IOW, if you don't know that a person is progressive, liberal, it's safest to assume they are neocon conservative/Republican.

edited to add: And yes, otherwise, they seem like normal, reasonable people. Sometimes they are even nice in other ways.

Vancouver Canada. So I usually assume most people are at worst middle of the road. That's why it's more shocking when I find they are far right.

But I'm a single, friendless, asshole.

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and guess who?

myself.

I've lived too long and run into too many nasty people to expect much, so when they screw me around, it is not a surprise - disappointment don't happen.

Regarding myself - quit smoking years ago - started 6 months later - still smoke, disappointed.

Plan a great meal, get in a rush - then just nuke something - disappointed

Make a chore list for the day, don't get it done - disappointed.

And so on.

CC

But I'll take it A hell of a lot of us disappoint ourselves.

But I'm talking about others and their world views, not their personal qualities.

You may paint yourself to be a hard headed old guy or even a self described ass hole, "get off my lawn, you good for nothin younins" But I'm sure you aren't a racist neo conservative ass hole.

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On racism:

While in trade school in the 70's, my best chum there was a black guy named Garry.

One day, a few of the other students (white) cornered me - asking me "why you hanging around with that black guy?, they're all assholes you know"

I looked at the ground for a second or two, then at all three of them in the face and said - "ya know, in my 23 years, all the assholes I've met were WHITE!" - The looks on their faces were what we'd call "priceless" - none said a word and wandered off.

And around here, where I've lived for almost 30 years, I'm known as a "nice guy" - different, but ok.

And someone REALLY has to get in my face before I am rude or lose my temper - only happened twice in the last few years - and I wasn't happy with myself either.

"Hard-headed" - not really - have a pretty open mind about most things, but refuse to have others jam their values down my throat. Willing to discuss almost anything, but when it gets to outright arguing - - well, that's why I don't hang in GD too much.

And so on

CC

I've been neglecting my lawn and one day decided to replant it. I started with the strip between the sidewalk and the street. I've now had to replant it 6 times. People keep walking on the planted area leaving humongous deep footprints in the wet planted soil and killing the young sprouts. People walk their dogs and let them pee and do the other all over the grass when it starts to come out. One kid repeatedly ran his skateboard across the planted grass, virtually killing all of it. I've put signs in the grass in large black letters saying "planted grass". One time the sign was stolen (the metal pole I'm sure was stolen by these guys who come through the neighborhood looking for any cast-off metal they can sell). Another time I found one of my signs ripped out and lying in the middle of the street. Despite the signs, I've seen people drive right up and park in front of my house and about five people get out of the car and walk all over the planted area. This neighborhood used to be nice and quiet but I've noticed people getting more and more rude and nasty in the last few years.