I have noticed a trend among people on the radio, people in business, people in ministry, people who are just plain hyper.
ADHD is the modern term for this syndrome.
Have you ever seen Glen Beck’s program on headline News? Very entertaining but he has an attention span of a two-year-old child.
I have a pastor friend who never reads this blog so I’m safe. He is so hyper that he tries to do 3 things at once and always fails. When he talks to me (which I avoid) he is looking over my shoulder. I don’t know how he stays married. Frankly he barely does and I understand her frustration.
I do business with some landscapers who are so hyper that they harass me to my limits.
I have learned not to sanction or encourage this behavior. The inability to concentrate, stay focused or do deliberative consideration is a weakness these people don’t grasp.
I am happy that among most of my good friends there are few who I allow to abuse me with the inattention the ADHD lifestyle seems to manifest. If you don’t pay attention, I’ll ignore you too.
I have had the misfortune to have people under me who were this kind of talk talk talk rattle on types who couldn’t listen if you forced them. I have sometimes had to grab them by the hand, look them straight in the eye, yell at them, say “STOP TALKING AND LISTEN”. Then they usually start talking about why they talk so much. Then I yell, SHUT UP! Cruel? Maybe, but is it more cruel to sanction this kind of aberrant behavior by pretending it's not a problem? Particularly if this person works for you? I think real cruelty is not dealing with it here and now. By the way, those people that I have had to deal with in this brutal manner were better afterwards. They knew I wouldn’t tolerate the babble. They shut up.
The real crime is these people never develop the social skill of listening or hearing. The mouth they have is their worst enemy. It's always getting them in trouble. They are so distracted by so much that they can’t take direction, can’t follow a series of instructions, can’t reason without talking past the point. It’s a handicap in society to be one of these poor souls.
I could blame it on all the gadgets we live with. I could blame it on TV. I could blame the school system.
I blame a lack of discipline. I blame lazy parents. I blame a culture that seems to reward and encourage this kind of inanity.
If you are one of those bouncing off the wall types, I’ll catch you later. A LOT LATER.
An Amazing Update.
Yesterday Tuesday I get a call from the Pastor Friend I mention.
He's calling to talk policy in his fellowship, he has another cell phone which rings 3 times while he's talking to me and trying to drive, the radio is blaring and he's reading a map.
Needless to say I didn't have his undivided attention although I tried to give him mine.
And he kept saying, "Sorry Gene" when he would force me to listen to someone elses conversation on the other phone. Then he had the audacity to ask, "what were we talking about?".
He had forgotten. HE CALLED ME.
That gives you a clue as to how important he thinks I am. How much he values our "friendship". I pity his parish.
Remember this all happens when he calls ME. I'm not angry, it's just an example.
And believe me, this kind of self importance will be the death of him.
I will not be treated pejoratively. Frankly these inattentive self centered people think they are being caring. One of them said to me once after a particualrly bad row with another person, "But Gene, I'm the most caring person I know". I had to contain myself.
Please call me when you want to TALK!
No comments:
Post a Comment