Note to the world in general.

[hummingwolf]

I am not a mind-reader. I do not know what you are thinking if you won't tell me. On those occasions when it seems that I do know what's going through your brain, chances are that's because I've been paying attention. I do that sometimes.

Because I am not a mind-reader, I often ask questions. I do this, not in some indirect attempt to accuse you of something, but in a direct attempt to learn answers.

Whatever it is that enables most social interactions in our culture to flow smoothly as if everyone were thinking the same thing, I do not have it. I do not share your assumptions. I share few of your pop-cultural referents. Quote from C.S. Lewis or an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I will understand you; quote from the latest hit movie and I will probably figure that what you just said came from your own fevered brain (and I will act accordingly).

Again, I am not a mind-reader. Not knowing what else to do, I tend to take people at their word unless they have shown that their word cannot be trusted. If you say something under the assumption that I will know you don't really mean it because everybody knows it's just the polite thing to say, please do not become angry when I act as if you meant it anyway. I am not trying to be difficult, honest! I'm just not a mind-reader. And I rather get the impression that the beings around me aren't mind-readers either, else they would know this stuff already.

Comments

[hai-kah-uhk.livejournal.com]

Yeah! Geez, it's tough enough trying to be a journal reader. Especially a reader of my journal... heh... but I have trouble keeping other people's thoughts straight too.

Dommie used to liken social interactions with dancing around in a dark room - you're likely to tread on a few feet every now and then. Hmm. Well, it made sense when he said it. Oh well.

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Dancing around in a dark room could be fun if people realize that's what they're doing and are prepared to accept the inevitable missteps. What gets me is when people act as if there were light in the room, act as if their assumptions of the way things are are obvious truths that I should be able to see with no problem. For a long time I assumed that I was a blind or blindfolded person in a room where everyone else could see, but then I discovered that the people who're so upset that I can't see them are people who can't see me either.

[hai-kah-uhk.livejournal.com]

Once when he used that analogy, the other person said, "Well then maybe you should stop dancing and be more careful."

Dom's response was something to the effect of, "No! What use would it even be to live if I stopped?"

Okay, that was badly paraphrased. He didn't talk like that. But you get the idea. That other person was apparently one of the ones who didn't realize we're all blinded by our own little realities. She also thought it was someone else's (Dom's) responsibility to see her reality and treat her accordingly. So he decided she was delusional... just like everyone else. :)