Individual

I'd always this resentment towards overly-dependent individuals. Now that is an oxymoron. A person can hardly be considered an individual if he/she relies solely on others to solve problems and make decisions.

I once discussed this with lin, how I have a ridiculously huge number of friends who cannot come to a conclusion on anything, from career advancement, to minute things like what's for dinner to views of new government imposed rules, and to everything else.

She lamented she have the exact same conclusion, and with sudden realisation, we looked at each other and chorused, why, that must be because we are too independent and decisive, and everyone else who cant make up their mind comes to us for enlightenment.

I saw that trait in her and she saw that in me. Sigh. Revelation.

What got me started on this today? As usual, it's the complains about co-workers that I have, that I can eventually compile into 3 nice and thick volumes.

In a nutshell, this colleague is absolutely dense, and has the habit of asking for instructions for even the smallest thing. Say the company ran out of A4 printing paper, and you need to replace it now, from the nearest bookstore.

What do you do?

Yes, you will go and buy it. But would it occur to you to ask your colleagues what brand of paper should we be buying, and how many reams should we be buying? It will never cross my mind, because I would refer to the stationery purchase list to see the brand and weight of paper I should buy, and I will definitely buy no more than 2 reams, because it'll be too heavy to lug back to office, and moreover I can order, and expect delivery just 3 days later.

One might roll their eyes when they hear me re-enact this story. This is so minor! If the person ask, why dont you just reply and get him going? But this is precisely why. This is something so insignificant, and yet he can quietly fret in a corner for 10 minutes, before I suppressed my need to bark at him, and ask him as nicely as I can manage, where is the paper? I need to print my tenders!

And he sorrowfully explained his dilemma, to which I inwardly expressed disbelief. If I cannot count on him to buy stationery, tell me what do you think he is capable to help me with? Hole-punching and sealing envelopes?

By then will he ask me what is the maximum number of pages that holepuncher takes, and where can he find one, and should he seal the envelope with glue stick or glue?

Omigod.