Comment by HankB99
10 months ago
> I blows my mind (and often aggravates me) how rude some people can be.
That seems to be a general characteristic. I strive to be cheerful and helpful whenever I'm asking for something. I feel like (sadly) it sets me apart from the crowd and helps me to get what I'm asking for. And IAC, with so little effort on my part I may brighten someone else' day and that makes me happy.
Just last week I asked housekeeping at a hotel for an old style coffee pot since I had brought my own coffee and filters. I started with "Can I pester you a moment?" and the conversation went up from there. Housekeeping was extremely friendly and helpful. Later I guessed this might have been her way to disarm some of the typical hostile interchanges she's been the brunt of.
I always feel like I'm imposing, and I have to remind myself that there are people who are eager to hear what I have to say. I try to set up my issue reports with appropriate background, and I always volunteer to, for example, submit a PR for a documentation change if the resolution requires it. And I have had some of the most wonderful interactions with complete strangers who had an idea, built a tool for themselves, and found other people had the same need.
There's a broader topic of ... just be nice to people. It doesn't cost anything. It does reassure me that this universe has been struggling with this for decades upon decades--witness the Malvin and Jim scene in WarGames. "Remember when you told me to tell you when you were acting rudely and insensitively?"