I am probably ranting as opposed to writing with this post today! It is so annoying the way people show case their ignorance and lack of basic manners in expressing their dislike for anything that is foreign to their everyday experience.
Show someone a cultural experience or ask them to taste a spicy dish that is uncommon to their everyday experience, and they come up with “that is horrible” or “that is disgusting”.
When will people learn to understand that the horrible or disgusting experience is personal to them alone. If one person out of every hundred in the world can enjoy a thing, then there is nothing wrong with the activity or product or thing.
There is absolutely nothing wrong in saying “I don’t like it “. or “I find it not to my taste”. That is still a true expression of your feeling.
Learning to express your experience as personal to you is basic manners rather than showing absolute lack of grace. Simple ways of expressing your experience can be:
- Sorry, It is not my thing. (Your facial expression will automatically tell the story)
- I don’t like it or that is different (For more cultured people who are conscious about other people’s awareness).
- I find it disgusting or I find it horrible (For people that really want to express the extent of their intolerance. Your personification of your FIND experience shows your feelings).
Some people think it is posh to knock other cultural experiences by saying “it is disgusting or it is horrible”, without realizing they are the one’s being pitied by their sheer display of lack of grace.
It is also a reflection of people who blame others for their own short comings and who fail to take responsibility for their actions.
If you belong to that category, check yourself. Respect and tolerance should be evident in all that we say and do.
All in all, the onus lies on us as change agents to raise our children with good manners, as a reflection of positive upbringing and understanding of equality and diversity in the society.
Also to comport ourselves in like manner. After all, children do what they see and not what they are told.
Rant concluded!
Remember! #YHTK. Only you, hold the key!
The year is just in and days will roll over each other, then it’s December again. Don’t forget to celebrate your small wins as you daily go about achieving your dreams and visions. The small wins leads to the big victory.
