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>That the author is passing judgement on the non-talkers shows that he is expecting something from them. In fact you are judging the writer through the window

>That the author is passing judgement on the non-talkers shows that he is expecting something from them. In fact you are judging the writer through the window of your own experience. You see judgement, but he didn't actually judge anyone. What the writer did was comment on behaviour, about how people didn't notice the thing that was of pivotal importance in his life but instead the black and white version of the Uber logo, something unusual yet familiar to their own. He's really just making a comment on behaviour rather than a judgement on human nature. He's highlighting how we tend to be drawn to things that are important to ourselves and not look to what others might be displaying that are of importance to them. I get the overall impression the writer is a man who knows himself and his lot in life. He's under no illusion about his utility to Uber as a PR piece for instance. There might be a twinge of bitterness under it all but the piece seems quite careful to avoid that and instead reveals a man resigned to his current situation but so self aware as to not be a prisoner to it.

vacri 11y ago
Where did I say that I wasn't judging him? Of course I'm judging him, just like you and aaronem are judging my comment and I was judging yours. The point of my first paragraph was a counter to your comment, not the article. While I agree that he sees himself as an outsider, I disagree that he is expecting nothing from passengers. And, as I said, he considers the non-conversation about his medal to equate to either not noticing or not caring, which definitely aren't the only options on the table. He's a bit hurt that no-one wants to engage with him about it, so the only reasons he allows are 'uncaring strangers'. Throughout, while he considers himself an outsider, he's miffed that people aren't engaging with him... but I never really felt that he was understanding where the passengers' motivations were.
cgriswald 11y ago
You claim he isn't passing judgment by pointing out he is commenting on behavior; but then you follow that up with his interpretation of that behavior, which is a judgment. I also think he happens to have made the wrong judgment. People talk about the Uber badge not because it is familiar or important to them, but because it is a conversation starter that is safe. A conversation about a medal earned during war time is not a "safe" conversation. It can lead to a lot of uncomfortable places.

vacri 11y ago

Where did I say that I wasn't judging him? Of course I'm judging him, just like you and aaronem are judging my comment and I was judging yours. The point of my first paragraph was a counter to your comment, not the article. While I agree that he sees himself as an outsider, I disagree that he is expecting nothing from passengers. And, as I said, he considers the non-conversation about his medal to equate to either not noticing or not caring, which definitely aren't the only options on the table. He's a bit hurt that no-one wants to engage with him about it, so the only reasons he allows are 'uncaring strangers'. Throughout, while he considers himself an outsider, he's miffed that people aren't engaging with him... but I never really felt that he was understanding where the passengers' motivations were.

cgriswald 11y ago

You claim he isn't passing judgment by pointing out he is commenting on behavior; but then you follow that up with his interpretation of that behavior, which is a judgment. I also think he happens to have made the wrong judgment. People talk about the Uber badge not because it is familiar or important to them, but because it is a conversation starter that is safe. A conversation about a medal earned during war time is not a "safe" conversation. It can lead to a lot of uncomfortable places.