Joke
The difference between engineering major student sand business major students:
Three engineering major students and three business major students travel together by train. The engineering students purchase three tickets, but the business students only buy one ticket. Once they get on the train, the business students immediately hide together in the restroom. When the conductor knocks on the restroom to collect ticket, one ticket is presented through the slightly open bathroom door. On the return trip, the engineering students decide to use the same tactic to save some money. Therefore they only purchase one ticket and rush into the restroom once they get on the train. Meantime the business students get on train with no ticket. Upon getting on the train, the engineering students go to hide the restroom. There is a knock on the door, so the engineering students present one ticket through the barely open restroom door. In actuality, it is not the conductor who knocked but the business students. The three business students happily move to the next car with that ticket.
My dad retold this joke to my sisters, my mom and me on a weekend afternoon during family relaxing time. My dad has always enjoyed making people laugh, especially through funny stories, pranks, and jokes. When he reads or hears something funny, he always likes to retell it. This joke that he told was one he had heard at work awhile back. He also heard this joke from a friend. My dad is an engineer and he said that this joke was a popular one, making fun of engineer students and pointing out how business students are suppose to be smart. My dad believes that this joke makes fun of engineers, hinting that engineers are nerdy, overly focused, and lack common sense. He says that this joke portrays the business students to be practical and flexible, as well as being able to quickly adapt and make smart decisions.
I believe that this joke about the engineer students and business student is based off of blason popularie, popular conceptions, regarding different occupations and majors. In todays society, there is the stereotype that engineers are nerdy and geeky and very focused on their tasks whereas businessmen are thought to be cunning, thrifty, and competitive. Certain characteristics have a tendency to be associated with certain professions. It is amazing how people are so quick to associate a person with certain qualities upon learning ones profession, occupation or major. Even before a persons personality shines through, he/she is already assigned to have certain characteristics. This joke may be popular among engineers because it allows them to laugh at how extreme or false the stereotypes can be. Upon telling and hearing the joke, engineers can bond and have a good time together at their offices. The joke could be a catalyst for other similar jokes or people sharing their experiences with these engineering stereotypes.