When you are watching a movie, don’t you just want to wring the neck of inconsiderate people who speak aloud, giving away what’s about to transpire in the plot? Don’t they know you paid good money to watch the movie, not to hear it told by another viewer?
Don’t you just get irritated when your wife or girlfriend starts making faces and you see fumes emanating from her nostrils and you ask, "What’s wrong?" and she answers, "Nothing?" Nothing, of course, means something and that is a sure omen of a long argument which will end with the magic ender, "Fine." "Nothing" and "fine" don’t mean what they used to anymore.
Ah, people! They say and do weird things. So, what’s wrong with people? Let us count some of the strange, ridiculous ways:
1) They Love Seeing Other People Miserable.
Just when you are enjoying yourself, other people burst your bubble. Most people resent the happiness of others. They get threatened when you have more fun and liberty than they do. People love seeing others in misery. This is why they love to gossip and destroy you. Everyone should realize that others have as much right to life, the pursuit of happiness, and the enjoyment of the world’s bounties as they do. I wish people would really mean it when they say, "I’m happy for you."
2) They Don’t Say What They Mean; They Don’t Mean What They Say.
People have a weird practice of not saying exactly what they mean. They usually sugarcoat or put shock absorbers on their words before laying their cards on the table. Beware when someone showers praises because the word "but" is bound to follow. As in, "She’s real nice, but…"
When someone says "Let’s do lunch soon" or "Let’s have dinner sometime," don’t believe it. That sometime will take a long time, if it ever comes at all. People hardly mean what they say. Saying something out of habit has taken the sincerity out of common expressions like "Have a nice day."
3) They Are Easily Impressed By Money, Fame And Material Things.
I know this one person who automatically kowtows and becomes beholden to anyone rich or famous. "Oh, he is the nephew of Senator So-and-So." "Oh, she’s rich and from de buena famillia." Hello? The hell I care. Yet to my friend, those little qualifiers are all he needs to trigger the star-struck subservience in him. Money and fame do not impress me; personality and goodness of heart are what I look for. And I always say that whatever claim to fame anyone has, he will still make faces in the john like everybody else!
4) They Often Have Hidden Agenda.
People are fueled by hidden agenda and ulterior motives. When you really analyze actions made by people, you’ll find at the very bottom a self-serving motive or end. Gone are the days of "no strings attached," truly unselfish deeds. People make your head spin and your emotions soar so they can squeeze out what they want from you. It’s either they want your ideas, your body, your love, or your money. Can’t people do things and give of themselves unconditionally anymore?
5) They Envy Successful Friends.
Why is it that people always envy successful people and try to put them down or even pull them down? It is human nature to desire success and prosperity but somehow most people don’t like it when others are more successful than they are. When someone is good, they will try to discredit him by exposing the skeletons in his closet. If people only concentrated on becoming the best that they can be, then they would not have time for backbiting and envy. Besides, there are more than enough blessings to go around for everybody!
6) They Are Never Satisfied.
People always want more. They are never satisfied with what they have and can never get enough. How many pairs of shoes, clothes and pieces of jewelry can one person wear? How many cars can one drive, how many homes can one reside in? The way some people acquire things is like they will run out of them if they did not hoard a lot. Most people live with the fear of lack. No matter how rich and prosperous they become, they will never be happy.
7) They Are Forever Complaining.
People are always whining and complaining about all sorts of things. The funny thing is that they hardly do anything to solve whatever they grumble about – even if it is something they can correct themselves. This world would be so much better if people had the initiative to work out things first before complaining. Always try to right what’s wrong – an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure, and if it can’t be prevented, nip it in the bud.
8) They Don’t Give Credit Where It Is Due.
Many people claim the deeds and achievements of others as their own. They even plagiarize and take credit for other people’s ideas. People do this because of lack of originality and downright thick-faced selfishness. Either they want to make a good impression or make a quick, guiltless buck without sweating it out.
Owning a remarkable deed or a great idea that is not yours is unfair. The proliferation of fake brand clothes and designs, the widespread sales of pirated music and films are solid proof that this bad practice has grown to appalling proportions. People should acknowledge the originators of such products and designs, and give credit where it is due.
9) They Always Want Something For Nothing.
Most people are cheapskates. They usually want something for nothing. If they can get away with not paying, they will. What most people should realize is that the best things in life are…not free. They are expensive. If a thing is good (whether a piece of art, furniture, a show, an idea, a service, a serving of food, a course or a seminar), then someone toiled to make it so and that person has to be rightfully compensated for his efforts.
The sad reality is that the best way to reward someone who performs something wonderful for you is through money. And so, you can’t get the best the world has to offer if you are a cheapskate. In the end, you only get what you pay for.
10) They Talk More Than They Perform.
People are too noisy. They talk more than act on what they gab about. And they are forever bragging. People usually open their mouths first before they think. There is just too much empty talk in this world. It is important to have quiet moments in your day so you can hear yourself think. Include a short refreshing break to meditate on how lucky you are to be alive, to find the true desires of your heart, and to specify the goals you must achieve for the next day. Make this your everyday dictum: Less talk, more action. A noisy brook is always shallow; silent waters run deep.
11) They Dwell In The Past.
Many people get stuck in the past, crying over spilt milk and the "good old days". They keep rewinding the movies in the minds of bygone days which of course will never come back. They live in the glory of past accolades and wallow in the mire of old hurts, disappointments and misdeeds. They blame their present miseries on past events which can no longer be undone. Usually, this state of self-pity becomes comfortable; it is a convenient excuse for present inaction and failure. Unshackling yourself from the past is a major way to swing your doors open to a brighter future.
12) They Are Selfish And Hardly Consider Others.
Many people are selfish, bossy and domineering. They think that they alone are right and hardly consider the ideas and feelings of others. They don’t think about the consequences of their choices and hardly take responsibility for their actions.
What a lot of people miss is the concept that the world is an interconnected ecosystem of nature, man and other creatures. Just being inconsiderate about everyday garbage and industrial waste can greatly upset the ecological balance of the planet. People should realize that they are a vital link in the universal chain and any failure on their part will trigger a failure in the whole.
While I was window-shopping one afternoon, a lady stopped me and asked, "Excuse me, do you have a watch?"
I answered, "Yes", and walked away.