tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696749910568979369.post9004034577443670577..comments2014-01-27T14:36:50.332-06:00Comments on Socializing Engineers: Dealing with aberrant behaviourUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696749910568979369.post-72096785331971457342012-06-28T11:31:06.186-06:002012-06-28T11:31:06.186-06:00MR - Yeah, I know that, and I mostly think I come ...MR - Yeah, I know that, and I mostly think I come down on the side where it's best to adapt to the situation. I definitely think a social and cultural literacy/mediation skills class would be super valuable.catherine annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12117990719059012147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696749910568979369.post-10564734306498035872012-06-08T15:47:22.467-06:002012-06-08T15:47:22.467-06:00SSB: Fair enough. I guess the socially awkward am...SSB: Fair enough. I guess the socially awkward among us (i.e. me) will just need to get even more experience when it comes to reading people.<br /><br />CAT: You probably already know this, but the whole anger vs. logical approach thing is pretty hotly contested when it comes to activism. Ultimately I think it's like Scott said, where some people will be more receptive to one or the other kind of response, so it takes all kinds, basically? Although I do think it's important to remember that even if something seems really evident to you, it may not be to the person you're dealing with, so you may be frustrated but they're just not informed. I'm trying to think of an example but I can't, so hopefully that's clear as is. A lot of people will argue that it's not your job to inform or educate them, but I'm not sure that's fair/productive in some cases. It's not like this stuff is taught in schools or anything, and a lot of people just don't have the time or desire to spend hours on the internet researching it.<br /><br />Maybe it <i>should</i> be taught in schools, actually. I know I had a media literacy class in high school, it shouldn't be too much of a stretch to have a social/cultural literacy type of class as well.M.R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11925634583709978628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696749910568979369.post-88363275262843444902012-06-08T09:47:39.134-06:002012-06-08T09:47:39.134-06:00MR: Gut feeling. I feel like I've met a lot of...MR: Gut feeling. I feel like I've met a lot of people in my life and I think I'm getting okay at reading people. Being better able to understand the emotions and motivations of others around me is one of the things that excites me about growing older.<br /><br />CA: That is a tricky thing. I think an emotional response can be seen as serious as a logical, calculated response, but it depends on the other individual. Let's meyers-brigg this shizzam and say that those Thinkers will probably be more receptive to a logical response, while those Feelers will probably be more receptive to an emotional response. Perhaps Thinkers are more likely to be abrasive towards anothers' feelings. You should read this article on shenpa:<br /><br />http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1610<br /><br />I think if one can identify that anger hook and see it for what it is, that person is one step closer to being able to prepare a logical response to the other if they so choose. I think understanding and being able to identify shenpa is really important when you have no choice but to coexist with those people who get your goat :)Scott Boryshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13720197866064972121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696749910568979369.post-87877117273103225092012-06-07T16:21:28.308-06:002012-06-07T16:21:28.308-06:00Yes, thanks Scott!
I struggle with this, too. It&...Yes, thanks Scott!<br /><br />I struggle with this, too. It's a fine line between trying to genuinely help people understand why what they say can hurt people and expressing (often justified) outrage. I have a harder time dealing with the things that directly affect me - for instance, dismissing women engineers/drivers/writers/what-have-you often makes me lash out more at a person than prejudice I can personally approach without my own feelings involved.<br /><br />This is tricky, though. The idea of "rhetorical influence potential" (which I'll steal from Megan) makes sense, but it also means that being angry seems to allow people to dismiss you. Why shouldn't I (or anyone, really) be angry about something that's an emotional, divisive issue? I never really know what to do about the emotional side of these things, because it's important, but means that people take you less seriously. Sigh?catherine annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12117990719059012147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696749910568979369.post-66260391625440620072012-06-07T13:16:02.108-06:002012-06-07T13:16:02.108-06:00PS Thanks for taking on the dreaded first post!PS Thanks for taking on the dreaded first post!M.R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11925634583709978628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696749910568979369.post-55044114163645904662012-06-07T13:14:15.999-06:002012-06-07T13:14:15.999-06:00This is something that I struggle with a lot! I r...This is something that I struggle with a lot! I really feel like there's a time and place to address certain topics, because if you do it at the <i>wrong</i> time and place you basically just end up not being heard and possibly even damaging your, um, rhetorical influence potential? But then it's just really hard to judge when that right time might be. And it's compounded by my social awkwardness! I'm shy and a terrible conversationalist at the best of times (prone to generalities, scatterbrained, don't think before I speak), never mind confronting someone about a sensitive topic. Do you have any particular criteria that you use for judging your approach, or is it just gut feeling?M.R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11925634583709978628noreply@blogger.com