DandelionFireworks wrote:
For one, we often fail to grasp what level of formality they expect. If you're too informal, that's disrespectful. If you're too formal, that's sarcastic (because no one ever just level-breaks by accident-- see, that was real sarcasm), which is disrespectful.
Then we sometimes have trouble modulating our tone of voice-- or trouble perceiving subtle differences in tone of voice-- which is what gets me in trouble with my mom almost constantly.
Then there's not making eye contact.
Then there's not picking up on a social cue and having them misconstrue that as deliberately ignoring them.
Then there's stating facts, because for some reason when you say things that are factually correct, you're almost always perceived as rude.
Details - Details
If they were paying attention to their own stuff, they would not be disrespecting mine