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(Remember that viral "age challenge" from a couple of months ago? I gotta say, I think I look better now than I did ten years ago.)
All this has often allowed me to go incognito without even wearing a disguise.
I will often be in a public place and see someone I know, or knew, but they have no idea who I am. And being the introverted, socially awkward man that I am, I don't say anything to them. I'm usually not in the mood for a conversation. And I feel awkward saying hi to someone if I have to explain to them who I am. But I can't say hi without telling them who I am, or they would be creeped out that a stranger is calling them by name.
Often these people are from my home ward. I once had a terrible seminary teacher who beat into our heads that under no circumstances were we to call adults by their first names. So thanks to him, when I see when of these people, I don't know whether to call them by their first name or by Sister/Brother So-and-So. So usually I just don't call them anything. That's a minor thing, and yet it is one obstacle of many that prevents me from talking to them.
I can't tell you the number of times I had to introduce myself to someone I already knew, or the times people didn't recognize me. I thought about listing some examples, but there are too many. A few weeks ago, I was at a restaurant and saw two women from my home ward. I didn't know how to initiate a conversation with them, and I don't think they recognized me—even though one of them might be reading this blog right now!
Yes, being incognito brings its own share of awkwardness and discomfort. But it's also nice sometimes to be anonymous. When I see someone I know and don't say hi to them, I feel bad. (I have to remind myself that they didn't say hi to me either, so I'm no worse than they are.) But if people don't recognize me, they have no idea that I didn't say hi to them.
But, alas, I can't go around doing horrible things (vandalism, streaking, pushing old ladies down stairs), because there are enough people who knew me more recently who would recognize me.
I will often be in a public place and see someone I know, or knew, but they have no idea who I am. And being the introverted, socially awkward man that I am, I don't say anything to them. I'm usually not in the mood for a conversation. And I feel awkward saying hi to someone if I have to explain to them who I am. But I can't say hi without telling them who I am, or they would be creeped out that a stranger is calling them by name.
Often these people are from my home ward. I once had a terrible seminary teacher who beat into our heads that under no circumstances were we to call adults by their first names. So thanks to him, when I see when of these people, I don't know whether to call them by their first name or by Sister/Brother So-and-So. So usually I just don't call them anything. That's a minor thing, and yet it is one obstacle of many that prevents me from talking to them.
I can't tell you the number of times I had to introduce myself to someone I already knew, or the times people didn't recognize me. I thought about listing some examples, but there are too many. A few weeks ago, I was at a restaurant and saw two women from my home ward. I didn't know how to initiate a conversation with them, and I don't think they recognized me—even though one of them might be reading this blog right now!
Yes, being incognito brings its own share of awkwardness and discomfort. But it's also nice sometimes to be anonymous. When I see someone I know and don't say hi to them, I feel bad. (I have to remind myself that they didn't say hi to me either, so I'm no worse than they are.) But if people don't recognize me, they have no idea that I didn't say hi to them.
But, alas, I can't go around doing horrible things (vandalism, streaking, pushing old ladies down stairs), because there are enough people who knew me more recently who would recognize me.
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