Deborah Tannen: “We tend to see our own behavior as reactive….But we tend to see others as absolute.”
Mar 19th, 2008 by Jill
“We tend to see our own behavior as reactive. (’I don’t like John, so I’m curt with him.’ ‘I like Jim, so I’ll do anything for him.’) But we tend to see others as absolute. (’John is a difficult person.’ ‘Jim is a sweetheart.’)” — Deborah Tannen, Talking from 9 to 5
I’ve not ever really thought about it in those terms, but it’s true.