If I tried to count the idiots and assholes I came across from week to week I'd quickly run out of toes and fingers; idiots abound, especially these days, of that there is no doubt.
I'll admit my tolerance for, and acceptance of, these types is extremely low and what I'd denote an idiot or asshole is probably different to most others, although I'm sure many would agree with my assessments also, if they're honest.
A little perspective
The image above is a photo of a pair of my Oakley sunglasses. If it's day time they're with me and I wear them a lot. These aren't any old run-of-the-mill Oakley's though - They're special.
These glasses have had the Oakley lenses removed and replaced with multifocal prescription lenses to match the prescription I require to see properly. I wear reading glasses these days, something I never needed to do in the past, and wanted a pair of sunglasses the same.
I shoot guns a lot and always wear Oakley wrap-around sunglasses when doing it. As my eyes deteriorated I had to add in the prescription lenses so I could see the sights clearly, critical for making shots, although also needed to see clearly down-range and that's where the multifocal scenario comes in. The lower portion of the lenses are a close-range prescription and the mid-to-upper portion of the lenses are for longer distance. My far-vision is very good so that prescription is very low. It took some getting used to but they're indispensable to me now, when I'm shooting and in everyday use.
The most recent asshole
Anyway, I wear these glasses very regularly but because I only need them to read things up close I push them up onto the top of my head when it's not sunny most often.
The other day I was in the supermarket and wanted to read a product label, a by-product of being diabetic and needing to read sugar and carbohydrate content in what I eat. The print was small so I pulled my Oakley's down to read the packaging. I put it back on the shelf and turned to walk away and right at that moment someone not too far away said, "oh yeah, it's so bright in here you need sun glasses on."
What the bloody fuck? #WTBF
I'm not sure how I managed to restrain myself from throat punching said asshole/idiot (assholdiot) but somehow I did. To be honest I didn't do anything, except issue my death-stare for a few seconds and then move away - It wasn't worth my time.
Assumptions
It's easy to look at a situation, decide what it is and judge, react or form an opinion; we all do it to a greater or lesser degree. It takes a special kind of asshole to do what that chap in the supermarket did though. What if I was legally blind? What if I'd lost an eye and used the glasses to cover the empty socket? What if I was a guy with prescription sunglasses who needed them to read a label?
Had I been wearing my reading glasses, pictured above, I wouldn't have received the comment and sure, wearing dark sunglasses inside a supermarket may seem a little strange, but to take a snippet of information and comment on it in that way, to a complete stranger...yeah, add another one to the asshole/idiot (assholdiot) tally.
There was a time
I'll admit that in the past I would have reacted poorly and aggressively; it wasn't all that long ago either. I wouldn't have squared off and administered a smackdown of course (or would I?) but I would have said something to demonstrate that person's assholiness for sure. These days, I just don't see the point, not because they don't deserve it because they absolutely do, but because that's just society nowadays. People are judgemental, maybe more than ever before, but worse still is the way people feel so entitled to voice their opinions in that way. It's fucken disgusting.
I'll be honest and say that it annoyed me and I wanted to deal with it in a different manner; it wouldn't have helped the situation of course, or reversed it, but I might have felt better...but then maybe not. I'm glad I decided against it. I could have simply said, they're prescription lenses, and cleared up the whole thing too...but who the fuck is that person to me to warrant an explanation? Yeah, that's right, no one, just another pointless, entitled meat-sack asshole.
Would you make an observation and comment so openly to a stranger, or even someone you know? Are you one to make assumptions and react to them even though it might be rude, inappropriate or pointless? Have you had someone do it to you? Maybe you disagree with me and think it was perfectly legit thing to comment on to a complete stranger? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Any images in this post are my own