Hurtful Words

I thought everybody knew enough about English after living in the U.S. for so many years (20 plus). But apparently, it ain't so! In a clear, direct--- devoid of jargons or big words or complex syntax--- short email, I outlined my thoughts. Yet it generated harsh, hurtful words from somebody. Once again, we read what we want to read, to see our own reflection in other people's writings, to accuse others of the same unpleasant traits that we ourselves possess.

I, of course, noticed the insolent language the person employed. I am not going to dignify the stupid comments with a reply. My latest email's language is direct and forceful, but polite. My revised letter to the National Geographic Society is polite also. I have more than enough words to fling back to the person's face, but I am not going to. That person is beneath my consideration. I posted my interior reactions to that person's words in this blog because I wanted to remind myself of a common phenomenon and that is we don't usually follow a close textual reading of what the writer wrote. Instead, we project our own feelings into the words we read and see our own reflection. In other words, when a monkey, especially an old and ugly one, looks into a mirror, it does not see the whole scenery the mirror reflects. All the monkey sees and focuses on is its own ugly face.