Jun28

My Son Knew That When He Was Three

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Over at the Work Better Blog Don Norman is quoted as saying

“Psychologists depersonalize the people they study by calling them ’subjects.’ We depersonalize the people we study by calling them ‘users.’ Both terms are derogatory. They take us away from our primary mission: to help people.” – Don Norman

It’s sad that people have to be told this. Anyone who writes should know this.

My son knew that when he was three.

I said to him, “C’mon kid, let’s go get something to eat.”

He said to me. “I’m not a kid. I’m a people.”

Were taught as children not to call people names, that it is impolite and demeans them. Yet we grow and forget the lesson.

Liz Strauss

 

  • http://www.taorist.com taorist

    You’re right. Being in HR for the last five years, I was taught to see other people as either management or employees. I’m trying to unlearn that.

  • http://www.taorist.com taorist

    You’re right. Being in HR for the last five years, I was taught to see other people as either management or employees. I’m trying to unlearn that.

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Hi!
    It’s a very human thing, I think that we unconsciously group people to make it easier to decide who they are, but it’s not really fair to them. Is it? I sure don’t like it when folks do it to me. Yet we do it at work, in sports, in clubs, in almost every facet of our lives to decide who is like us and who is not. Guess we can’t blame businesses for doing it. I just wish they’d pick better words.

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Hi!
    It’s a very human thing, I think that we unconsciously group people to make it easier to decide who they are, but it’s not really fair to them. Is it? I sure don’t like it when folks do it to me. Yet we do it at work, in sports, in clubs, in almost every facet of our lives to decide who is like us and who is not. Guess we can’t blame businesses for doing it. I just wish they’d pick better words.

  • http://www.taorist.com taorist

    Most businessmen were never good with words. I’m “humanizing” a Training Policy right now, and it is really hard. So much easier to hide behind high-faluting words and terms rather than going straight to the heart of the matter.

    IT’s hard to show heart in these matters.

  • http://www.taorist.com taorist

    Most businessmen were never good with words. I’m “humanizing” a Training Policy right now, and it is really hard. So much easier to hide behind high-faluting words and terms rather than going straight to the heart of the matter.

    IT’s hard to show heart in these matters.

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    You are a wise one, taorist.
    IT’s hard to show heart in these matters.

    It is hard to show heart. It’s devasting to a company if we don’t. I know you know that.

    Love to that little girl.

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    You are a wise one, taorist.
    IT’s hard to show heart in these matters.

    It is hard to show heart. It’s devasting to a company if we don’t. I know you know that.

    Love to that little girl.

  • http://www.taorist.com taorist

    Yes, I do know that. I’m the one doing most of the time, and it’s alienating the very people we service. I’m going to do something to change that.

    Thanks! She loves you back. The whole family loves you back, Liz!

  • http://www.taorist.com taorist

    Yes, I do know that. I’m the one doing most of the time, and it’s alienating the very people we service. I’m going to do something to change that.

    Thanks! She loves you back. The whole family loves you back, Liz!

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Let me know if I can write a post or two to help. You just tell me what the topics should be. Then I’ll write about them. HA!

    I hope one day to have a reason to get on a plane to come see all of you.

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Let me know if I can write a post or two to help. You just tell me what the topics should be. Then I’ll write about them. HA!

    I hope one day to have a reason to get on a plane to come see all of you.

  • http://www.taorist.com taorist

    “Humanizing Polices and Procedures” hmmmmm…..hardly a topic you could place in any of your blogs. It would put most readers to sleep. However, readers like me would be VERY interested.

    Really? Yes, that would be nice! Little Robyn would be pleased as peach to see you!

  • http://www.taorist.com taorist

    “Humanizing Polices and Procedures” hmmmmm…..hardly a topic you could place in any of your blogs. It would put most readers to sleep. However, readers like me would be VERY interested.

    Really? Yes, that would be nice! Little Robyn would be pleased as peach to see you!

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    How to use blogs to humanize a corporate environment and why that’s important. . . .

    Tell little Robyn I’m sort of Internet famous, I just need to turn Internet into International. :)

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    How to use blogs to humanize a corporate environment and why that’s important. . . .

    Tell little Robyn I’m sort of Internet famous, I just need to turn Internet into International. :)

  • http://www.taorist.com taorist

    Hmmm….seems a better topic for me. Thanks to you, I just currently convinced a somewhat “Internet-famous” person to do blogs for his new site. I forwarded your last post to him and he was convinced. He’s arranging his blogger now.

    His site is tiddlyspot.com. Check mine out at tiddlyspot.com/taorist.

    Hmmmm….a new term for you: “Internetional Star”

  • http://www.taorist.com taorist

    Hmmm….seems a better topic for me. Thanks to you, I just currently convinced a somewhat “Internet-famous” person to do blogs for his new site. I forwarded your last post to him and he was convinced. He’s arranging his blogger now.

    His site is tiddlyspot.com. Check mine out at tiddlyspot.com/taorist.

    Hmmmm….a new term for you: “Internetional Star”

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Be sure to send your “Internet-famous” person my way if he needs someone to talk to. :)

    I’ll stop over to see his blog.

    You’re a bloggers dream.

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Be sure to send your “Internet-famous” person my way if he needs someone to talk to. :)

    I’ll stop over to see his blog.

    You’re a bloggers dream.

  • http://danielbaird.com Daniel Baird

    Gee I’ve never been called “somewhat Internet-famous” before.

    Some guy I pulled in front of on the motorway called me something with an “f” in it just this morning — I couldn’t quite hear him but I don’t think it was “famous” :)

    Anyway I guess I’m commenting on the wrong post — Taorist pointed out the post about participating in your customers’ conversations, and that convinced me to start a site blog for tiddlyspot.com /now/, rather than put it off a bit longer.

    So thanks, both of you.

    ;Daniel

  • http://danielbaird.com Daniel Baird

    Gee I’ve never been called “somewhat Internet-famous” before.

    Some guy I pulled in front of on the motorway called me something with an “f” in it just this morning — I couldn’t quite hear him but I don’t think it was “famous” :)

    Anyway I guess I’m commenting on the wrong post — Taorist pointed out the post about participating in your customers’ conversations, and that convinced me to start a site blog for tiddlyspot.com /now/, rather than put it off a bit longer.

    So thanks, both of you.

    ;Daniel

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Hi Daniel,
    Great to meet you! I’m delighted that taorist got your attention — a blog can offer you a dynamic presence and interaction that will only expand and enhance your website. Let me know if there is any way that I might help you out.

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Hi Daniel,
    Great to meet you! I’m delighted that taorist got your attention — a blog can offer you a dynamic presence and interaction that will only expand and enhance your website. Let me know if there is any way that I might help you out.

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