Words of Innocence and Experience

People are people
So what should it be?
You and I should get along so awfully.
–Depeche Mode “People Are People”

Ah, how complicated people are!

Sometimes when people make a general statement about me, I wish I could exclaim “Oh, that’s not true!” and give various examples to prove what I’m really like. Nevertheless, there is always fear and modesty that pull me back–fear that saying too much would scare people away, particularly the ones who barely know me. Time would tell, I’d think, but what if I’d never seen those people again? Their impression on me would remain stereotyped and untruthful.

However, if thinking in another perspective, I’d just known the people, too. When I’m anxious over the frustration of the interactions with them, they are possibly troubled by the same thing as well. They’d think that their remarks weren’t intended to do harm. It was actually I who had misjudged them.

The reasons–fear, modesty, etc.–which prevent both sides to open their hearts and be frank would not disappear. Therefore, misunderstandings are likely to be intact.

If only people were simpler, success in communication would not be such an uphill job.