{"id":421,"date":"2007-08-28T15:23:21","date_gmt":"2007-08-28T22:23:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2007\/08\/28\/the-critical-7-rules-to-understand-people\/"},"modified":"2019-11-07T23:40:54","modified_gmt":"2019-11-08T07:40:54","slug":"the-critical-7-rules-to-understand-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2007\/08\/28\/the-critical-7-rules-to-understand-people\/","title":{"rendered":"The Critical 7 Rules To Understand People"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>My headline might sound overreaching. Clearly a rule can\u2019t define something as complex as human behavior. But despite this, I\u2019ve found most people tend to make the same mistakes. These mistakes are frequent enough that they create conflicts later. Remembering these seven rules will help you avoid these mistakes.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">People Skills is About Being Nice, Friendly and Interesting, <em>Duh!<\/em><\/h2>\n<div class=\"inline-podcast\">\n<small>Listen to this article<\/small><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"20\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" allow=\"autoplay\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/707644675&#038;color=%23219895&#038;inverse=false&#038;auto_play=false&#038;show_user=true\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Most the books I\u2019ve read on dealing with people either make two claims:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Incredibly obvious stuff that most sensible people understand; even if they haven\u2019t always mastered it. Things like be nice, be considerate, etc.<\/li>\n<li>Bizarre and complex theories that may explain some behavior, but is difficult to generalize.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Between these two I\u2019ve found there seems to be a gap of information that is can be applied generally, but isn\u2019t always obvious. These frequent mistakes tend to cause most people conflicts, social errors and emotional upsets.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Seven<\/h2>\n<p>Here are the seven rules I\u2019m talking about:<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rule One: Never blame malice for what can easily be explained by conceit.<\/h3>\n<p>People don\u2019t care about you. This isn\u2019t because people are mean or hurtful, but simply because they are mostly focused on themselves. Consider this hypothetical pie-chart showing the variety of thoughts a typical person has:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/08\/DIVISION-OF-THOUGHT2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"216\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/08\/DIVISION-OF-THOUGHT2-300x216.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10468\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/08\/DIVISION-OF-THOUGHT2-300x216.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/08\/DIVISION-OF-THOUGHT2-768x553.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/08\/DIVISION-OF-THOUGHT2-1024x738.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/08\/DIVISION-OF-THOUGHT2.jpg 1077w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this example, 60% of thoughts are self-directed. My goals. My problems. My feelings. Another 30% are directed towards relationships, but how they affect me. What does Julie think of me? How will boss evaluate my performance in the next review? Do my friends like me or see me as irritating?<\/p>\n<p>Only 10% in this model is time spent in empathy. Empathy is the rare event where one person actually feels the emotions, problems and perspective of another person. Instead of asking what Julie thinks of me, I ask what is Julie thinking.<\/p>\n<p>Within that 10%, most people then divide attention between hundreds of other people they know. As a result, you would occupy a fraction of a percentage in most peoples minds, and only a couple percentage points in a deeply bonded relationship. Even if you are in another persons thoughts, it is how your relationship affects them, not you.<\/p>\n<p><em>What does this mean?<\/em><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Embarrassment doesn\u2019t make a lot of sense. Since others are only focusing a small portion of there thoughts onto judging you, your self-judgement is overwhelmingly larger.<\/li>\n<li>People who appear to be mean or hurtful don\u2019t usually do it intentionally. There are exceptions to this, but generally the hurt you feel is a side-effect, not the principle cause.<\/li>\n<li>Relationships are your job to maintain. Don\u2019t wait to be invited to parties or for people to approach you.<strong><br \/><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rule Two: Few Social Behaviors are Explicit<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING-HOW-WAS-YOUR-DAY.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING-HOW-WAS-YOUR-DAY-300x179.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10449\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING-HOW-WAS-YOUR-DAY-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING-HOW-WAS-YOUR-DAY-768x459.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING-HOW-WAS-YOUR-DAY.jpg 1014w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Basically this rule means that most the intentions behind our actions are hidden. If a person is feeling depressed or angry, usually the resulting behaviors distort their true feelings. If I feel you snubbed me, I might hold my tongue but ignore you later.<\/p>\n<p>The old joke is that women use words like, \u201cfine,\u201d and, \u201cgo ahead,\u201d when they really feel the opposite. But I\u2019ve noticed men do this too in polite situations, although often not in the same way.<\/p>\n<p>The application of this rule is that you need to focus on empathy, not just hearing a person. Demonstrate trust, build rapport and learn to probe a bit. By focusing on empathy you can usually break away these subversions and get to the heart of the issue faster.<\/p>\n<p>The other application of this rule is that most the time you feel something, nobody else knows about it. So don\u2019t get angry when people aren\u2019t responding to you. If you deceive your thoughts with your actions, don\u2019t get angry when you fool people.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rule Three: Behavior is Largely Dictated by Selfish Altruism<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SLEFISH-ALTRUISM-WIN-WIN.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"193\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SLEFISH-ALTRUISM-WIN-WIN-300x193.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10447\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SLEFISH-ALTRUISM-WIN-WIN-300x193.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SLEFISH-ALTRUISM-WIN-WIN-768x494.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SLEFISH-ALTRUISM-WIN-WIN-1024x659.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SLEFISH-ALTRUISM-WIN-WIN.jpg 1144w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>To say everyone is completely selfish is a gross exaggeration. That ignores all the acts of kindness, sacrifice and love that make the world work. But I would argue that most (not all, but most) behavior does work from the principles of selfish altruism.<\/p>\n<p>Selfish altruism is basically win\/win. It is where helping you directly or indirectly helps me. There are a couple main categories where this applies:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Transactions <\/strong>&#8211; If I purchase a car, both myself and the dealer benefit. I get a vehicle, which I want. The dealer gets money to improve his lifestyle. This is the predominant form of selfish altruism between people who don\u2019t have emotional bonds.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Familial <\/strong>&#8211; Blood is thicker than water. We are designed to protect people who share our genes. This can sometimes shift towards extremely close friends and loved ones.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Status <\/strong>&#8211; Helping someone is a sign of power. Many species of primates will offer assistance as a sign of dominance. People act similarly, offering aid to boost their self-esteem and reputation.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Implied Reciprocity<\/strong> &#8211; Many relationships are based on the idea that if I help you, one day you will help me as well.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Occasionally behavior falls outside this group. Nameless heroes dying for causes that don\u2019t help their bloodline. Volunteers devoting their time towards humanitarian missions. But these are the minority, whereas most actions can be explained by some form of selfish altruism.<\/p>\n<p>How do you apply this rule? You understand the motives of people and appeal to them as if they were selfish. Find ways to help people within these four categories. Don\u2019t expect people to offer aid outside of selfish altruism, it isn\u2019t impossible, but it isn\u2019t likely.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rule Four: People Have Poor Memories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/FLAKE.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"213\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/FLAKE-300x213.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/FLAKE-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/FLAKE-768x545.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/FLAKE.jpg 922w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ever been told someone\u2019s name at a party and then forgot it later? Another rule of human behavior is that people have trouble remembering things. Especially information (as you\u2019ll recall in rule one) that doesn\u2019t apply to themselves. People are more likely to remember your similarities than your differences (unless they were emotionally incensed by them).<\/p>\n<p>Recently I even broke this rule. I made arrangements to talk to a person I hadn\u2019t met before on the phone. Even with my normally foolproof system of calendars and to-do lists, a few spontaneous schedule changes caused me to miss the call. I quickly apologized and made a new arrangement.<\/p>\n<p>But the fact is most people don\u2019t have organized GTD systems. People are forgetful by nature, so once again, don\u2019t assume malice or disinterest if something is forgotten. The other side of this rule is that you can demonstrate reliability by having a good memory or system (if it doesn\u2019t fail you).<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rule Five: Everyone is Emotional<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"206\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING-300x206.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING-768x526.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING-1024x702.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/SOCIAL-LYING.jpg 1039w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Perhaps this is an exaggeration. But the core of the message is that people tend to have stronger feelings about something than they let on. People who regularly have outbursts of anger, depression or flamboyant enthusiasm are generally frowned upon in most cultures. This especially applies to men (for women trying to figure us out).<\/p>\n<p>The application of this rule is to not assume everything is fine just because someone isn\u2019t having a nervous breakdown. We all have our individual problems, angst and upsets that are normally contained. You don\u2019t need to call people out on their private deception, but being sensitive to those underlying currents gives you an advantage in trying to help.<\/p>\n<p>The alternate application of this rule is similar to rule two. People generally assume everything is fine unless you just had a blowup.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rule Six: People are Lonely<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/FOREVER-ALONE.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"293\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/FOREVER-ALONE-293x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/FOREVER-ALONE-293x300.jpg 293w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/FOREVER-ALONE-768x787.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/FOREVER-ALONE.jpg 845w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 293px) 100vw, 293px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>This is another broad generalization. But it is amazing how many people who seem to have it all, suffer from bouts of loneliness. As social animals, I believe people are especially sensitive to any threats to becoming ostracized. In Neanderthal times, exile meant death, so loneliness and the desire to be with other people is a strong one.<\/p>\n<p>The application of this rule is that loneliness is fairly common, so in that sense, you really aren\u2019t alone. I used to be bothered when I felt alone or an outsider in a social group. Although I\u2019m still human, I\u2019ve found recognizing this feeling to be fairly common as a way to minimize it.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rule Seven: Did I Mention People Are Self-Absorbed?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/TAKING-SELFIE.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"258\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/TAKING-SELFIE-300x258.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10456\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/TAKING-SELFIE-300x258.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/TAKING-SELFIE-768x660.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/TAKING-SELFIE.jpg 878w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>This may sound like a reiteration of rule one, but I believe the applications extend beyond relationships and your emotional state. The fact that people tend to be too concerned about themselves to give you much attention, that people tend to be lonelier, more emotional and feel differently than they let on applies to how you view the world.<\/p>\n<p>If anything this perspective should make you more proactive and independent. Once I started really learning these rules, it made far more sense that I needed to take charge. By placing your individual happiness in the hands of another person (or people), you ignore all these rules and do so at your own peril.<\/p>\n<p>I like to take an optimistic, but realistic view of people. People who are generally try their best, but make mistakes and suffer from unintended self-absorption. In other words, they are basically like you.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Do you struggle with understanding people? Here&#8217;s some other articles I&#8217;ve written that might help:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2018\/05\/24\/how-to-learn-social-skills\/\">How to Learn Social Skills<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2018\/07\/05\/virtue-being-nice\/\">How to Be Nice (Without Being a Pushover)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2009\/06\/11\/how-to-escape-the-toxic-friends-holding-you-back\/\">How to Escape the Toxic Friends Holding You Back<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2008\/12\/22\/how-to-be-more-social\/\">How to Be More Social<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2006\/09\/29\/introduction-emotional-mastery-series\/\">Emotional Mastery (Series)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My headline might sound overreaching. Clearly a rule can\u2019t define something as complex as human behavior. But despite this, I\u2019ve found most people tend to make the same mistakes. These mistakes are frequent enough that they create conflicts later. Remembering these seven rules will help you avoid these mistakes. People Skills is About Being Nice, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[13,682,15],"tags":[39],"class_list":{"0":"post-421","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-happiness","7":"category-nc-learning","8":"category-communication","9":"tag-social","10":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Critical 7 Rules To Understand People - Scott H Young<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"People are complex and difficult to understand. 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