Rhetorical Curiosity

Well it's Tuesday, so Carole wants us to talk about:  Ten Things I'm Curious About. Right Now.

I guess I am a curious person, but no matter how hard I tried to come up with actual things I was curious about, I kept coming up with rhetorical things, or questions with no real answer.  They just wouldn't let go!  So here they are.

1. Why won't people share the sidewalk?  If four people are walking abreast towards you, why does it not occur to at least one of them to walk behind, so you can get past while also remaining on the sidewalk?

2. Why are there no unspoken thoughts anymore?  It seems like everyone has to share every single thing that passes through their heads.  I *think* a lot of things, and of course they are brilliant, insightful, and witty. ;-)  But seldom do I feel the need to express them to the world at large, particularly when no one asked.

3. When did it become a bad thing to be smart?  Granted, no one likes someone who goes around all day trying to make sure that everyone knows how smart they are.  But why is being smart something that is mocked, or that people hide so they can be popular?

4. Why is "vacation" such a bad thing in the U.S.?  Most people are lucky if they get two weeks in the whole year, and then for a lot of people, actually being able to take the time is a problem.  (Let's not talk about those who willfully don't take vacation.  They are eejits.)  Why do you have to be a muckety-muck or a forty-year employee to get more than two weeks?  (I could go on, but won't.  You get my drift.)

5. Why is it so important for people to give their kids a name that ends in "Jr."? (or worse, a number)  A friend of mine had a baby boy, and named him John Robert ___, Jr., but they decided to call him "Robert" to differentiate the son from the father.  I asked why they didn't just name him Robert John, thereby still keeping the "important" names, but letting the kid go through life not having to explain his name or whether or not he is "Big John" or "Little John."  You would think I'd tried to kill the kid.  I just don't get this.  Maybe because I come from a family of girls, or because we were not wealthy or part of royalty.  Anyway.

6. Why do the Kardashians and their ilk even exist? 'Nuff said.

7. Why can't most people *not* answer their cell phone if you are talking to them?  It makes me furious when I'm with someone and we're talking, and their phone rings, they answer, and then say, "Sorry I have to take this."  And then it's not an emergency, or the hospital telling them they found a heart for their transplant.  Nope, it's just someone calling to say hello.

8. Whatever happened to pedestrian-right-of-way?  I walk to work every day, as well as walk most places I need to go.  The way most people drive, you would think that a person crossing the street on a green light was as bad as being the Antichrist.

9. Why do people let their dogs walk on areas where there are signs posted asking them not to do that?  There is a park near me that has signs saying, "Please do not allow your dogs in the planting areas."  These signs are right there, in the planting area.  But I seem to be the only one who reads the sign and then keeps my dog out of there.  It's not hard, people.

10. Why are you considered a lesser type of being if you are a woman who does not have children?  Especially when no one cares if men have children or not.  Isn't it better not to have children if you don't want them, or if you are not really certain it would be the thing for you?

Anyway.  There you go.  So many more things could be on this list, as well as things I am curious about like "Who decided that C was where you start in music?  Why not A?"  (This is something I once asked The Tim when he was trying to explain a piano keyboard to me, and he responded. "We're done here." I however still think it's a legitimate question.)

Maybe I'd be better off as a cat.  They are curious, but also happy to sit in a box.