Comments on: Gauntlet up-taking http://monkeysong.net/2006/11/27/gauntlet-up-taking/ "And the song of the monkeys could not be heard." Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:45:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Matt http://monkeysong.net/2006/11/27/gauntlet-up-taking/comment-page-1/#comment-326 Matt Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:48:00 +0000 http://monkeysong.net/2006/11/27/gauntlet-up-taking/#comment-326 Once in my youth I was complaining to my dad about tailgaters (not the sitting around and drinking beer before a football game kind of tailgaters, though that would also be irritating if it took place on highways), and he responded with a story: When he was younger, someone was tailgating him, which he didn't like. To encourage the tailgater to back off, he hit his brakes just briefly, which sent the tailgater careening into the ditch. He said he didn't stop to help the person.<br/><br/>Not to question the authenticity of the story, but my dad also used to tell me that if I bit my fingernails, my fingers would get infected and fall off. I also remember him telling me once that if I fell between the floor joists in the attic, I would plummet into some kind of infinite abyss... Once in my youth I was complaining to my dad about tailgaters (not the sitting around and drinking beer before a football game kind of tailgaters, though that would also be irritating if it took place on highways), and he responded with a story: When he was younger, someone was tailgating him, which he didn’t like. To encourage the tailgater to back off, he hit his brakes just briefly, which sent the tailgater careening into the ditch. He said he didn’t stop to help the person.

Not to question the authenticity of the story, but my dad also used to tell me that if I bit my fingernails, my fingers would get infected and fall off. I also remember him telling me once that if I fell between the floor joists in the attic, I would plummet into some kind of infinite abyss…

]]> By: Jessica http://monkeysong.net/2006/11/27/gauntlet-up-taking/comment-page-1/#comment-324 Jessica Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:05:00 +0000 http://monkeysong.net/2006/11/27/gauntlet-up-taking/#comment-324 I have been thinking about this a lot since we talked about it a while back... about social personalities. From what you say here, one might make a case for calling yours "chameleon". This is excellent for creating harmony and avoiding conflict... but on the other hand, harder for your friends to know what you actually prefer.<br/><br/>My social personality is different in a lot of ways from yours (inflexible, maybe even :-), but also currently in flux due to culture shock and readjusting to having friends and roommates around. <br/><br/>After four years of extremely confrontational German culture I am far more likely to stare down anyone who's angry at me (or just ask why they're angry) than to just give in. <br/><br/>And when people tailgate annoyingly - I just slow down and force the issue. Call it passive-aggressive, but it works for me. :-) I have been thinking about this a lot since we talked about it a while back… about social personalities. From what you say here, one might make a case for calling yours “chameleon”. This is excellent for creating harmony and avoiding conflict… but on the other hand, harder for your friends to know what you actually prefer.

My social personality is different in a lot of ways from yours (inflexible, maybe even :-) , but also currently in flux due to culture shock and readjusting to having friends and roommates around.

After four years of extremely confrontational German culture I am far more likely to stare down anyone who’s angry at me (or just ask why they’re angry) than to just give in.

And when people tailgate annoyingly – I just slow down and force the issue. Call it passive-aggressive, but it works for me. :-)

]]> By: John http://monkeysong.net/2006/11/27/gauntlet-up-taking/comment-page-1/#comment-323 John Mon, 27 Nov 2006 17:20:00 +0000 http://monkeysong.net/2006/11/27/gauntlet-up-taking/#comment-323 Must've been all the brow-beating you got from me that conditioned you to avoid conflict so assiduously. But darn it, the silly voices had to be done my way, or else what's the point? Must’ve been all the brow-beating you got from me that conditioned you to avoid conflict so assiduously. But darn it, the silly voices had to be done my way, or else what’s the point?

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