Great(ly reduced) Expectations

[Funka Genocide]

Just been doing some thinking on the sorts of things I expect from friends and acquaintances. Thins that I hold to be important in other people. Felt it might be an interesting topic of conversation and so, here I am, in general forum.

Wanted to see the sorts of things you guys expected from others, and maybe how those expectations being met or not determines our relationships with friends and family.

I for one expect my friends to be honest and all that junk, but I recall a time in my life when I could be called an "Elitist Jerk" and considered such things as an ability to discuss esoteric philosophy to be a necessary faculty of people I'd consider friends.

Nowadays a simple ability to converse in a manner that is generally coherent seems to be enough, heh.

but there are still a few hard and fast rules I will always stick by. Number one being "Don't hump my furniture."

bodily fluids are a bitch to get out of fabric.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

All I need is the ability to listen to my rants about whichever tiny academic subset I'm raging against (last week it was the neostructuralists, man I hate those dudes) and if you can pretend that you know what I'm talking about then bonus points.

[P-Sleazy]

I know what neostructuralists are! their structuralists, but newer!

For me, its being able to be there for you when it really counts and to not force you into things that are particularily bad for you in the sense that it will harm you later in the future.

[DFM]

Originally Posted by Barrel-Hating Sycophant

All I need is the ability to listen to my rants about whichever tiny academic subset I'm raging against (last week it was the neostructuralists).

Fuck those idiots, I hope they fall in a pit and die.

Also I don't really have "standards" for friendships, it mainly comes down to me liking you more than I hate you.

[Kerensky287]

I can't tolerate stupidity. Other than that, I'm fine with almost everything.

And I don't mean average intelligence. I mean STUPIDITY. Like, "The World Is Flat" stupidity. Especially if they're obnoxious about it.

I know someone, for example, who is a firm anti-evolutionist. He argues evolution at every opportunity, even though most of his points have to do with the fact that evolution happening the way it did is unlikely.

[Demetrius]

Pretentious people are right out for me, be who you are and if you can't don't tell me about it.

[russianreversal]

I'd have to say I follow DFM the most, but one type I (and probably most of the world) cannot stand is snooty. None of that.

[Solid Snake]

My biggest pet peeve involves know-it-alls, and unfortunately, one such know-it-all personality in my life happens to be my current roommate.

For the record, I'd actually rather have a conversation with an imbecile who was at least honest with his intellectual shortcomings, than a "certifiable genius" who waved his academic credentials in my face at every feasible opportunity. I like intellectual conversations with people who are willing to admit that A: they don't know everything, and B: will admit they're wrong every once in a while.

My roommate annoys the crap out of me because he likes to take controversial positions for the sheer sake of provoking controversy, and if you disagree with him on any subject (even rather inherently subjective subjects like faith) he immediately accuses you of simply being wrong. His reality is the objective truth in every situation.

So for example, he recently looked up some stuff on Scientology's website and became convinced that Scientologists were more credible than Christians. I'm not going to get into the semantics of his claims because A: they're unimportant for the sake of discussion and B: religious discussions aren't tolerated here anyway. The details of his argument, and my own position on the subject, are irrelevant; what annoyed me more than his own belief (and he's entitled to think the sky is pink if he wants, I guess) is the fact that if you dare express one iota of disagreement with him, he goes ballistic and accuses you of blatant stupidity.

My roommate also likes a blatant black and white mentality of good and evil, and you're either one or the other. Fortunately he categorizes me as "good" (but often misguided.) But, for example, in his world (and remember, he sincerely believes that his opinions are not just his personal views but actually objecive reality) Mitt Romney is a paragon of virtue and a savior; Mike Huckabee is evil. Hillary Clinton is good, Barack Obama is evil. (Yes, he likes to be original so, I suppose that explains how Clinton and Romney are both wonderful individuals whereas Huckabee and Obama are satanic minions.) But you see, there's no middle ground: public figures in his mind are either scum of the Earth, or saving the universe. And if you dare argue with him that a shades-of-grey mentality might be more realistic in appraising individuals, who all have good and bad sides to them? Well, good luck.

So yeah, I'll stop ranting right now but really, my roommate currently sums up everything I could possibly dislike about acquaintances. (And I'm not even touching his other hobbies, like how despite the fact that he makes nearly twice as much money as I do, he still asks me on a near-daily basis to eat and drink the stuff I purchase. And how, if he wants to have a chat with you but you're busy, he'll throw a ruckus on false pretenses, making you believe there's a crisis going on, so you drop everything to speak with him, and then he's like, "Aww man, I was just playing with you. But I need to show you this Youtube video about politics, and we need to discuss it for the next few hours.")

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Originally Posted by DFM

Fuck those idiots, I hope they fall in a pit and die.

Also I don't really have "standards" for friendships, it mainly comes down to me liking you more than I hate you.

Not enough pits in the world. Never enough pits.

[bluestarultor]

I expect a few things from the people around me. First, they don't have to agree, but they DO at least have to hear me out. Not necessarily open-minded, per se, but if they're going to air their opinions to me, I should be able to do the same, and we should be able to discuss in an intelligent manner.

PS, Snake, your roomie's name wouldn't be John, would it? He sounds like a roommate I had once that drove me nuts.


Second, a certain level of acceptance is preferred. If someone is blatantly racist, sexist, homophobic, religiously intolerant, etc., they can go elsewhere.

Third, I prefer people who DO keep an open mind, proper. They tend to have a wider range of experiences and knowledge, which makes for better conversation and broadens my own knowledge base. I can talk on nearly any level, but I'd rather talk about things we both know about, or have many people with various knowledge in, rather than having one of us just explaining something to the other. Plus, an open-minded person is less likely to whack out if I propose something out there or want to talk about something obscure.

Lastly, they need to be reasonable. I don't care HOW much they like to talk about the same stuff I do, if they insist on flitting around in a pink tutu (for a guy) or go around preaching Scientology on the streets or something, I'm more likely to back away slowly and avoid eye contact than make friends. In less severe cases, there are such things as toothpaste, soap, and laundry detergent for hygiene, because while I can understand not showering twice a day, every day, burning your clothes after you wear them once, and having blindingly white teeth, 'cause I sure as heck don't, there's no excuse for having your breath, body, or clothes smell like a [insert wild animal]. I know good hygiene is less reasonable than it is hygienic, but it's reasonable to expect it from most people.