Life Explains Life, You Won't Like It. Or anybody else, probably

Recently one of the women who works for me, sort of* ran into the person who used to manage this department. She was telling me about it. "I didn't like him, I never liked him," she said.

I had no idea. It was a revelatory moment. It surprised many people, it seems she told a lot of people and everybody was amazed at what they didn't know (kind of like life). Of course, managing people should never be a beauty, or popularity contest. Around here, though, it is pretty easy to get along with people. It is kind of a hand out the work and get out of the way situation. The old manager seemed to excel at that.

It led me down a familiar path, though. How does this woman feel about me? She likes me enough to do her job, and that is probably good enough. We don't need to be friends.

What about the rest of the people here? How many people are nice to my face, but secretly dislike
me? Maybe everybody. Maybe I am universally despised, but so unobtrusive it is difficult to find a good reason to expel me. What about everybody else, maybe nobody likes anybody, and we are all just to polite to say anything.

Maybe that is enough, maybe civilization hinges on our ability to be polite while covering our complete distaste for someone loathsome. Maybe the world is filled with people who dislike each other, and are just too polite to say anything.  Maybe we are actually a very polite society filled with despicable sons of bitches.

Man, think of how much more sense reality makes if that is true. It explains so much.  All of the sudden the violent, bloody history of mankind snaps into sharp focus. I should go find that woman tomorrow at work, and hug her, even though she would hate it.


* I say "sort of" because where I am really a figurehead with no authority, I have grown comfortable with the situation, and in fact have learned to embrace it, as long as nothing goes too far askew my vocational life is a breeze. When things do go south it gets a little uncomfortable, but you play the cards dealt, or you don't play at all.