Irritating

There are several folks that I work with that are irritating to me.  They are not irritating because they have quirky behavior, even though they do.  They are not irritating because they believe they are brilliant, even though they think that.  They are not irritating because they have different opinions and ideas than I do, even though their ideas are often different.

What is irritating about a specific small subset of the folks that I work with is that they seem (act) wholly unconcerned about being kind and gentle with others.  It is such an odd thing.... this subgroup of folks really displays NONE of the kindness or gentleness I am used to associating with in much of the rest of my life. 

Now, of course, people all have their good and bad days, that is granted.  But, in most aspects of my life, folks tend to have at the forefront of their minds the idea of treating others kindly and gently.... even if you disagree with them.  It is something I had been guided in from my childhood, and I suspect MOST folks received similar upbringing.  To me, it is a fairly fundamental aspect of life, and it is a helpful/useful aspect of living in a society. 

I have worked with some of these folks for decades, but that lack of empathy or care so frequently catches me off guard.  In the latest examples of this, there was nothing specifically associated in their efforts that affected me.  Instead, it was how they were talking about and treating someone else.  But, their actions and their words.... so, so unkind. 

Even though it is perplexing to me, perhaps I am better off NOT having a better understanding of that sort of mindset.  It is such a harsh approach to life. 

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