Monday, January 14, 2013

What irritates you Monday

Delores, at The Feathered Nest, decided to designate today as "What irritates you Monday." I don't know what sort of take-up she'll have with this, but I decided to give her some moral support.

As Delores says in her post, she could probably write a book about the things that irritate her. When it came to dump out a few ideas (and I do want to keep this a short post, honest) I realized I very nearly have written a book already on this blog. Several of these notes will therefore link to earlier posts for a fuller rant...

So here is a short list of things that irritate me

Skirting around the word "Christmas": Come on. Last month did we all enjoy days off for "the holiday season"? Or was it, ya know Christmas? Be proud to say it! When the heck did multiculturalism and respect for other people's beliefs turn into allowing everyone else except us to celebrate openly? Fuller rant here.

OK, full disclosure: I don't regard myself as a religious person. Spiritual in my own way, but not religious. All the same, I was brought up in a Christian society and I regard it as an important part of my cultural heritage, and it peeves me that the reason for all those colored lights and trees and decorations can't be named for fear of upsetting some precious individuals who are nevertheless freely pursuing their own beliefs.

Telemarketers: There is a special circle of hell reserved for these scourges of modern society. Fuller rant here.

Of course, telemarketing is just one facet of the capitalist dream of using every conceivable opportunity to turn people into cash donors. I despise advertising in general, and the way Big Money expects to turn everything in life into an advertising opportunity.

Climate change denial: Just one word to say here: Ostrich.

Paparazzi: Kind of up there with telemarketers, and yet another symptom of the sickness that makes it apparently OK to treat anyone out there as a cash opportunity.

Automated customer service centers: All I want is some help, to get a simple answer to a question. Why, then, do I have to joust with a mechanical voice spouting an endless list of options that never quite meet my needs? Worse still is when the machine at the other end pretends it can understand English. I usually resort to hitting zero repeatedly, or raising my voice and sounding as angry as possible until I get a human being on the line. Just when did it occur to big companies that they could get away with treating their paying customers with such open contempt? "Your call is valuable to us." Yeah, right.

Easy-open packaging: You know, those tear-off lids that won't tear off, perforations that won't perforate. This is one major aspect of bad design in general, which I also deplore. Fuller rant here.

I'm sure I could go on, but that's probably enough for one day. Please feel free to add your own favorite irritants in the comments. And go and say "Hi" to Delores too.

7 comments:

not displayed said...

People who can't park straight is always annoying, tail gaters too. Hate them
Customers who ALWAYS come through the door 2 minutes before closing. Wouldn't be so bad but they always are the ones whose transactions take forever.

Anonymous said...

Great list. Thanks for joining in. I'm sooo with you on the automated telephone answering system. That's a whole post on it's own lol.

David Batista said...

I agree with this entire list, but especially your points on Christmas and packaging. Ugh! I believe I did a list like this once on my blog, but I can't be sure. Might be time to come out with another one . . .

Jean Davis said...

People who drive 40 in a 55mph...in the fast lane...alongside a semitruck for ten minutes until they have a line of traffic half a mile long swearing at them before finally gunning it to get around the darn truck.

Beyond those people, telemarketers at any time of day, impossible to open without a blowtorch packaging, and the automated 'your wait is estimated at 5 minutes' for half an hour and then it finally hangs up on you when you're 'next in line' systems are all high on my list.

I may have to post on this now because you've opened my irritation gates. :)

Botanist said...

Mynx, I've probably been guilty of that 2-minutes-before-closing dash myself :( I don't like leaving things till the last minute, but just sometimes it can't be avoided.

Delores, thanks for the idea :)

David, you always seem too laid-back to get truly irritated, but I'm curious now to see what sets you off.

Jean, I know that driver! Uh-oh, floodgates open, I can't wait to see how many posts you come up with :D

Misha Gerrick said...

I feel your pain. So annoying.

Crystal Collier said...

LOL. I want to add to your list: "chewing gum in carpet" and "the voices in my head." ;)

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