Pointless pet peeves | The Triangle

Pointless pet peeves

Pet peeves are something that so many people make a big deal about even though they are, by definition, very small issues. Most are not something that someone should think twice about, but for a select few, I can jump on the bandwagon of mass hate. Most of the time, I try not to tell people that they are wrong for believing a certain thing, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but some people seem determined to be annoyed by the smallest things.

First off, I hate to break it to you girls, but guys who leave the toilet seat up aren’t as misguided as the members of the flat earth society. I don’t understand the concept behind this one (the toilet seat, not flat earth). Isn’t it just as inconvenient for us when you leave the seat down? Why not just agree to close the whole contraption so that everyone has to move it equally? Crisis averted. Feel free to discuss the real issues behind your failing relationship.

Some people get annoyed when others start their sentences with the word “again”, like they are somehow being demeaned. Again, word choice is just that: a choice. Try not to get upset at my use of the English language and relax. I am not being condescending to you, perhaps you should have paid attention the first time I told you.

Small spelling mistakes in text messages are another thing that people shouldn’t get so worked up about. We all try to type like we are grown adults, but sometimes our fingers have other ideas. Between autocorrect and user error, there should be some level of understanding out there. I know that my grammar isn’t perfect, but if you take the time to remind me of that with an entire text message, then perhaps we are better off as distant acquaintances. Come to think of it, having an adverse reaction to grammar Nazis is an absolutely justifiable pet peeve (shout out to copy editing).

This brings me to what pet peeves are acceptable to have a long, hard talk with someone about. I don’t care if you play your music out loud while walking or biking somewhere, but when you take public transportation, have some human decency. There are other people on this train who perhaps don’t agree with you playing death metal or whatever underground bands that you’ve “discovered”. It doesn’t help that it is on your terrible phone speakers, but even if that was some concert level quality and acoustics, put your headphones in. You are the reason that they were created.

But, more important than anything said so far, is to not allow these small issues ruin otherwise good relationships. Even those things that you feel so strongly about should not be so constantly in the way that they prevent you from living your life. I may hate the fact that my roommate sometimes talks on the phone in our bedroom when I am trying to sleep, but that doesn’t create a seed of resentment that will eventually result in me moving out. I know this just as I know that he gets equally annoyed with me at times. My alarm in the morning is literally an air raid siren. If that annoying quirk sits in the front of your mind and stops you from seeing the mountains of good inside a person, then you have a lot more issues to address.