dont you know who I think I am??

I’ve written about the crappy people we all meet in life. I got the term from reading James Altucher’s blog. He coined the term or at least that’s where I first heard it used so fittingly.

I have to make a choice about dealing with them. Control my reactions when I’m around them or simply walk away.
I found it’s way more easy to just walk away.

But this post isn’t about them – the crappy people.
No, it’s about how I deal with another type of person.
A type of person that I think we all deal with everyday.
The person who believes we should all know who they are:

The Know-it-all.

God bless the Know-it-all’s. They are everywhere! I don’t think they do it to be mean, they quite possibly can’t help themselves. They have this “need” to let everyone around know they have something to say! Or they know all about something and have to – just have to! – share. A lot of the time they tell me the obvious, they could even be called Mr/Mrs Obvious.

Yes, they can be annoying. They can even seem obnoxious. I think sometimes that the Know-it-all may even have a low self worth thing going on. Maybe they need to overcompensate for it.

I know someone who once, actually repeatedly, says, “I have no filter, if it’s in my mind it’s out my mouth! I can’t help it. I’m just that honest of a person.”
Really, this person did say that. Repeatedly. And they believe it every time!

Or they start the conversation with, “You know, what you should do…”
My brother, who is not a Know-it-all, says that to me all the time ever since I told him about the Know-it-alls. He thinks it’s funny. It’s not. It’s annoying.

The Know-it-all really believes they are doing community service. They’re just helping me out!

Now, I do have my own beliefs, my standards if you will. I just don’t feel the need to share. I mean they are MY beliefs. And I know you might not share them even if I think you should.

I used to love saying and (mis)quoting my Grandmother, “Opinions are like a..holes, everyone has one and they all stink.” Pretty graphic, and no my Grandmother didn’t really say that.
Not entirely, not the hole part anyway. Or the “a” part either.
My version is just funnier.

So how do I deal with these Know-it-alls?
Do I confront and challenge every wrong thing they say?
Do I cross them off my list never to speak with them again?
No, I don’t do any of these.

Usually, I just find myself laughing on the inside whenever I’m around one of them. I’m actually amused that they believe I’m so lacking in intelligence that I need them to inform me on what is happening before my very eyes.

So,I usually just listen to them.
Maybe crack wise too. Although they don’t usually get my humor since they are too busy thinking of the next nugget to drop my way.

I listen, but I don’t always follow their advice. I decide if it’s valid or not.

But here is a question for my little brother who likes to annoy: If you are not a Know-it-all, does that make you a Know-not-all-that-much?

And to all the Know-it-alls in my life:

Don’t you know who I think I am?

JT

%d bloggers like this: