The general and the dot

You know on the trains I get to see things that I don't normally see- especially when you are close proximity to people with no way of appearing busy without appearing that you are really acting busy. It is very interesting to note how people make decisions simply just based on first appearance.

Take for example, a person wearing a green track shirt must be a sporty person and trying to look young. A lady in a red dress is in a an amorous mood. A guy in black t-shirt must be a crook or a bad boy. One never realise that this is nothing more generalization over particularization. It is true that colours sometimes signify the mood or psychology of a person but not to the extend that he/she is to be aggregated into the colour of his skin or the clothes that he/she wear.

This is simply throwing everything- warts and all- into one single basket. we make sense from the world by what this "baskets" or "categories" signify but it doesn't mean that the categories is not that is meaningful to me.

I could be wearing black t-shirt simply because I think it easy to match. I could be wearing a green track shirt simply because it was comfortable. Or I could be wearing red because I am trying get over someone. I never understand how people on trains, buses and in public spaces can actually decide that just because they understand the basket in this manner, everyone understands it in the same way.

Take tattoos for example, a few decades back, it is only done by people whom are artsy or at the edge of trends or really belong to some yakuza gang that get tattoos and today, I see stars on legs and barbed wire on triceps. It has nothing to do with the above. I have even seen perfectly executive looking people wear their small tattoos quite proudly.

And so I still don't quite understand how people can make generalization on people just by the first glances. If something is particular to me, which means that idiosyncratic to me, than maybe one can make judgements on someone. But how does anyone make any statements simply by observing and looking without once even asking or finding out more.

This has nothing to do with cultural sensitivities or mores, these people did not wear a bikini in the train or their underwear outside in. They are doing things to themselves which have absolutely nothing to do with and have no effect on the person- why then does anyone have the right to make generalization based on their particularistic judgments.

People who know me, know me- which means that they might know particularistic characteristics about me that is beyond generalization. But how does perfect strangers have and should have any effect on the actions of others just simply because they are quite unable to make sense of something that they don't know to understand in the first place.

T-shirts are T-shirts and regardless of the prints on them. If you are trying to make a statement with your fashion sense and trying to tell the world, your mood of the day- it does not mean that it should have salience or resonance with the audience. Do not generalized your statements and expect everyone to react in the same way. This means that an actor does not need to act, it just need to change a different t-shirt every time to express his emotions. When it is a happy scene, he don't need to be happy, he/she just need to wear smiley t-shirt.

It might seem rather ludicrous, but actually everyone expect others to react in the way which he/she wants to react simply because a shock factor is expected from a supposed "loud" t-shirt.

If everyone can make a statement simply by wearing a cheap t-shirt with prints, the fashion and creative industry will collapse the very next day.

Likewise, the actor and speaker whom only wear a shirt to express to everyone it's intentions or act in a contrived manner by which to expect a similar response, it is trying to generalized that everyone should and must act in this way simply because I am telling that I am doing this to get your attention.

I noticed that when a guy noticed this attractive girl on the phone, they have a tendency to pull out their phone and start tapping their phone. I am not sure what they are tapping at but it appears that he/she is too embarrassed to find out the intentions hence have to communicate in a manner which vaguely resembles an expression of interest. My question is then, why can't I be tapping my phone "functionally" which means that I am really checking my email or checking something on my phone "particular" to me.

We lived in an urbanized environment- this means that we meet more strangers than we do familiar people and if anyone whom vaguely wishes to know me better by tapping the phone- wouldn't this urbanite be too busy trying to communicate to everyone in the train/bus without actually talking to someone.

Even as I run, at the stadium- this becomes an arena where I have to read the signs of everyone. If a stadium is not meant to be run and exercise- "functionally"- where can I or anyone for that matter exercise without trying to tell everyone that I am running by "telling" you something and not because I care for my health and hence I like to run.

Personally, I have no issues with people communicating with each other via this manner by it doesn't mean that I have to reciprocate in a manner to a total stranger isn't it!!

You see if one is not good at talking which means that is not capable of expressing verbally, it doesn't mean that everyone communicates in the same way as you right. I am quite a simple man- when I want or need something, I tend to ask for what I want in a language quite unambiguously articulating the needs in my speech. This tends to be the clearest way to express your intentions.

This also applies to things that normally embarrass everyone- like expressing some form of infatuation or asking for directions or clarifying things. Of course I won't go up abruptly to a person and say "can I be your friend, and can you give me your number please."

But if you are not capable of expressing your intention and feel extremely suppressed as a result, the point is that it is actually your problem not that of those around you.

That is why I wrote the thing above: you might generalized that everyone understands you but you forgot that there are certain things particular to others that they don't understand. Similarly, you might feel that you have expressed yourself quite clearly but in reality, what you are saying is simply just particular to you and nothing else.

This might be a way one thinks but I suspect that it is the resulting effect of a poor self esteem and poor communication skills. This two things can be improved but you don't expect some stranger to ply to your psyche and maybe try to understand your friends before you try to do that on stranger in public spaces.

When in doubt ask, when you don't, don't dive so deep that no one gets you.