What's On Your Mind?

Are you the type of person who says what's on your mind to those around you? Or are you one who always tries to maintain a cordial facade, even you've got problems with the other person? I've always believed that letting people know where you stand is the best policy. Granted there are extremes to that way of dealing with people, most of us know people who have no filter between their brain and their mouth, with every stupid thought spilling out at the most inappropriate times. there is such a thing as discretion...and manners. If the guy in the next booth thinks that I'm ugly, or that my mostache is crooked, I don't really care to hear his opinion, but if someone with whom I regularly deal with is offended by something that I did or said, or if my actions affect another in some way, then by all means, speak up! For many people it's the fear of confrontation; they have an issue with someone, so instead of dealing with it with the person involved, they get someone involved: a relative, friend, co-worker, in effect gossiping about that person. Often that third party cannot affect any change in the person being gossiped about and is left with a negative image. If they can do something the third party becomes stuck in the middle, hearing partial information when direct, face-to-face communication would be more effective.

Maybe it's a difference in culture between the East Coast and the Midwest, maybe it's just that I don't like behind the scene back-stabbing.