How Confrontational Are You?

[lashbear]

when buying stuff, I have bought opened bottles of things (no, not makeup, thank you) and so now, I always check when I buy and as MMG says, if it's not sealed, I don't buy it.

I think that confrontation over something like this isn't needed. Too many people are prone to violence nowadays that you don't know if you're going to get a broken foundation bottle to the face for saying something negative to them.

It's like me and speeding. I used to stew and fume over people who broke the law by speeding. I flipped the bird, honked the horn, flashed the lights, and on a couple of occasions held up signs calling them names. I wouldn't do this now, or road rage will ensure I have a Spielberg-like duel with a narky Truck Driver (or Mom in an SUV) but the basic premise is the same, and here it is:

I can't control other peoples actions, only my own.

I let them go about their business. I don't let it annoy me.

If someone's driving a couple of Km's under the speed limit in front of me, I don't mind. There will be an overtaking lane eventually, and it will not add significant portions of time to my journey.

At DL if someone pushed in line, I would probably say nothing, unless dozens of people were doing it. If one or two do it, my wait time doesn't go up a whole lot.

So, in the supermarket, if they're raping someone in Aisle 10, I might go tell a worker, or if I see someone actually steal something I might mention it to an employee, but for general bad behaviour, I just let them get on with it, and make sure I check the items I'm buying to make sure they're not tampered with.

Life's a lot more peaceful that way.

[Deebs]

Originally Posted by lashbear

I can't control other peoples actions, only my own.

I let them go about their business. I don't let it annoy me.

Originally Posted by lashbear

Life's a lot more peaceful that way.

This about sums me up, at this point in my life. ^

I can only recall a couple of times I had confrontations with strangers in public, and both ended badly. One incident happened at The-Most-Hated-Store, actually. Someone ran into the back of my feet with a shopping cart at Walmart, and it really hurt. I turned around and asked the woman to please be more careful. She had two other women with her and they all three started laughing at me. The other incident happened at Marine World/Six Flags/Discovery Kingdom/whatever they are calling it these days. Someone not only cut in front of us in line, they actually pushed my daughter out of the way to pass. I said something. The language used when the couple responded to me definitely made more of a negative impression on my child than if I had remained silent.

What I decided after those incidents is to always take the path of least resistance, unless someone truly needs help. I would not stand by and let someone be harmed. But over small things, I just let it go.