some things I've learned about dealing with people

Roy Oxlade, Rose and Old Clubs, 1984If you want to be more perceptive, Occam’s Razor helps a lot. Every time someone does something you’re even slightly confused by, ask yourself, What’s the most straightforward theory for why they’re behaving like that? Why does Mary seem to dislike Jeff? Why is Tina so anxious when the subject of Jenna comes up? Why does Marissa consistently date guys who suck? The answer is usually surprisingly simple, but most people never even bother to come up with a theory. If you keep theorizing and testing it against reality, eventually you’ll develop a great intuition.Being comfortable in large groups and parties is just a learned skill. For many years, I identified as someone who was very comfortable in one-on-one settings, but unsure of how to socialize in groups. Then I started hosting more parties and events for work and realized I’d mythologized this “comfortable in small groups/comfortable in big groups” thing way too much. It’s literally just a thing…