I Like People

One of my innate drives is my love for other people in a very general sense. I am an eternal optimist about other human beings. I look for and want to find the good things in others. I also like the variety, inventiveness, and uniqueness of others. One thing that drives me on the internet is the exploration of what people are thinking, doing, and into.

Overall, I think this trait is good for me. It makes me happy and it leads me to have many friends from all walks of life. It also makes communicating much easier most of the time. Happy vibes help people listen to one another in subtle ways. It also gives me some sense of security and peace to know the world is filled with all these wonderful folks. As a writer and actor, this love of others drives me in my portrayals and really helps me be in the mind frame of my characters.

It can also have disadvantages. I am pretty bad at being aware of when someone is working against me. I will work hard to find a way to see that as not being true and to make excuses for them. Sometimes, I’m probably correct. Often people do harm without any real intent or animosity, but not always. And there have been times that folks have absolutely done their best to bring me down in some way. Still, on balance, I think I have gained more by trusting good people than having lost by trusting bad people.

One skill I’ve learned to develop is to compartmentalize some of my relationships with others. There are people I have learned first hand, or from others that cannot be trusted in some capacity. There are folks I learned not to get into financial arrangements with, others who I should not have earnest discussions on delicate topics. By knowing someone’s weak points, and avoiding them, you can then still have a good relationship on other dimensions and enjoy the good parts of who they are. I’ll admit however there are some truly bad apples out there who you are better off avoiding entirely, those who actively seek to cause damage.

It is also my impulse to try and bring people closer together who have been in conflict, to be a kind of peacemaker and bridge between others. I’ll admit this is not always wise, and often not very effective, but from time to time I’ve at least brought some kind of detente so both could let go and go their own way. The current political climate has me very much in this frame of mind, looking for ways for folks to understand one another better and perhaps be able to look for points of common interest.

One ironic aspect of me liking people, is I often become friends with folks who really don’t especially like “people” in the general humanity sense. I always feel honored when they decide they trust me enough to count me as a friend. I’m also very grateful when folks are able to look past my own flaws and foibles and see the best in me.

So thanks for being you and letting me be some small part of your life. Know that you are liked and appreciated. 🙂