Things I’ve Learned About Recommending Stuff

Okay I admit this may be less of a learning experience and more of a pet peeve but I have to get it off my chest. I’m not really one to tell other people what to do since everyone has their own mind, even if some choose not to use it, and their own preferences. It actually makes me nervous to recommend something in case they really hate it, then I’ll feel bad. So I find it better to simply let people know what I’ve enjoyed and they may enjoy it as well. Here’s the pet peeve: I HATE when people tell me, “You HAVE to do (or go, or try, or eat)…” especially if they don’t know me that well. Whether it’s a restaurant or a store or an activity or a place, it just makes me annoyed that someone has the gall to order me to do it. Just because you think it’s the best thing that ever happened doesn’t mean I will. I’ve actually had people be offended when I don’t want to do (or go, or try, or eat) something they’ve said I HAVE to do. Part of this comes from me not liking being told what to do, and part of it comes from experience.  I.e. someone said, “You’re going to (such-and-such city)? OMG, you totally HAVE to try (such-and-such restaurant)!” so I go but I don’t really like it and I tell them that and they’re like, “OMG, But they have the best steaks on the planet!” and I’m all like, “But I HATE steak, so why did you order me to go there again?” Honestly, it amazes me just how many people think their opinion is really so remarkable that everyone else MUST do what they’ve done. That seems like an extraordinary amount of conceit to me. So when someone tells me I HAVE to do something, my first inclination is to put it on my list of things NOT to do. However, my curiosity and my ridiculous need to please everyone gets the better of me so I have started asking people, usually in a nice way, why they are pushing me to do something. Then I can decide if it goes on my ‘NEVER do this’ list. Maybe I’ve just known a lot of bossy people, but I’m just asking that everyone think before they speak especially when it comes to matters of opinion. The fact that we like different things is what makes people so interesting and encourages variety and we’ve all got to remember that