“One is tempted to define man as a rational animal who always loses his temper when he is called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.” - Oscar Wilde, “The Critic as Artist, Part 2.”

When someone cuts you off in traffic (my biggest trigger) we’re tempted to think that the person who cut us off is an asshole. (at least I do). “I can’t believe they did that! Who does that person think they are?”

Think about that for a moment. For me to be right, this is what would have to happen.

1. The person driving must notice me (personally) in my car and decide to cut me off.

2. The driver will need to gauge my speed and perfectly execute a maneuver into my lane causing me to brake suddenly.

3. That same person would need to see my reaction in order for them to take satisfaction in it.

If that person is spending that much time thinking about how they are going to upset my drive, I am worried that they have too much time on their hands. Do you have that kind of time or energy on your hand?

The dictates of reason might suggest that what really happened is the driver didn’t notice me and that cutting me off was likely a mistake. They are focused more on themselves than me.

When in doubt about another person, consider giving the benefit of doubt first.