'afternoon to you DIPLOMAN...

I totally agree with you, apropos that rather twee proclivity of ours to continually find fault with each other. I must also admit that I'm probably one of the worst offenders in this regard.

They say that as we grow older (I'm closer to seventy than sixty five)we tend to mellow a little, and generally reassess our priorities and objectives et al. I dunno? I reckon I'm more inclined to be a bit more acrimonious and vindictive rather than indulgent and tolerant with others, that don't necessarily agree with me!

I only wish I possessed the obligatory social maturity, that's of such salient importance, for any harmonious interaction with folk. And learn how to effectively circumvent the 'wall', rather than try crashing through it !

I suppose all I can do really is; to shut my mouth, pull my head in, and try to appreciate the opinion and views of others. Perhaps then, I really may learn a whole lot more from people ?

o sung wu, My sympathies to you, as a human being you are open to all emotions good and bad, like the rest of us.A practical method I'd recommend to you, is to keep a card in your pocket on which you've written, simply S.F.F. I find it's better than counting to 10.

My "last post" on this, I just watched the Joe and Sarah show.it seems to me- Joe Biden has learnt to practice what I preach in my old age.Sarah cetainly has "energy" but needs experience.Not that age is the preserve of wisdom.

Diploman,
A very wise woman I know well, tells me my criticsm of others is quite often a criticsm of myself .

On reflexion she is probably right a lot of the time .

I have a problem when trying to stop destruction of the environment by those who are only concerned with making money .

The GREEN Bashers seem to be a determined to abuse anyone who cares for the future of the natural environment .

How does one put the brakes on them without resorting to the same negative tactics?

My method of dealing with "problem" people:

I have printed-up small business cards, white with Red lettering and laminated! .....the cards say:..."SMILE...they cannot help being arseholes!"

If I am being stressed by a shop assistant or other member of the business community, I simply pull out a card, smile and hand it to them!

They usually read the card and smile themselves and when they try to hand me back the card I then tell them that they may keep the card!

Most of the time I don`t think that they themeselves realize that the "statement" is being directed at them personally,....so I walk away with a small sense of acheivement!

Cuphandle

That is pure genius. While there are those for whom self-reflection is an impossibility, your method defuses a situation and you can walk away without feeling dis-empowered and leave the experience where it belongs - in the past.

Cheers