Intimidating

Today I was called something I never thought I would and it made me think. We always worry at least to some extent what people think of us. We can't help it. You can't live in a society and not wonder what people think of you because we spend so much time thinking things of other people. Usually with little fact in the mix too.

So today when I was called intimidating I was quite bemused. I had never seen myself that way and certainly hadn't thought that my geekdom would be to blame. Yet somehow it made sense to some extent.

Of course normally these things don't get found out because people are too polite to say anything to your face. I might never have found out that that's what these people think of me.

Does it really make a difference though? I don't know. I don't like the tag but what am I going to do? Pretend to be dumb so people aren't intimidated? I don't think so. I'm proud of who I am and I don't think modifying my behavior to suit a handful of people is the solution. I don't really know how I can avoid being intimidating if this is the effect I have on people. How else does one behave when the reason they feel this way is because you know too much yet at the same time you are trying to teach them things and help them get a leg up?

You tell me because I don't know.