Don't bring thin skin to the internet

[jerith]

I had an all-too-frequent argument this evening. This resulted (as it occasionally does) with the other person storming off in a huff, all offended. The conversations usually goes something like this

Comments

[pkeike]

I think that suffering from SIWOTI Syndrome is just a symptom of a certain class of people. They often believe themselves to be experts in a certain field of interest. Despite this, they are generally very open to new ideas and they also take criticism of their ideas very well. If you can improve their outlook/solution of the problem domain, you will gain their respect. Certainly not arrogance, IMHO.

However, jerith didn't really mention the flip side. If you reject their ideas without giving any valid reason for doing so, they get annoyed/angry. I think this is because SIWOTI's don't like being wrong either. It gnaws at their conscience, consuming copious amounts of free time. If they knew why they were wrong, they could fix it and the world would be right again.

Seeing something wrong with the world, that can be so easily fixed with their knowledge, is a torture. The big problem is that people's beliefs are sometimes so ingrained, that the only way to break them down is gradually over time. Most SIWOTI's just do not have the patience to use anything but an emotional wrecking ball...

Disclaimer: I regard myself as a member of the SIWOTI clan. If you take offence to my previous utterings, then you clearly aren't. :P