I've returned to MSN and they had already changed the page by 10:00pm. Unsure if I can retrieve it.
I had a thought while reading your response to heart, Martoon. And I think you've made an important distinction. What's the crying about? As others did mention.
If you've got a drama king in your midst, ah - most likely a drama queen - then perhaps ignoring it is a good reponse. Let the manager deal with the theatrics.
I was just trying to put myself in the place of someone who finally just couldn't take the stress and "lost it." I think my response to people ignoring it would feel pretty lonely.
Then, in other's shoes, I suppose, given the person, I could feel that the tears did call for some kind of action on my part. But what? What the heck is office etiquette in this situation?
Some people seem to have the knack for dealing with it in a humorous way, others, with a glance or the touch of an arm can express the sympathy of a whole room full of speechless people. A gift!
I'd guess most of us would initially be puzzled/annoyed. Then that moment would pass to everyone's relief. Can talk about it on break. Preferrably without the crier in attendance!
I was trying to think of a word to express "lost it" as a social perception. The only other one that came to mind was "broke down." heart uses 'dramatics."
Seems harsh terms for a normal human function.
So I'm thinking if ignoring it would be a means of social disapproval or punishment for the discomfort the crier is causing it certainly would be reinforcing of "stuffing" one's feelings.
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I just remembered more about the plastics factory. These women I worked with were, in general, in dire straits. Most were single moms with no education and not much of a promising future ahead. Tired, stressed from being mom all day and then working all night.
It was pretty painful to consider how their lives were. The natural reaction was to get "tough." And these women were. They had to be.
I don't think I ever saw anyone there cry and many had good reason. But I did see a degree of "tough" style anger. Our "alpha female" got in a tussle with a monster of a machine that formed and then cut the plastic pieces which she was grabbing out of that hot, dangerous behemoth at a rate that bested the rest of us. She was cursing. Management kept setting the bar higher everytime she beat the rest of us. And they kept increasing the speed of the machine itself. Tempers were high.
The machine jammed. That would mean a shut down and she'd lose her top spot. Against her better judgement, I'm sure, and against all rules, she reached under the cutters to grab the jammed piece of plastic, her timing was off and the cutters came down and sliced off her hand.
I've thought from time to time about that horror. And I've wondered if she could have "broken down," if she could have admitted "weakness," she may not have had to jeopardize herself that way.
And in that system, it wouldn't have worked, I think. They called an ambulance, shut the machine down, and within an hour it was running again.
Last night I ran into someone from that crew I hadn't seen in three decades. She told me many of us have died prematurely from cancer. Plastics fumes?
That's our salt of the earth out there making sure that toys get properly packaged for the Christmas rush. Their humanity is jeopardized to serve the public. I think that may be true in more than factory jobs.