Sulk...what a terrible scene!!!

SULK is a "manifestation of boredom or bad mood that is revealed by gestures, by a stubborn silence or by avoid looking to who allegedly caused it."

Defined like this, it may look normal and harmless. But it is not. In fact, it is one of the most destructive scenes of relations between people, whether they are children or adults.

A personal testimony, to frame the subject.

My dear old father, who I have lost unexpectedly two years ago, had the bad habit of sulk. I still remember, with great discomfort and some uprising, family meals where he, angry with my mother or with any of the children, ate in silence, his head bowed, and answered in monosyllables. Child and adolescent, I often thought that nothing justified that behavior. Why make that scene? Why affect all with that? Why cause the desire to be elsewhere and not watch that scene? Why force everyone to pretend nothing is happening, relating artificially, as a misrepresented play?

The truth is that I became allergic, and even today, I run away of those scenes. Between couples, between parents and children, between siblings, between families, between friends, between co-workers, between supervisors and employees. No way, I cannot  bear out!

But I looked for the reason of my discomfort. And I found some plausible explanations. Take a look.

First, who is sulking uses a kind of a “bright sign” advertising all I AM ANGRY. This advertising assumes that all should be interested in the subject or in his anger. Selfishness, egotism, narcissism, and lack of respect for the patience of others. I would say, if he is angry, take a pill, or go for a walk, and DO NOT DISTURB!!!!

Second, and far more serious, sulk causes what psychologists call "non-recognition". Not recognize someone is telling “you do not exist, you are transparent, I do not see you, you're not important." Because that's exactly what happens. When someone well-intentioned approaches a grumpy and asks "what happened?", the answer is the turn of the face, a deafening silence or an abrupt leaving. And what the well-intentioned feels about this reaction? He feels that is presence was not recorded, it is not important, which is so low that does not deserve a response. But he will insist, because he wants to solve the problem, and he will be “not recognized” again and again ... It really hurts. And weakens and sickens who goes through this. Now imagine when this scene is made on a child ...

Well ... but it gets worse. Because sulk is a role model that is copied, it's contagious as a virus that passes from father to son, and runs even within a company. That is, a child who has parents that sulk, he learns sulking too, and there goes the virus....

Either we caught it, or we are running some risks. Here's a Portuguese humorous video  - The Minister sulking. Seriously?

When the toothbrush talks to us...

No, I'm not imagining things. My toothbrush really talks to me! Beeps every 30 seconds to move from the mouth quadrant, and slows to 2 minutes, time recommended by dentists for a perfect brushing.

Here is the brush image, and the relevant paragraph of the instructions manual, which does not let me lie.

"A useful timer on cable beeps every 30 seconds to indicate that should move to the next quadrant of the mouth. The electric toothbrush tells you when you have completed the 2-minute brushing recommended by dentists."

I’m talking about this with some amazement.

A few days ago, the stock of heads of my electric toothbrush ended, an already old model, with four years. I went to the supermarket and ... despair! A number of different models, I had to ask for help, between impatience and humiliation. Hell, it was just a toothbrush! I chose a head, of course, that ruined the old brush. Result, I had to come back to buy a new brush, without thinking too much...

Of course I have not read the instructions, who reads instructions of toothbrushes? As in the first test, the brush burst into noising and slowing down ... Controlling my suspicion and laughter, I read the manual. It was confirmed, the brush talks to me. OK.

And suddenly, I realized! It is not only the brush that speaks to us! We are surrounded by technology whose greatest entertainment is to tell us things, permanent and personally! Let’s see.

The TV boxes advise our favorite movies. The TV will shut down when approaching our bedtime. Bookstores, like Amazon, advise us books, music and movies similar to our preferences. Google and others mobilize to inform us when we visit websites and what we might want to search. The computer tells you about the spelling mistakes, the portfolio updates, time, alarms, arrivals messages, outgoing messages, cleaning to be carried out. Mobile phones, too, plus information on expenditures made. The ATM yells "pull out your money." ATMs supermarkets say "put the item in the bag, pass the card in the card reader, remove the receipt, thank you for your preference, please come again” ...

Not to mention cars that tell us everything that is happening inside and outside, little lights flashing, screens in the front window, and the friendly little voice, sometimes boring, of the GPS.

And the soccer ball that tracks the movements? And the clothes, which monitors health? And the Thermomix? And the electric oven? And the Tefal Actifry? And the refrigerator that tells about the stock shortages?

Only lack the pen that highlights errors, as recalled Nelson Trindade, who revised this post. It would be very useful to the children at school, and to all that do misspellings...

Well, dear friends. Everything around us talks to us. And there is so much to listen ... I love it.

So, please forget the "old things" ...