I was talking with someone today and realized I did something I do quite often that might be a trait that gets me into trouble: I boldly state my preference for (or against) something.
In this case, it was being tired of classic rock from a lifetime of overexposure. I think I offended the person, but saved it by clarifying that I’m mostly tired that there is a play list of seemingly 100-songs that have been in continual rotation for 50 years.
Anyway, it occurs to me that I’m just stating my preferences and I personally thing that’s fine and normal, but that people get personally offended if you don’t like what they like; which makes no sense to me. It’s like if you don’t like bland food, I’m not going to get offended because I can’t handle anything hotter than black pepper. It doesn’t ultimately mean anything significant.
Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?
As my grandma used to say, “Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one and they are all shitty.” If somebody is going to get offended by yours then that is their problem.
That being said, tone matters, in my experience a lot more to neurotypicals than to we neurodivergents. Sometimes I have to rephrase something because the first way I said it came off as assholery even though I didn’t mean it that way.