Living on a planet with an estimated eight billion people means that no one is safe from someone driving them crazy.
For introverts, it is a test of will, to prove if we are strong enough to survive in this harsh jungle.
We can run, we can hide, but there is no escape from the numerous personalities and behaviors that are out to get us. Or at least get on our nerves. These annoyances are labeled as pet peeves.
Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, everyone has something to complain about. If a certain habit like people spitting gum on the sidewalk bothers you to no end, rest assured that someone else shares the same disgust. There’s no reason to feel shame or like a creep.
Also, you may be practicing a habit that annoys others around you and not know it. Recognizing and possibly eliminating these behaviors may not save the world, but they can help you be mindful of your actions and develop compassion towards others. So, it’s a start.
With that in mind, here are some of the most popular human pet peeves that make introverts want to stay home. My attempt at saving the world.
People Standing in the Way
Have you ever shopped in a store with narrow walking lanes, mostly cluttered with inventory, and encountered people standing around blocking the way? Usually, when an introvert goes shopping, their only purpose may be to get their items and get the “fudge” out. Unless they shop early in the morning when not many people are up, they’ll have to go through the trouble of saying, “Excuse me,” just to get from point A to point B. It also makes these stores less attractive for shopping—people hanging out and talking around the merchandise as if they were in a nightclub.
Of course, stores are not the only places people stand around to block your path. Crowded schools, airports, office buildings—it happens in any public place. Even the streets and parking lots can be occupied by people standing around or slowly walking in the path of cars.
And yes, I know some people have handicaps, but not everyone. Some people seem to believe they are entitled to “go as they please”, and that no one can tell them what to do.
I see dead people… I mean, “people,” cross streets without looking both ways for incoming traffic. I know pedestrians always have the right of way, but strolling down busy streets as if they own the roads is a selfish, conceited attitude. It’s almost as if they want to get hit by a car. I believe both pedestrians and motorists should simply respect each other’s paths. Maybe I’m in the minority, but it sounds fair.
Invading Your Space
Many people live by the Circle of Life theory, that every living being is connected by feces. Or that we are all descendants of that one microorganism that started life, therefore we are all family despite our race, religion, and country of origin. They are both beautiful ideologies, but a lot of people still cannot tolerate others invading their spaces.
Examples:
· a stranger breathing in your face
· uninvited hugs or kisses from people who are not family or friends, or family and friends you don’t want to embrace with
· a stranger unexpectedly sits next to you at the lunch table while you are trying to enjoy me time
· the creep who loves to rub your shoulders when you didn’t ask for a massage
· a guy hitting on you in the store even though you’re wearing a facemask
The COVID-19 pandemic was a “glorious” era when no one could stand within six feet of a person. In many places it was a rule. The risk of catching and spreading germs was more consequential than ever. It’s what introverts have been discreetly trying to tell them.
Let’s face it, people are gross. If it’s not a deadly virus to be wary of, it’s other germs. Before the pandemic, many people didn’t know how to wash their hands or bathe properly, and they still don’t. Who knows where their hands or lips have been? And if one happens to catch a mild cold or some other virus like influenza, it will spoil their routine.
Not insinuating that we should eliminate all physical contact. There must be a middle ground to keep everyone safe and sane.
Making a Racket in Public Places
Lawn care crews with their loud, ear-aching equipment can disrupt a peaceful existence, yet they deserve praise for their hard work and professionalism.
Civilians shooting fireworks in rural areas at night, which disturbs people and traumatizes pets, are the scourge of society and they deserve to be thrown in jail.
Acceptable and unacceptable are the two types of noise pollution an individual encounters daily. Both can act as a disturbance of peace, but unacceptable noise pollution can increase a person’s stress level to astronomical heights.
We’ve all encountered motorists driving with their loud, race car engines or with car stereos cranked at full blast delivering wall-shattering booms. They want the world to hear their music. They want others to experience the rush and enjoyment they are relishing at that moment. They believe they have the right to crank up the sounds because, in their minds, everyone should appreciate all types of music. Or at least just theirs.
Unknowingly to them (if they care), it won’t help some people study for an exam, or relax, or think—especially when it is someone else’s music.
The male drivers of these whips believe in the theory that cars that go boom will attract the ladies. In truth, the vibrating noises can cause a variety of health issues such as anxiety, heart palpitations, headaches, nausea, and insomnia to vulnerable individuals within sound range.
Overuse of slang words and catchphrases
Unintelligent, lazy, discouraging, and overly repetitive slang words and catchphrases can be an annoyance that may prompt an introverted person to escape a conversation quickly.
In a previous generation, the world was addicted to the slang word, “man” used in every sentence.
“Hey man!”
“I don’t know, man.”
“What would you like to order, man?”
In this generation, the new man is the word bro.
“Bro, did you see the football game?”
“Bro, all the thunderstorms popping is a result of global warming.”
“Bruh…Bruh…Brooooooo.”
The catchphrase, know what I’m saying has been mocked to death, yet many individuals continue to include it in their sentences as if it is their tic for Tourette syndrome.
And in the age where toxic masculinity has been worldly recognized and men are starting to treat women with more dignity, men are still using cheesy pick-up lines in hopes of bagging their dream girl, or any girl.
As a society, we have an ache to make good impressions and connect during conversations. However, talking with repetitive slang and catchphrases can reveal a person’s lack of vocabulary and disinterest to be authentic.
When spoken in moderation, they are less annoying. Know what I’m saying?
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