Looking for the negative

Have you ever looked at something and gotten an idea about how to use whatever you are looking at for another purpose totally different from it's original one?

You look at it and think "Hey, I bet I could use it for this."

And you ask around about ways you might actually do that.

And while many people will sit back and think about then offer their advice, there is always a few who look at you like you're crazy.

They say, Why ask for trouble?  Why bother?  Use THIS instead.

You know people who totally IGNORE what you have said and are trying to push their own opinion and point of view into YOUR Project/Idea.

I asked here on the blog a few months back about a way to mount a AA Mini-Mag flashlight to my shotgun.  Immediately I got people saying "NO, use this flashlight, or this Tactical Light with THIS SPECIAL MOUNT!"

I DIDN'T ASK that.  In fact in the post I specifically STATED that I wasn't going to do those thing.

I asked a specific question and wanted specific information to do what "I ALREADY INTENDED TO DO"

And only 2 or 3 people actually offered germane opinions.  Over a dozen offered totally non-related opinions and 2 were actually rather insulting to me.

Why are people like that?

Why would they totally ignore my wishes and try to make me do or see what they want?

Part of it I think is hubris, part of it is pride.  And a large part of it I think is their own need to feel superior.

So they will look at things skewed as to how they can put their own stamp on it and claim some type of ownership, at least to themselves.

These are the people who while they say they are just trying to point out things to "Help" are actually trying to make themselves seem more important.

At least that is how I see it.

Granted there are some people who will point out the negatives, however they will also point out new possibilities that you might not have thought of or realized yourself.

They, I've found, are in the minority of those who you ask to help or offer their opinion unasked.

Here is my question though.  How many good ideas and possible advances have been delayed or totally ignored/not thought of, because of those who ALWAYS look for the negative?

We never can be sure of that.

So look around you today, and if you see something, or someone asks you something, think about what you say very carefully.  Do you want to be the person who stifles and idea?  Do you want to be that person who is always thought of as negative?  Do you want to appear as if you are only interested in inflating your own self worth at the expense of others?