There have been countless situations when I've asked a question and people have been annoyed by it. Nothing rude or anything, just questions so I can have a better understanding. It's like people have an aversion to being asked something. So now, I try to remember to think about whether or not the question is really important, consider who it is that I'm asking, the kind of question it is, etc.
But really, it's just a damn question. What's the big deal? Just answer the damn thing and we can both get on with whatever else we want to do, rather than yelling at me for wanting to learn something.
But sometimes people actually explain to me that the tone of my voice sounded rude. Now, that would be fair enough and I'd be willing to work on it.... except that it's not really fair at all.
The way everyone else hears my voice is very deep and boring. I hear it much higher and... for want of a better word... normal (I havent met anyone else with a voice as deep as mine... i really, really, really hate the way other people hear my voice), so when I'm talking, I do change tones appropriately. I change my tone of voice a lot and have no trouble understand other peoples tones. So this is something I actually understand very well, which makes it even more frustrating. I wish it was an Autistic thing, I really do, because at least then I'd have an acceptable reason. But no... it's just that I'm stuck with a horrible voice so that everyone else thinks my tone wasn't appropriate blah blah blah...
But here's the kicker...
Back to the questions: If I ask a question in a supposedly inappropriate tone, that's really bad and I'm bad for asking a question, especially like that.
But when someone that's gotten up me about doing that does that same thing, somehow, I'm still the bad guy. I've still managed to do something wrong. Like everyone else is entitled to a negative reaction to my tone of voice which I can't help, but noooo, I can't react in the same way.
I've never been on that end of the argument before... it was weird.
But I would have happily apologized if the other person wasn't such a hypocrite. One time I react like that. One time. People have been doing that to me my whole life.
If you're going to lecture someone about their tone of voice over and over and over again, don't be such a hypocrite about it!!
If you find yourself accidentally using an inappropriate tone, do what you'd expect me to do, rephrase what you've said and/or apologize. Or don't say anything. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to say or ask something but chose not to because I know I might sound inappropriate.