​What small thing can tell you a lot about a person?

What small thing can tell you a lot about a person?

Erick Diaz, Writer for The Odyssey and Flocku.com/NBA junkie

Answered Jun 10

19.7k Views · 1.8k Upvotes

These are 3 things that I notice immediately.

1 ) Their desktop/browser tabs
Cluttered desktops and the tendency to hoard browser tabs tells me a couple things about someone. First, it shows a lack of organizational discipline. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Some people are just more apt to properly store away and manage their files. Secondly, if they have 20 tabs open on a web browser, that tells me they are generally stubborn and have a hard time letting go.

They are overly precious about the things/materials in their life. They will find any excuse to keep something because they think throwing it away would be a “waste.” When in fact, going back to hoarders mentality, the things we own end up weighing us down psychologically.

2 ) Text patterns

Someone who uses emojis or lol variations (lmao, lmfao, hahah) a lot in their text messages, signifies an insecurity about wanting to send the right message. This tells me they aren’t confident enough in their rhetoric and need to use emojis and lols as a crutch to form the tone of their message.

Again, this only stands out if they use emojis and lols for nearly EVERY TEXT. I love emojis and lols. But I try to use it sparingly so that when I do use them, it actually means something. If you’re confident in your use of language and can communicate with clarity, then you don’t need to include fluff.

3 ) How they move in the world.
When I catch myself people watching in public, I pay attention to the way they walk. How is their posture? Do they take long or short strides? Are they looking down or straight ahead? Do they move with purpose or are they dragging their feet? These things matter because our body is the vessel that allows our brain to move in the world. An eager mind can’t wait to go out in the world and explore. Whereas an anxious or timid mind, dreads the experience of being out and about. 

People are exposing themselves to us every day. We just have to pay attention.

Vocabularies：

clutter（cluttered-declutter）：

• (a) [U] (esp unnecessary or unwanted) things lying about untidily 凌乱的东西:

• How can you work with so much clutter on your desk? 书桌上有这麽多乱七八糟的东西, 你怎麽能工作呢?

• (b) untidy state 杂乱、凌乱:

• His room is always in a clutter. 他的房间总是凌乱不堪。

hoard：

• collect (sth. in quantity) and store it away 积聚并储藏（某物）:

• hoard up treasure 储藏财宝;

• hoarder：n. person who hoards 贮藏者；

store away：~ sth. (up/away) collect and keep sth for future use 储备或储存某物:

• a squirrel storing (up) food for the winter 储存食物准备过冬的松鼠；

stubborn：(often derog 常作贬义) determined not to give way; strong-willed; obstinate 不退让的、倔强的、固执的、顽固的:

• be too stubborn to apologize 硬是不肯道歉；

mentality：characteristic attitude of mind; way of thinking 心态、精神状态、思想方法:

• He has many years' experience of the criminal mentality. 他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。

rhetoric：

• (art of) using language impressively or persuasively, esp in public speaking 修辞、修辞艺术、修辞学:

• impassioned rhetoric 富有表现力的修辞；

•  (derog 贬) elaborate language which is intended to impress but is often insincere, meaningless or exaggerated 华丽的词藻（常含华而不实之意）、虚夸的言辞:

• the empty rhetoric of politicians 政客们的花言巧语；

crutch：

• support in the form of a pole, placed under the armpit to help a lame person to walk（病人用的）拐杖:

• a pair of crutches 一副拐杖；

• go about on crutches 撑着一副拐杖走来走去；

•  (fig 比喻) person or thing that provides help or support 提供帮助或支持的人或事物:

• He uses his wife as a kind of crutch because of his lack of confidence. 他缺乏自信心，总把妻子当作主心骨。

sparing（spare）：~ with/of/in sth. (fml 文) economical or frugal with sth; not wasteful of sth 节约、俭省、不浪费:

• be sparing with the sugar 节约用糖；

• sparingly： adv. Use the perfume sparingly! 少用些香水！
  

fluff：(informal)entertainment that is not serious and is not considered to have great value 没多大意义的娱乐；

strides：n. (informal) (澳)裤子；

timid：adj. easily frightened; shy 胆怯的、羞怯的:

• as timid as a rabbit 胆小如兔；