A rather harder list: Ten things I like about other people

I found it quite hard to construct the list of things I hate about other people, as while there are plenty of things that wind me up, there aren't a huge number that I actually despise. However, for all that that was a difficult list, this one was considerably hard to assemble. If I was bothered with tagging, or was interested in starting a meme, I would suggest all the people who did the 'ten hates' list should do this one... but I'm not, so I won't.

Anyway, not in order:

When they're really good at something, and it shows.

Greatness comes in many forms, but it is always remarkable. One of my great pleasures is watching someone doing something (anything) that they're obviously really good at.

Unfortunately, most people don't ever seem to exhibit this greatness, and I think I know why. There's a reason that Ronaldinho was able to curl the ball past Seaman and into the net, or why Gascoine was able to dance past the entire Scotland team like they weren't there, and it was nothing to do with luck. And, although genetics and natural talent were a factor, they were probably minor considerations.

No, greatness requires a mindset and a dedication that most people never achieve. Michaelangelo didn't decide one day to become a sculptor, and proceed to bash out the David. Instead, that was the culmination of years of hard work honing his skills. Most people never really apply that dedication. What's worse is that a lot of people who have natural talent don't apply it. They can do well enough by just coasting through that they do just that, and so never achieve their potential. It's really sad.

So, when I see someone who is obviously really good at what they do, I take note. And I take great joy in that.

When they Unexpectedly do Something Great

By all rights, the Rock should not be a movie star. But he was by far the best thing about "Be Cool". By rights, "Resident Evil" should be an awful movie, and yet it is not. I like being pleasantly surprised.

When they Meet Expectations of Greatness

On the other hand, and as a corollory to my first entry, I always enjoy it when someone is expected to do something great... and they do. It happens so rarely; most often, a person who shoots for glory will fall short, and so it is a joy when they succeed.

I mentioned Michaelangelo earlier. Now, I have, of course, been to the Louvre, and have seen the Mona Lisa. And, frankly, I wasn't that impressed. It's certainly something I couldn't do, and it's certainly a fine piece of art, but I just didn't get the reverence that is afforded this particular artwork.

By contrast, when I visited the Vatican Museum, I saw the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. And where the Mona Lisa didn't really match my expectations, the Sistine Chapel really did, and then some. Standing in the centre of that room and tiling my head up, and up, and then turning around like a madman trying to take it all in... it was just amazing. You should go.

When as a Team they Achieve Something None Could Alone

That should be obvious. Teamwork is hard, because the team is usually defined by the abilities of the weakest member. However, just sometimes you see a team transcend the limitations of the membership, and do something wonderful, and that's a nice moment.

Little Kindnesses

I disagree with the principle of "Good Samaritan" laws. Personally, I hold that a person has no responsibility whatsoever to help another person. At all, ever.

Now, that sounds really cold and hard. If I saw a drowing child, and I had a floatation ring to hand, shouldn't I throw it?

But, it's actually not. See, by saying one is not required to help others means that when one chooses to do so, it can correctly be seen as a good thing, and not merely a duty fulfilled. So, when the Boy Scout helps the granny cross the road, when the shopper gives up her place in the queue for a person with only one item, or when the starving beggar is given just a few coins to get through the day, those all become good things, even if they cost the given nothing, whether in real or effective measures.

When they don't feel the need to fill up every silence

Most people feel the need to talk, even when they have nothing to say. I may have noted that I hate that. However, sometimes, you find a person who acknowledges that there is no need to speak, and will consequently just accept and appreciate the silence, without it being awkward. Which is nice.

When they can actually understand what I'm wittering on about

If I told you, in detail, what I do all day, the likelihood is that you wouldn't understand much of it. My job is extremely technical and extremely specialised. (Likewise, while I can understand in broad terms what a nurse, for example, does, there's a whole world of jargon and specialist knowledge that I don't have the grounding to understand.) So, anyway, I can't talk about my job much.

Additionally, my hobbies are fairly obscure. Veyr few people really understand piping, and even those that do would generally rather play than talk about playing. Role-playing games are even more obscure. And, once we get into talking films or books, my tastes are into fantasy and sci-fi to an extent that most people haven't read in detail. How many people know what the "Phoenix Saga" is? And yet that's one of the better-known comic book storylines.

Then there are the issues I like to think about. The problem here is that I am a fairly deep thinker, and I like to try to ponder all the sides of an issue. Most people tend to see things from one or two sides, and tend to be more superficial.

And so, I quite often find myself either boring or confusing people I talk to, or trying to stick to 'safe' subjects that I obviously don't have any interest in. It makes conversation difficult.

So, it's quite nice when I do meet someone who can follow what I'm going on about.

When They Change My Mind About Something

It may shock you to hear that I'm not always right (just most of the time). So, in fact, I actually quite like it when people disagree with me, especially when their position is expressed such that it can't simply be dismissed out of hand.

But the best of all is when someone puts forward an argument that is so compelling that it actually forces me to rethink my position, and indeed change my mind on an issue. It's exceedingly rare... but it's very nice when it happens.

Diversity

If all six billion people on the planet were the same, things would be a tad boring, don't you think?

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose

There should be some accents on that statement, but I don't particularly care.

The flip side to the above quality is that, when it comes down to it, people seem to be fundamentally people wherever you go. They may be stupid, insane, or quirky, but basically, people are people to within certain variances. Which is nice.

When they don't really exist...

Of course, I've mentioned once before that I am unconvinced that people I haven't personally met even exist. After all, the only evidence I really have could easily have been fabricated. (Of course, a sufficiently determined force could conceivably even fake the existence of people I have met, but that's probably a bit too Matrix for consideration.)

So, to all those people I haven't actually met... you might not exist, but I think I like you anyway!