Something I’ve been noticing a lot of lately, and that’s been really bothering me, is how many men always tell me what to do or what they think is best, WITHOUT me even asking them for advice or without them really knowing me.
It’s one thing to have a conversation with a friend or close colleague where you specifically ask for advice – be it life or work. And of course, I do that often! It’s entirely different however when someone (in my experience lately, a man) tells you what to do.
Prime example: at a work lunch a few weeks ago, one of the sales guys on our team was asking me about my career goals. I told him what I liked doing and hoped to do more of, and he barks at me “You should go to grad school.” I responded “no, i don’t think I want or need to in this line of work.” and he responds “No. GO TO GRAD SCHOOL.”
It really rubbed me the wrong way because this guy 1. barely knows me and 2. has no idea my life aspirations/financial situation (not that there is one, but he doesn’t know that!), and 3. he didn’t politely suggest it or say “have you ever thought about….”, he forcefully laid his statement (not even opinion) on me.
I know a woman would be perfectly capable of doing the same thing, so I’m not blanketing this annoyance as a men-only thing, but that is what my experience has been.
This type of interaction happens to me almost weekly at work where men lay their opinions as fact without taking any consideration into what I want in life.
The Life Of 