The difference between saying you don't care what other people think when you're 25 and saying you don't care what other people think when you're 40, is that when you're 40, you actually mean it.
At 25 you say it because you want it to be true. At 40 it is true.
When you get older you get more confident in yourself and forming your own opinions and you just don't care as much if they're the same opinions held by everyone else. Sometimes in fact, you'll find what you think is the total opposite of what everyone else in the world seems to think. And you don't care. Sometimes you'll even voice these opinions of yours out loud.
And so it is with no regret at all that I tell you ... I don't like Hitler. I really don't. I think he was a real asshole.
I also don't like jabbing my eye with an infected needle, drought, monsters, really long lines at the grocery store or being stuck in traffic when I have to pee.
At this point you're nodding your head up and down in validation. YOU feel the same way about these things! That's because I tricked you. You thought I was going to voice an opinion on something that was different than yours. I didn't. But I'm going to now.
I don't like Game of Thrones. I not only don't like it, I think it's stupid and cheesy. And stupid.
NOW we're getting somewhere. Game of Thrones has gained cult-like status the likes of which haven't been seen since somebody dropped a piece of chocolate in peanut butter.
And I don't like it. Game of Thrones I mean, I LOVE chocolate and peanut butter.
I also don't like most desserts, porn, Shakespeare, chain restaurants or sunflowers. And I don't really like hockey unless it's being played by 6-9 year olds.
I'm guessing you disagree with at least one of those things and you disagree STRONGLY. But I don't care. I don't like 'em even if they are wildly popular things. And no, I'm not saying I don't like them just because they're wildly popular. That's a favourite position for some people to take as well. Saying they don't like something ONLY because everyone else likes it. Oh really? You love breathing? I don't like it, totally overrated. I prefer an iron lung.
And then there's brussels sprouts. I hate them. Everyone knows I hate them. I've mentioned many times on this site about how I hate them. By this age I know what vegetables I like and which ones I don't. Yet ... no matter what ... any time I mention my hatred of brussels sprouts someone tries to change my mind. I just haven't cooked them right, haven't used the right recipe, haven't tried THEIR brussels sprouts. I haven't tried eating your hair either, but I can tell you right now I won't like it any more than I like eating my hair.
I can't really blame people, it's what we do. If a person doesn't like something that we like, we automatically try to convince them it's worth liking. There's a certain pride we feel after we've changed someone's mind about something because it's such a difficult thing to do.
Just try it this weekend. Try to change someone's mind about something. Not even anything explosive or controversial like abortion or politics. Just try to convince someone who doesn't like John Travolta that they actually should like John Travolta. That they could like John Travolta. Betcha can't do it. If the person happens to be under the age of 20 you might have a shot (providing they know who John Travolta is) but you won't be able to budge anyone over 40.
I have absolutely no idea where I'm going with this post or in fact if I'm going anywhere with it. I guess there isn't really a point to it.
And the beauty of being over 40? I don't care.
Catherine Manning
I also don't like Hitler. Or Harper.
Erin
Nobody likes Harper. It is a wonder he keeps getting re-elected. Just you wait until Monday night.
Rebecca
I've got about a month until I'm 40, so I guess I'm a bit early, but here goes... I'm from Toronto and I don't care about the Blue Jays. There. I said it. Also Game of Thrones is stupid and Brussels sprouts are disgusting.
DanT
I get it.
I'm over 40, over 60 actually, and I don't like green beans or televised sports.
Never did like them.
Su
I love reading all the likes and hates here! Some of the reasons are hilarious! I'm not being snarky when I say I don't care that much what others like or dislike..... and I'm sure no one cares that much about my preferences... and that's ok! :)
Sideroad 40
Polenta.....ewwww
Jane S
I don't like Meryl Streep and won't watch a movie if she's in it.
Janet
I hate peanut butter. Yeah, I said it.
Terry B.
I live in Maryland. I hate crab. I mean totally hate. Tell that to people who consider a great time to be
sitting around a table picking crab claws.
Mary W
All this time I thought Game of Thrones was a game you played on laptop. I have never seen it nor even seen the title on the TV select screen. I hate, hate, hate cilantro and don't understand how anyone can say they do. Have learned that I am part of a minority that lacks or has some weird enzyme and it makes it taste like soap. So maybe all these likes and dislikes can be blamed on our tongue. I hate nose piercings and wonder why they don't constantly try to pick it and tongue rings which would interfere with my tasting of non cilantrofied food.
I hate the word blouse, people that don't "fix" their pets, and all the time I spend on my laptop when I could be producing instead of consuming. I do love snakes. I'm leaving now to warm up my coffee and go on to the next blog - Karen first is my motto.
Pam
Amen to the grossness of the evil soapy cilantro! UGH!!! I'd add slimy avocado, grassy alfalfa sprouts and 'piney' papaya to my hit list. Not so wild about brussel sprouts, but I'd take them over cauliflower any day. Though I wouldn't take either of them if they were worm infested because I'm vegetarian. And this over 50 gal doesn't give a flying fig if anyone agrees with her!
Angela
Sunflowers? What's not to like about sunflowers?!!!
Kim from Milwaukee
Yeah, who doesn't like sunflowers! Except that I can't grow them...
Mary Duffy
Goat cheese. Ack.
TK
Agreed! Goat cheese tastes exactly like goats smell, just like goat's milk does. Foul. I can eat it, I can eat almost anything, but I will decidedly NOT enjoy it.
Marjorie Kramer
I don't like Game of Thrones, either. I binged on the first four or five seasons, thinking I would eventually understand its greatness. There is no greatness to get - especially because they so under-utilize their best actor, Peter Dinklage.
laura n
I hate liver. I accidentally threw it up right at a restaurant. It was a buffet. I thought it was beef.
Sarah
I too couldn't give a rats arse what happens on Game of Thrones. or Downton Abbey. now that I am over 40, I consider my life essence too finite to spend binge watching and trying to catch up on shows I never got into in the first place.
marilyn
if porn is done well it can be a good thing lol
Kim C
I didn't have any interest in watching Game of Thrones either but, out of desperation, gave it a go. I was surprised that I actually enjoyed it. Heck of a lot better than the regular drivel on tv most evenings! Being over 40 and a month shy of 50, I will throw my opinion into the ring...I don't like Harry Potter! After much coaxing from my relatives I attempted the first book then the movie. Nope, not for me thankyouverymuch.
I do love that we can all come here to Karen's to share our opinions and maybe pick up on a great show or another method to cook nasty little devil cabbages!
danni
I'm over 50, a widow with grown children out of the house... and I do whatever the hell I want. Just one of those "whatever the hell I want" things was painting the refrigerator in chalk paint (actually everyone loves that,) and wrote my motto on it... YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!
You just become more of the stubborn, willful, curious and creative child you were born as. I'm loving it.
Karol
I love that motto! I'm stealing it. My current motto is "You're not the boss of me!"
Linda J Howes
As I was busy corking, yes corking, small bags from hemp this past weekend I had someone try to convince me I should be knitting instead. "I don't like knitting, I like this" I replied but to no end they tried to make me see the light about knitting, how easy it is and I just hadn't been taught right and that the bag I was making would be better as a knitted square and then tied with a ribbon. "But that isn't what I'm making at all" I countered. Then the attack was on the hemp, "it's too rough" they complained. "It will soften with use, like linen" I explained. "It's too rough, I should use something else." "But that isn't what I want, I want to make it out of hemp" at which point I had to walk away before I told her what she could do.
IRS
Linda, you are a woman of great restraint. I too, enjoy corking, and after my first polite rebuttal that I like to do it my way, I would have told the nosy knitter that he or she could shove their knitting up the south end of their alimentary canal. I have come to believe that even the most shy, demure, and elderly of people, and those unaccustomed to swearing like a truck driver, need to learn to deploy a well placed "F*** off!" from time to time. Perhaps not as frequently as I do, but occasionally nonetheless.
Linda J Howes
Hahaha, I do have great restraint! I was at a craft show selling my soap products, (the bags were for the soap) and for the sake of potential customers have to, however, the conversation or actions going on in my head compared to my actions and/or what comes out of my mouth are entirely different. I call these my Walter Mitty Moments. ;-)
IRS
Anyone who would endlessly criticize your work like that isn't going to buy anything anyway, so let the ignorant boob have it. I love going to craft shows, and frequently talk to the artists about the methods and techniques they use, if they are so willing. Sometimes when they have explained why they do something a particular way, I have had a "Eureka!" moment, and realized that their way makes more sense than mine. The key is to ask questions, but not criticize; that just makes you an annoying twit.
Linda J Howes
It isn't them that concerns me but other customers, I already know they aren't buying. If I engage with them I'm just the same and I'm not going to change them plus I may turn off other, more important potential customers. Besides, the Walter Mitty Moments make for some pretty humorous stories, like the woman who asks do I sell Pears, she has used Pears all her life, it's all she uses, to which I reply, smiling, "No, but I do sell these beautiful, truly natural soaps which are extra moisturizing and very good for your skin" while thinking "what do I look like a F$%King Shoppers Drug Mart?, move along, get the F*(k out of my space." :-)
IRS
Wow! She actually said that to you? What a moron! I generally don't like to berate people for asking questions, since everything we know, we had to learn at some point, but some questions really are indicative of who you are dealing with. So she is at a craft show.....talking to a woman who sells handmade soap........and she asks if you carry a commercial product? I would have messed with her head, and told her that Pears is made with petroleum sludge runoff, and filtered sewage water (not true), and then presented her with your version of Pears, which is just glycerin soap. Either you could have sold her something, or at least you could have made her squirm every time she takes a shower. :D
Linda J Howes
Hahaha, well this was at a Farmers' Market but regardless, yes. Again, she wasn't going to buy so I just pointed her in a direction where she could purchase it. I hear all kinds, those people just aren't worth wasting your breath on. More recently I had someone tell me they could buy the same thing for $2 at the bulk food store. I told her I knew the product she was referring to and that it wasn't the same as this but before I could say more she said it was also available at the local, very prominent health food store, which is true because I know the product. She repeated this several times as she walked quickly away.
She obviously wasn't interested and/or did not care about hearing anything I had to say, her prerogative. Perhaps letting them continue will help to thin out the herd, one can only hope.
On another note, I could and will contact the prominent health food store and let them know about that product and how it affects the purchasing power of people's thought process when buying from them. They provide other, better options but people are more likely to compare prices over ingredients and if this store provides that alternative it must be just as good, after all soap is soap right.
IRS
You need to start bringing a fully charged Taser when attending these Farmer's Markets. You can make yourself a nice hemp hip holster, so that it's always at the ready.
Jack Ledger
I totally agree with your dislike of chain restaurants.............their problem is that no restaurant is stronger than their weakest link. Have a nice weekend!
Jillian
I simply don't care what other people think for a few reasons:
1. A persons thought process is based on their subconsious beliefs formed, mostly, when as a child and if they are not conscious of what they are thinking they are living their life from the view point of a 6 year old lol
2. As my grandma use to say "what others think about you is none of your business, and vice versa". This is a very potent statement to say to people who are personally attacking you. lol It ends the conversation.
3. I don't take what other people think, do or say personally, (see #1), which frees me to just not give a shit. This also frees me to live my life authentically and just be who I am, because again, I just don't give a shit.
And I totally agree with you, the older one gets the less we care what others think. I love being in my 40's and can't wait to be in my 50's, beginning next year! When I say this to people, they get all uptight about getting older, probably, because of fear of old age and death or vanity or whatever. Bu then again, I just don't give a shit....