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Or maybe they see the hidden depths. It’s possible. This series has already taught many of us that people aren’t always what they seem on he surface. The character development is amazing and I always look forward to updates. Keep up the good work!

“Some people just like jerks”

Truer words have never been spoken. I should know as I worked for them.

“The world loves a bastard.” Arnold Rimmer

Which makes you wonder what the whole point is in being nice if the bastards are the ones who will just end up getting the accolades anyway.

Bastards need nice people to walk on. Learn to say ‘no’ damnit!

Depends on what you’re saying “no” to them about. Some of these guys sign my paychecks, okay?

I have learned through experience that for those where a well thought out no does not work a “can I get that in writing” will most times bring them to a dead stop. Well unless they have some other patsy to follow those orders and put their career/freedom/life at risk.

It’s more complicated than that. If the jerk is well-enjoyed by the majority of the workplace and his supervisor is willing to dismiss his behavior as being entitled to a “brain break”, then even if I were to take action against him and win, I still stand to lose as I will be known by the workplace as “that guy” who can’t “lighten” up. It’s a choice of either being abused by the jerk for the sake of maintaining workplace rep or take action and risk becoming a total pariah to all that work there. It also doesn’t help matters when the job market is tight and you have to maintain that job for the sake of paying your rent.

The point of being nice is that every morning you wake up with yourself. You be nice so that when you look in the mirror you can say “I’m ok with that guy/gal”. Be a bastard and you can only despise yourself.

I much prefer the former. I don’t be nice for the brownie points. I be nice because that’s the person I want to be.

Except most Bastards are amoral sociopaths and have zero empathy for anyone outside of themselves.

I wouldn’t go as far as that, but yeah, most jerks tend to have no issue with what they see in the mirror.

If Reggie is your sorta-self-insert character, Jackie, does that explain his slowly acquiring a harem? ;)

(Just messing with you; I know he’s a gentleman.)

Everyone knows Thomas is my self insert. Reggie is just a better representation of me.

Walt Kelly, who did the Pogo comic strip, in 1948 + after, said something like that: [paraphrasing]-

“Pogo the possum is the nice + patient guy…in my comic.

While Albert- the impatient, rowdy, judgemental, and loud guy. Out of those two,…Albert is probably more like me. “

There’s always one in every group of friends. The one that comes off as a jerk or communicates poorly to everyone in general, but is still loyal to their friends.

In the military, we had a guy whose last name was Hinchy, so we called him by his last name. He came across as a huge jerk to most of us, and we all basically fought off his insistent verbal torrent of garbage every day. However, once I started to get to know him better, I realized it was the only way he knew how to communicate – being nice or plain in social situations was highly stressful for him. So he tried to be funny in the only way he knew how – making light of everything. Since I was our class’s leader (being the highest ranked), he used me as a target for his humor. I realized it fairly early, and luckily we were able to get around it. In the end, five or six of us were all friends and he was still our group “jerk” who made us laugh.

Just be sure as a friend that Hinchy doesn’t piss off the wrong person with his attitude. Wouldn’t want him sleeping with the fishes.

Since Evrina isn’t there to defend herself… and she savages other folks when she is around!

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