I’ve noticed a particular kind of communication gap, and perhaps you’ve noticed it too. It seems as though there are two kinds of people in the world: people for whom every statement is an expression of emotion, and people who sometimes just say stuff to transmit or obtain information.
The problem is that people in that first camp often think that there is no second camp. They believe that every statement that anyone makes is an expression of emotion, and that can lead to some serious misinterpretations of people’s moral character.
Not everything that someone says is an expression of a deeper emotion, feeling, or even opinion. But if you believe the opposite, then questions like “Why did you buy that book,” sound accusatory, and statements like “I think we should move in a different direction with this project” can seem downright threatening.
Of course, some people are accusatory or threatening or whatever else. But if you never think otherwise, chances are that you’re the one with the skewed worldview.
The Opportunity Machine 