While thinking of ways I can enrich my local community, I figured I should host cookouts/potlucks as a venue to share some useful stuff with the world. I want to cover things like degoogling, basic computer skills, etc. as that’s where my skill set is primarily, but I plan to host guest “host’s” to cover a wider breadth of knowledge.
If you were one of my neighbors, what would you like to see covered or cover yourself?
That’s so not my experience. People kind of like a fun fact, and people who actually like learning extensively exist, but most have very different priorities from that. One of the most common ones is ego, which OP might be threatening, and another one is identity, which might be a problem too depending on what OP’s neighbors are like.
Fear can work, but it takes a knack for it.
I’m generally likable, but I don’t have much charisma -so people listen to me to a certain extent because of that. Past a point, their eyes glaze over
I think there’s a reason you have such a different experience. I’ve found you quite negative in our very short interaction.
I just think you come across as patronizing in general TBH. I mean this genuinely, you lack the puppy dog energy of OP, and you shouldn’t expect to get the same results
Yeah, nobody says that about me IRL, that’s a bit of a (hurtful) leap from what has been a very short interaction. People find me likeable too, if odd, and I get along pretty well with everyone. Part of that is that I’ve learned to listen, rather than lecture.
I’m pointing out several downer facts, because OP is being a puppy dog, and it reminds me of shit did when I was younger that I cringe at now. I would have wanted someone to warn me, too.
Technical communication is a skill, not one I’m great at, but one I have to do often. There’s a methodology to it. You have to make them care, and then you have a limited amount of interest in the topic that you can’t use up. You have to recognize they don’t care about computers, only convenience and simple tricks that make them more confident in using them. And yes, you definitely have to listen and adapt to what they’re interested in
But yeah, I don’t know you at all. I don’t really doubt your intentions either, you’re probably very nice. It did feel patronizing to have what I think are some pretty well thought out suggestions (grounded in my own experience) dismissed out of hand by a stranger though
If you came to share your experiences and give advice, I’d have responded very differently