Mr. Hartmann. Your advice here is good stuff. As a symbolic Interactionist I probably view language somewhat differently than you do. But we are close enough, I think.
Not too many years ago I had a close friend and colleague whose wife was extremely good at asking people about what was on their minds, somewhat in the manner you describe here. After she learned something important or intimate or sensitive or just revealing about you; she would then use it to attack and insult you right to our face. She loved to ridicule and laugh at others. Needless to say she and my friend broke up and divorced, badly. It was difficult for me because I loved my friend, even though he was not easy to live with. The wife had literally no friends. She declined and died alone and miserable. My friend had many good friends who stayed with him to the end of his life. I regarded his older daughter much like a daughter of my own. She has since earned her doctorate at Notre Dame and is chair of the dept. of political science at a big university. We are now both, friends and colleagues. I am proud of her and I could not be happier. She is nothing like either of her parents. Her husband and son are lucky people.
Mr. Hartmann. Your advice here is good stuff. As a symbolic Interactionist I probably view language somewhat differently than you do. But we are close enough, I think.
Not too many years ago I had a close friend and colleague whose wife was extremely good at asking people about what was on their minds, somewhat in the manner you describe here. After she learned something important or intimate or sensitive or just revealing about you; she would then use it to attack and insult you right to our face. She loved to ridicule and laugh at others. Needless to say she and my friend broke up and divorced, badly. It was difficult for me because I loved my friend, even though he was not easy to live with. The wife had literally no friends. She declined and died alone and miserable. My friend had many good friends who stayed with him to the end of his life. I regarded his older daughter much like a daughter of my own. She has since earned her doctorate at Notre Dame and is chair of the dept. of political science at a big university. We are now both, friends and colleagues. I am proud of her and I could not be happier. She is nothing like either of her parents. Her husband and son are lucky people.