Over the years, what have you learned about people, individuals, what has been the most surprising?

Question

I learned that people are very good at hiding their true feelings. I always thought that this guy absolutely hated me. Such cold looks. It turns out that he has wanted to be with me for so long.

I also learned that some people just can see past the labels. Sometimes it is good to hide who you really are because people will simply not understand unless they have experienced it.

I learned that the Americans never landed on the moan. It was a hoax.

People like to show of. Selfish and greedy. We are animals.

Answer 1

I have learned that humans as a whole are unworthy. They are greedy, self-centerd, hate-filled, and petty. They look for differences and reasons to discriminate. They make war and destroy everything around them. They attempt to conquer, but in the process, destroy the very thing they coveted. Humans have thrown away their potential. They were capable of being compassionate and enlightened beings. Instead they have given in to their base instincts and are violent and crude. Years of scientific research has discovered more efficient ways to kill people. Instead of having to beat someone to death with a rock, you can push a button and annihilate an entire city. Why has such potential been squandered on destruction? Why have we not learned how to create more food? Why is there more hunger and starvation in the world? Why are ways to kill one another more abundant than food and shelter and medical care? Why? Because humanity is unworthy. Instead of curing AIDS or cancer, bigger bombs are made. Instead of addressing the impending shortage of water, more oil sources are sought out. Greed. If the technology of food production were as advanced as the technology of life destruction, we could feed millions from one farm, instead of killing millions with one bomb. If medical technologoy were as advanced and complex weapons technology, curing AIDS and cancer would be as simple as loading a gun and pulling the trigger. Humanity has chosen the wrong path, and now it pays for that mistake.

Answer 2

- that people can be sooooooo stupid/dumb.
- everyone is scared of being alone.
- they all want to be liked, despite their stupidity/immorality.
- people hide so well,
- they fake as if they love to respect the elders and their choices, but manipulate the situation so well that in the end, they do what they wanted

- people really protect their reputation, they dont even let me prove them wrong even once, even in small arguments, because they know somewhere down the line, they r gonna be in a big mess created by themselves, and at that time, they are gonna need a clear clean history. Everytime they r jus cleaning this slate everytime I accuse of them of a lil mistake, a human mnistake, but still they will not give in, because in the bigger picture this can cause them harm. I just dont believe how people play such games years and months on. I often wonder how highly I value morality, and they do it so low, that it hurts me so much to see people doing it to others,, or me,

Answer 3

I've learned with others how much true it is that some people we cross in life makes us feel better human beings and privileged ones just for being the way they are - we really grow in wisdom, and that makes us better;
others unfortunately make me remember a tale to young girls, based on the parallel - ball/seven capital sins:
there's a girl going to her first ball (debutant) in which she has this small carnet where she must fill the boys names with whom she will dance. But she had social rules she couldn't run from and when the ball happens she has to accept the ones that impose themselves. Before the ball she was a shining beautiful young girl. During the boys dances she looses (and each of them had the seven sins as surnames) the happiness, the smile, the good colors, the fresh look, the bright in the eyes and when the ball ends she was sick with sadness, lost, mute, didn't eat, didn't want to see no one. She recovers by going to the countryside where with birds singing, water running in the river, flowers growing outside she turns back to her good happy ways. Sorry for so much writing but this childhood tale reminds me of people that instead of cheer us up do have that effect on steeling bright side of life.
Thank God we all have the others, much stronger than these ones.

Answer 4

I have learned that people can be mind-numbingly stupid no matter how much history has shown them to be wrong. People still hate based on race, gender, colour, creed, religion, sexual orientation, and, really, any other excuse they have to simply hate. We still fight wars but claim faith to Christ, Buddha, Mohamed, or any other religious figure that teaches pacifism and the turning of the other cheek. Heck, we fight wars in their names. And people aren't stupid?

We celebrate figures like Gandhi and MLK Jr. but still kill each other.

People are stupid because we refuse to learn. Ignorance is a lack of knowledge. Stupidity is holding on to ignorance despite the evidence slapped in our face at every instance.

I have, however, learned that most people are inherently good. We've learned to be stand-offish and suspicious; we've learned to keep our distance and mind our own business. Still, when faced with some one in need, someone who is nice, kind, honest, and sincere, we help no matter the personal cost.

No matter how hardened we are we will always support the good and sincere when we have the opportunity. It's beautiful because it means that this of us who are good of heart can bring that out in everyone we meet.

People like that make up for everyone else.

I have learned that individuals are just that. Stereotypes only apply on the surface. We are all unique and really do have our own stories to tell and our on reasons to be worthy of love.

People can surprise us in positive ways only if we constantly assume the worst about them. When you realize that everyone has goodness in them it's never a surprise to see it.

I suppose I am still most surprised at the amount of hate people harbour and the ways in which they can justify the death of another. When a soldier kills another soldier he does so with forethought. It's not self-defense when you join an organization that exists to kill. People are the same all over the world. Geography means nothing. Where you are born defines which army you join. And we kill for that.

It still shocks me that that is okay. It still amazes me that we learn nothing from our religions and our greatest men.

What you did not ask is what saddens me most:

People who give up after being hurt. People who take that pain and hide behind it. People who let it define them and turn them into angry people filled with hate.

We all get hurt. We get hurt more often when we leave ourselves open to it but that openness, that vulnerability, is exactly what makes each hurt so very much less painful.

What I have learned most in life (another question you didn't ask) is that I would not trade any pain I have suffered for all the beauty I have known. Beauty cannot exist on its own. It needs the contrast of pain. Every hurt you suffer is, actually, beautiful for the emotions you feel, for the life you live, and for the wonderful things that that pain stands in stark contrast to.

Answer 5

I've become convinced that some people are born with a natural tendency to be bad and that too few of them succeed in implementing an equally natural attempt to overcome it.

Also, that some people are born with goodness on the order of saintliness which the world they've entered seldom defeats.

And that all things considered the rest of us need to be wary

Answer 6

That no matter how many times someone says to 'not judge a book by its cover' we all do anyway.
I don't care how adamantly people on here will try to deny that they do that, because it is true. We all do it, either outwardly or internally. We all get judged at face value, sometimes just by the vehicle we are driving, the place in the world you live in, the foods you eat, people judge others...it happens, and I wish that people would stop trying to say they don't do it.

Answer 7

I've learnt that most people, including myself, are far too quick to stereotype and judge people based on appearances or the opinions of others.
What has suprised me most is how often these judgements are wrong. It makes me wonder how many friendships and relationships do not occur as a result of people judging someone for trivial reasons.

Answer 8

Years of observation bring me to the obvious conclusion that most people are very, very self centered. That may be a survival instinct - looking out for yourself first. I am always surprised to meet someone who truly is or appears to be unselfish.

Answer 9

What I finding most surprising is how few people truly know themselves and are willing to hide who they really are in order to fit in; either at work, at school, or even sometimes at home.

Answer 10

i learned that people can be so fake sometimes. everyone is always trying to 'fit in'...like my mom for example. she acts like a completely different person when shes around some people just because she wants to impress them and it makes me so mad. whats the point of being something ur not?