One idea mentioned a few times on this blog is that of Windows People and A/C People. Those who've been following have already heard me use the terms, but in case you joined recently (the little counter-ticker thing at the bottom tells me quite a few have), please give a look to the link in the preceding sentence.
The link will take you to a couple of posts which explain the concept, but to crassly generalize, the idea is a contrast between people who tend to see things in round, inexact, general terms (those who would crack the window on a nice summer day), versus those who focus more on smaller details and control of their immediate environment (those who would crank the A/C full blast as soon as the mercury crept above 68 degrees). Another classic example would be a parking lot scenario. Windows people don't really care -- they'll sort of just grab a spot in the back somewhere and walk into the store. A/C people, on the other hand, will circle and circle like sharks to make absolutely sure they get the closest possible spot.
A friend just texted me a great example so I had to share -- one's quickness to bust out an umbrella. Start by picturing a little bit of drizzle outside. There are those who will sort of shrug their shoulders, emit a "meh," figure that humans don't melt in the rain, and brave the walk across the street or to the parking lot. Then, there are those who will insist on absolute rain protection and break out the 'brella out of fear that a drop of rain might land on their head or their clothes.
If you know me, or see the tone of my writing here, you can probably guess -- correctly -- that I'm a dyed-in-the-wool windows person. But don't get me wrong; I'll admit, begrudgingly perhaps, that the world takes both types to function. Without engineers, we wouldn't have bridges. Without a little bit of latent OCD, we'd all be slobs with piles of trash heaped in the corner somewhere.
Nick, great example. Thanks for sending.
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