If Only You Were More Like Me...Parts I and II

This should probably be two separate posts, but I don't feel like splitting it up.

Whatever, I do what I want.

Now now, don't get all riled up. I'm not turning into some self-involved little pain-in-the-rear, though I have my moments. This is really just a post to say: I have a hard time understanding others when they don't think or act the way I do. Not that I expect them to act exactly the way I do, variety is the spice of life. It's just...jeeze the more I type the more I sound like a self-involved pain-in-the-rear. I guess my real problem is understanding motivation, particularly motivation behind irresponsible or malicious actions.

Part I: Responsibility

I thanked my mom tonight, for raising me to understand responsibility and respect.

I was never the kid to call adults by their first names (see notes: 1). My mom and dad are still Mr. & Mrs. B to all my friends. It was months before I was comfortable calling M's parents by their first names, even though that was how they were introduced to me. This is a very specific example--and now that I, too, am an adult (shudder), it's less of an issue--but...where was I going with this? I got distracted with the I'm-an-adult concept.

Oh yes, even though using titles is a fairly specific practice, it's a good example of how I was raised. Respect for elders and higher-ups, respect for equals, respect for lessors and those more youthful, respect for self. I believe respect translates smoothly into responsibility. Being a responsible daughter, friend, employee, girlfriend, all trace back to showing respect for those people around me. Honestly, because the whole concept was basically ingrained in me since before I exited the womb, it comes pretty naturally. Which doesn't help when I try to comprehend others acting irresponsibly.

Part II: Malicious Intent

I also ranted to my mom for a while about bored individuals with malicious intent.

Because when I was clicking around this evening, I was faced with a Malware warning.

I did what any self-respecting-internet-addict-and-moderately-computer-literate individual would do. I freaked out and called my more computer literate little brother. Then my mom, since she had recently been through this very same problem.

One computer cleaner, one malware scanner, and one spyware scanner later, the problem is solved but I am mystified. I did absolutely nothing to the programmer who create this problem. Nor, I'd be willing to bet, did the vast majority of the 200+ million users who had this particular problem cleaned off their computers for free thanks to Malware Bytes (stats via malwarebytes.org). So why the heck would you try to ruin my computer? I can almost understand those programs that go in and steal your credit card numbers or the ransom-ware that's going around now, those guys are trying to make a buck, but just to go in and screw up my totally insignificant files? I don't get it. Who is that intentionally hateful (see notes: 2)? Life is too short to spend it doing ugly hurtful things (see notes: 3). Mom defaulted to Bambi on this one; "If you can't say (or do) somethin' nice, don't say (or do) nothin' at all."

Notes:

1. I do not think calling adults by their first name as a child is pathway to disrespect or irresponsibility. It was simply the most illustrative example I could come up with.

2. Hateful is one of my favorite southern words. I use it all the time. It's the LBD of words, dress it up, dress it down, perfect for any occasion!

3. Also I've cooled down about the computer issue for two reasons. First, I fixed the problem fairly quickly and painlessly. Second, my brother reminded me that I come out on top. Worst case scenario, my computer is a little screwed up and IT has to fix it. But, I'm not living in my Mom's basement with the glow from my HP the only light my skin ever sees. So, you, malware villain, might win at hard drives, but I win at life. I'll take that trade off. (Just kidding, ha? Please don't hurt my pretty new HP again mr(s). mean virus (wo)man.)