21 October 2009

Speedy Judgements

We all have ways of quickly judging someones character. Not so much on a moral basis, are they good or bad? Axe murder or hero? But more "are they someone I can get along with?"

For me their are several. I will typically try and buy someone a drink (assuming we are near a bar) and if they don't buy me one back during the course of evening or at least offer to - then they are a prat and they will have an uphill struggle from there. This doesn't apply to my friends who have, by definition already passed this sub-conscious test - I will buy them as many drinks as they want.

Another is peoples automatic attitude to speed...
If I said "was driving home last night at 140 with Faithless blasting out the stereo and not a care in the World" I could get a series of reactions

1. That's dangerous - people like you should be banned
2. Driving at that speed is irresponsible you might hurt someone
3. Weren't you scared?
4. What happens if you had a blow out at the speed?
5. That's not very fast yesterday I did 240 in my BWM
6. What about all the extra CO2 you are burning
7. Which road was that on?
8. What were you driving?
9. Miles or kilometers per hour?
10. Nice one
11. Which Faithless track?

The people who answer any of 1-5 in the above list are not my kind of people. 1 and 2 have made no attempt to establish under what conditions I was travelling at the speed they have just passed judegment because somebody told them it was wrong (baa). 3 and 4 are lame and show very little understanding of risk and 5 is just a cock. Answer 6 is only permitted if you are a bike riding, vegan who never travels by plane and uses no plastic, then I respect you for your belief. Answers 7-8 are legitimate to establish if I was indeed being reckless and 8-11 are all acceptable, with increasing kudos down the list.

What question/situation do you use to make rapid judgements of people?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Dont have a ready answer to your question - I tend to just listen and drink up!

This made me smile at the end of what was a long day :-D That and want to get the Faithless out

Remind me to buy you a drink next time we are both near the same bar :-D

Bx

John said...

Bekka, you dont need to buy me drink you are an old friend...

So go and crank up the faithless...
jx