasserted her bitchiness (and failed to answer the question) by insisting that everyone could afford to shop at Whole Foods Market, and you'd have to be stupid not to shop there or a specialty store. (Even the widowed lady on a fixed income who lives in a tiny town in Georgia.) "People who would even shop at a store where they suspect might have something lower quality anywhere in it, are people who should just shop at a dollar store for their food. If I even thought there might be something lower quality at a store, I wouldn't let you shop there for me!"

So... people shop for her?

I begin to despise this woman in earnest.

When asked whether we prefer prepared food from the frozen section or the deli section of our grocery store, she wrote:

"I prefer neither. If I want prepared foods, I'll go to a restaurant instead. It's almost the same price and I trust the owner of the restaurant more than a mega grocery store chain's department manager whose just worked a 12 hour shift for 7 days straight because he's shortstaffed and can't get anyone to work for pennies with lots of hours. I feel he might not be adhering to any health guidelines."

?? Does she have a bone to pick with people who work lots of hours for little pay? (those bastards!) In principle, my preference on the food is the same but.... Woah there, bitch-face. What did a grocery store manager ever do to you? I'd be afraid to EVER eat at a restaurant, if I were you. Folks'll spit in your food faster than you can say, "I'm better than you!"

Bleh. I feel like she's stifling the focus group. Now the lady who admitted she can't often afford fresh seafood, and the retired lady who lives in a small town--they give quick, short answers instead of writing about their opinions like they were before. I don't blame them. I wouldn't want to be dissected and told to grocery-shop at a dollar store because I "clearly don't care about freshness or expiration dates."

Bitch-face feels like she has to convince everyone that A. she's better than them, and B. They should shop exactly the way she shops. ("The only frozen food I buy is Sorbet.")

THAT'S NOT THE POINT OF A FOCUS GROUP.

Session over. I feel better. Until I log on tomorrow and see what other outragously offensive thing she's written.