I'm a dick
When I'm a dick to someone, most of the time it's because I know they won't listen to the voice of reason so I might as well entertain myself when I'm in their company. Unless I simply feel like being nice to someone, my silence can have two meanings. Lots of times I'm quiet simply because I like to 'be' when I'm around someone else. No pressure, no worries. Other times when I'm quiet, you may not really want to hear what I'm thinking. Part of my madness comes from my own stupidity in allowing myself to be in the situation I am. The other part comes from the fact that some people are extraordinarily rude and disrespectful. Condescending. Ignorant. They think their shit doesn't stink. They say and do the most ridiculous things. They have no reason for me to take heed to their false experience in life.
The stupidity is easy to handle with some people because their intentions are good and they can take input from others without crying. I was loading some lumber into a customer's vehicle one day and we looked up in the sky and saw the contrails from jets flying overhead.
He asks, "You know what that is right?"
Trying to be witty I said, "Yes, that means that there's a bunch of people going somewhere that I'd rather be right now."
He gives me a look of shame and says "Son, you'll learn one day. That's actually the government launching rockets and changing the atmosphere. It's how they are making money on all these hurricanes and tornadoes."
(I chuckled, yet he was dead serious)
I'm speechless at this point. I honestly can't process the sheer amount of ignorance in this man's statement. I can't help him, so I humor him. "I never knew that!" He was on his soap-box way too long. I lost brain cells listening to his conspiracy theory.
I guess what we learn in commercial flight school is bull-dookie.
This is an example of extreme ignorance in my opinion. It wasn't that he mis-interpreted a snippet of information and he was slightly incorrect, he was oblivious to common sense. He is not alone. While subjects differ, the magnitude of ignorance doesn't change. The current issue of it being illegal for a legal owner of a weapon to carry (concealed) into schools, parks etc., is another prime example of ignorance. Outlawing the possession of a weapon will do nothing to stop a killer from killing. All it does it take away the ability of people to defend themselves legally. I digress.
The real concern I have about all this, is the fact that so many things in life go un-checked. We are guided in random paths during our lifetime, many times by the direct assistance of others. How do we know that those who have guided us aren't complete wack-jobs? I'm not targeting 'loved-ones' so much as I'm speaking of people who stand out as leaders and experts in our society. These powerful people seem to know what's best for all of us. They work on the premise that people have been clouded and don't know any different. **insert discussion about politicians here**
Bullshitting a bullshitter...
When I owned my restaurant, I sat down at the local watering hole for a drink one night. I was next to a guy that was talking about 'Dave's Burger Joint.' I acted curious and prompted along his apparent knowledge of who 'Dave' was. He spoke of this guy as if he knew him forever and all the things he's done. It wasn't even a lie, it was a completely irrelevant story with zero correlation. After he was done, I introduced myself. Not a peep was made from him, he finished his drink and left.
When people say things, I think I have generally sound judgement as to whether or not they really know what they are talking about. Even if I don't know the topic, the delivery of their message says a lot. I'm no expert at anything really, but this seems to be the root of why I'm a dick. Especially in my current situation, people are more transparent than they realize. Who am I kidding, they're right. I'm just a stupid thirty-two year old guy that has gone nowhere in life.