“The Sauder School of Snakes”: the term that was born on Reddit has worked its way into the vocabulary of UBC and non-UBC students alike. Those who use it would probably say it’s just a joke and not intended to be taken seriously. However, embedded into every joke is a little grain of truth about how the culture of Sauder is viewed by those inside and outside the faculty. Despite there being no classes called “Manipulation 101”, there seems to be something about UBC’s business school that gives it this unique title.

Being directly exposed to Sauder’s values and people, I find it difficult to believe that we really are “snakes”. By this, I mean that the majority of people in my faculty are giving, people-oriented, and hold strong moral and ethical standards. Even in my short time here, I’ve already been exposed to classes that focus on ethics and numerous clubs that use business to make a positive social impact. With an emphasis on progressive enterprise that aims to give instead of take, the question remains: why does the stereotype remain stronger than ever?

The answer, in part, lies with selective perception. Among the 4000 Sauder students, there are some that are purely motivated by profit and will use any means necessary to get it. There are definitely bad experiences to be had involving these students, and many may subconsciously filter out conflicting evidence and focus on what confirms their beliefs. This confirmation bias perpetuates stereotypes of many kinds, and occurs more readily in this arena because the stereotyping of school faculties is not commonly thought about.

It is unlikely that the “Sauder School of Snakes” will be going anywhere anytime soon. The sentiments behind the joke have been around for a lot longer than the meme itself. Though the name is relatively harmless, it is wise to consider the phenomenon of self-fulfilling prophecy, which can turn a funny post on Facebook into a real change in the culture that Sauder prides itself on.

The term “snake” is being used to joke about Sauder students as manipulative and backstabbing.

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