obstinate.org

People make excuses. It is natural, and something that I think is a part of the human condition. One cannot help that some part or another of anything is inadequate. It is just the tendency of people to be unable to accept it, and such come up with a string of items that somehow explain these inadequacies. The problem is that invariably it almost never makes up for it. In fact, some people crank out excuses with such vigor that they are hurled into everything that they do or interact with as if they have the self image that they can do no wrong.

She was so nice, the sex was great, always had a great time, it was fantastic… except she had a beard.
Life is full of compromise, DURRRRR. It is okay to be an utter failure, just don’t try to make up for it by blaming it on your mothers uncle – and take some responsibility. I promise it’s your fault.

The Restaurant was fantastic, the meal was delicious and well priced, except the chef likes to set patrons’ hair on fire with blowtorches for fun occasionally.

If you screwed up, admit it. Don’t blame the fact that you knifed someone in the face on your genes, or the attitude that the telephone operator gave you, or the bitter latte you just chugged down from the local liberal-arts coffee house.

This is not limited to just personalities, I constantly see this sort of behavior in sales, and other business departments that are incentivized by producing an good image. The problem with this is that there is an image arms-race and as a result, everyone lies. Talking to a group of potential vendors is like watching apes fight over the last banana, they will say or do anything to get a piece of action – including lying through their teeth and making up for it later with a layer of more lies explaining the previous lies by punting the blame onto someone, or something e’s terriblee.

He was a great friend, always a great laugh and up for a party… except he does like to murder people with swords every now and again.

People should just be honest and up front.  Let the opposite party call it how they see it. I promise you that in the end the recipient of the honesty will always be more satisfied with the information you have delivered as opposed to punting responsibility with a series of excuses.

The Titanic was an epically fantastic ship, except for a small problem with the rudder.