Odd Questions and Interesing Comments

[Doc Canary]

I think it is good form to avoid replying to an insult with an insult. We should always be the better person and rise about the situation, but often is it difficult to ignore the temptation and ease to go even lower than the original offending statement.
The people who ask the more stupid/insulting questions are more often that not so oblivious to their comments, they are beyond even the simplest forms of reason. Leaving them baffled by a cleaver retort is your best option. You leave looking like the thoughtful man you are and they just end up having their stupidity confirmed.

[Nighthawk]

I think it is good form to avoid replying to an insult with an insult. We should always be the better person and rise about the situation, but often is it difficult to ignore the temptation and ease to go even lower than the original offending statement.
The people who ask the more stupid/insulting questions are more often that not so oblivious to their comments, they are beyond even the simplest forms of reason. Leaving them baffled by a cleaver retort is your best option. You leave looking like the thoughtful man you are and they just end up having their stupidity confirmed.

Well, if it weren't someone who couldn't even bother to dress herself, I would have. But nothing says "I'm too lazy and undignified even to dress myself" like going out in public in your night clothes. And then to the nerve to actually say something to someone else?

[Doc Canary]

Well, if it weren't someone who couldn't even bother to dress herself, I would have. But nothing says "I'm too lazy and undignified even to dress myself" like going out in public in your night clothes. And then to the nerve to actually say something to someone else?

I hear you loud and clear. For those of us in the states, am sure you have seen the commercial that advertises the "pajama jeans" to women as day wear. A similar product for men is sure to follow. Have you ever seen a commercial advertising kilts on American television?
Kilt wearing is seen as a radical dress choice and not the norm for men any where other than the highland games and rennasance festivals every spring. The paradigm of cultural norms for casual dress have shifted dramatically. In that respect, wearing pajamas in public is now and has been the norm for several years. Not a great idea and not because of common sense and functionality, but because some "fashion designer" has decided it should be.
It is our own decision to act or react as we see fit, but none the less the decision and the impression we leave is our own also. I just choose to be on the side of civility and class (by my personal estimate) more often than not. Am not always successful in that attempt.
I am waiting to see how the perception of kilts (at least in the states) changes when some pop or hip hop artist of public significance/fascination i.e. Lady GaGa (Note: Not ARTISTIC signigance) decides wearing a kilt would be cool. I know lots of local and regional bands wear kilts often when performing.

[Joshua]

Kilted at Disney(world) all this past week.

Awesome comments from the staff/cast at Rose and Crown (the English Pub in Epcot). Awesome comments from several guests.

However, did go to a dinner at one of the more upscale resorts and a gentleman with either a very "soft" southern Scottish accent or a harder Northern English accent* had asked me if I were Scottish or American (the "American" part was in a sort of half-scowl). I told him I'm from about 2 hours drive away, am on vacation, and simply enjoy wearing a kilt (I was wearing Black Watch, with a polo shirt, FWIW). As we were being seated (same evening, just a moment later), a gentleman laughing patted me on the shoulder and said "I'm not even gonna ask..." (I'm assuming about the "regimental" part by the way he was acting). I responded "That's good, because if I asked you the same it would be rude!".

Older Scottish man in a hoverround (mobility scooter for the elderly) told me that my son and I looked "WONDERFUL!" and asked a few questions... this was at Epcot just as we were entering "Japan".

On one of the last evenings, a couple smartass kids made the "Get in my belly!" comments from behind my back. They are quite fortunate I've grown up in the past few years. I let them have their laughs... I was an ******* too at that age...


* (my sincerest apologies to my friends on both sides of Hadrian's Wall, I worked for a Hull company for 3 years and still can only tell the "Manchester" accent from a Southerner/Londoner accent, I have problems with lowlander Scots and some Northern accents from time to time.)

[CDNSushi]

Recently, I've adopted a "novel" all-purpose response to the people who tell me, "Nice skirt!" (Yes, I get a fair bit of it, even in Japan...)

I smile as wide as is natural, and say, "Thank you!" as sincerely as I possibly can. And I leave it at that, as there is usually no other followup conversation.

My reasoning is this. Of all the people in the world who would say "Nice skirt," I can divide them broadly into two main groups. Those who are being sincere but fail to use the correct term (due to an unfamiliarity with the correct terms, or just for whatever reason not being able to articulate the word: "kilt" (like my wife sometimes). And the second group are those who are trying to be insulting, or condescending, or just happen to be simpletons who get their jollies from taking the pi** at the expense of others.

If I am friendly, smile genuinely and say "thank you" and the person falls into the first group, then I've acknowledged their well-meaning compliment and we both leave happy. (I don't feel the compelling need to correct them and say, "It's called a kilt" since not everyone responds well to being corrected by a complete stranger. I figure that if they are truly that curious, they will either ask me directly or figure it out for themselves at a later juncture).

If I am friendly, smile genuinely and say "thank you" and the person falls into the second group, then I've achieved two things. First, I have not given them the satisfaction of getting a rise out of me, meaning that their sarcasm has fallen flat (there's nothing more frustrating than having your witty sarcasm shot down by someone who thinks you were being genuine). Second, I've acted true to my own spiritual principles. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:28). If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. (Romans 12:20).

Having lived in Japan all these years makes this remarkably easy. Japanese people generally don't understand sarcasm at all when faced by it, nor do they commonly use it themselves. It has become natural for me to take most comments at face value, to the point that when I deal with my fellow Westerners, I too have a bit of trouble discerning when someone is being sarcastic! :-)

I think it is good form to avoid replying to an insult with an insult. We should always be the better person and rise about the situation, but often is it difficult to ignore the temptation and ease to go even lower than the original offending statement.
The people who ask the more stupid/insulting questions are more often that not so oblivious to their comments, they are beyond even the simplest forms of reason. Leaving them baffled by a cleaver retort is your best option. You leave looking like the thoughtful man you are and they just end up having their stupidity confirmed.

[Nighthawk]

I hear you loud and clear. For those of us in the states, am sure you have seen the commercial that advertises the "pajama jeans" to women as day wear. A similar product for men is sure to follow. Have you ever seen a commercial advertising kilts on American television?
Kilt wearing is seen as a radical dress choice and not the norm for men any where other than the highland games and rennasance festivals every spring. The paradigm of cultural norms for casual dress have shifted dramatically. In that respect, wearing pajamas in public is now and has been the norm for several years. Not a great idea and not because of common sense and functionality, but because some "fashion designer" has decided it should be.
It is our own decision to act or react as we see fit, but none the less the decision and the impression we leave is our own also. I just choose to be on the side of civility and class (by my personal estimate) more often than not. Am not always successful in that attempt.
I am waiting to see how the perception of kilts (at least in the states) changes when some pop or hip hop artist of public significance/fascination i.e. Lady GaGa (Note: Not ARTISTIC signigance) decides wearing a kilt would be cool. I know lots of local and regional bands wear kilts often when performing.

Yeah, I prefer to go on the side of civility, too, but there are times when I'm just so taken aback... I'm a little disturbed by the complete and utter lack of any kind of decent decorum that we not only accept, but encourage here in the States. I mean, what kind of person with any dignity willingly wears his pants around the bottom of his butt?!?! What about that says "I look good?" And then to actually make fun of someone who makes an effort to look good? If you want to go out looking like a slob, then so be it. That's one thing. I say nothing. But to go out in public looking like that, and then making fun of someone for actually making an effort? That's something totally different. I usually try to be civil... but some people just make it hard...

[Doc Canary]

It all boils down to self esteem. Operational word there is "self".
Your comments about "baggy pants and thinking they look good... " shows you have crossed an adult early/mid middle age threshold: Think back and you will recall actions, fashions, or interest those the previous generation held in similar or higher disdain. Welcome to that mind set you thought you would never adopt.
In essence, that is what it is all about. Growth, change, and acceptance. Going through the bad hair cuts, skinny ties, and all the 80's had to offer made me the man I am today. I like that man I have become. Among many things Ilike about him, he wears kilts. There is that self esteem thing again. Wish I had it back in the 80's, but in hind sight it wouldn't have fit back then. I had to grow into it.

[Chirs]

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