Skip to main content

The reason people can be so difficult

Is anyone in your life, to put it mildly, a pain in the rear end?

Maybe it's your stubborn boss, narrow-minded neighbor, or obstinate father-in-law.

The reason many people tend to be difficult is because they have trouble seeing things from a point of view that diverges from their own.

 To them, the sky is blue and can never be gray. Open-mindedness is simply not in their vocabulary, let alone their repertoire.

What's worse, these very individuals are often reluctant to concede they're wrong even after realizing it.

Egocentricity often goes hand-in-hand with intransigence.

So what is one to do about people who have such a hard time being flexible in their views and opinions?

All we can really do is make an entreaty for them to consider our perspective.

If, however, it goes in one ear and out the other, then nothing will change until they come to the realization that others have a right to differ in their outlook -- and that their take merits consideration as well.

And if this becomes the norm, it raises a key question: Does this person deserve to be in our lives?

It's too bad that certain people are so stuck in their ways.

We see it all the time at work with higher-ups who want to stick to the same old ways of doing things.

Then there are those who assume that just because they did things a certain way, it's really the only course of action one should take -- whether it be studying medicine, getting married before age 30, or buying the biggest house in the neighborhood.

Then they proceed to try and inculcate these patterns of thought in their kids, co-workers, or relatives.

They fail to comprehend that people's attitudes, beliefs, and perspectives are shaped not only by upbringing but by their unique experiences.

If one refuses to see things from others' points of view, they shouldn't expect others to see things from theirs.

At the end of the day, the best relationships are those in which people are at least disposed to hearing what others have to say.

It doesn't mean they have to agree with the individual, but they should at least respect their thoughts on the matter.

Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but they don't have a right to make others' lives miserable just because they see their mindset as the only one that counts.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Women vs. Men: Who likes to backstab more?

Whether it's on TV or in the workplace, the general consensus seems to be that women gossip, backstab, and stir up more conflict than men do. But, as with every other topic, I thought it only fair to put this so-called stereotype under the microscope. If you watch reality shows like Celebrity Apprentice, you'll notice it's the women who spend far more time bickering. While the men do at times become embroiled in tit for tat, it's the women who are portrayed as meaner and more hostile. In the workplace, I have noticed that women seem to gossip far more than their male counterparts. I haven't really seen any cases where a person blatantly backstabs the other, but I have caught both men and women in little white lies. If it is true that women are generally more into backstabbing and gossiping than men, why is this the case? I believe that it isn't fair to make a blanket statement like "all women play these games while all men keep to themselves and pre...
1 comment
Read More

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it?  After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...
6 comments
Read More

Men prefer to marry brunettes

Study after study shows that men prefer blondes as girlfriends or mistresses and brunettes as wives . It seems many men see brunettes as more trustworthy and loyal. What's more, even though participants claimed that blondes are better in bed, they feel brunettes are better kissers and more affectionate than blondes. I find these results to be rather interesting. In my high school and early college days, I actually had a preference for blondes myself -- that is, until I hooked up with my now-wife. From that point on, I deemed brunettes as more attractive and marriage material, probably because they reminded me of and more closely resembled her. I think we can blame Hollywood, shows like Baywatch, and Playboy for painting blondes as wild, big chested, promiscuous and loose. (Yes, I know that there are brunettes in Playboy, but they seem to be in the minority.) When someone tells a man to think of an attractive blonde, who do you think likely crosses his mind? More likely than...
Post a Comment
Read More