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Pragmatic Wisdom

Simple lessons for our complicated modern times, drawn from philosophy, religion, and common sense

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A Simple and Effective Way to Be Instantly Likeable

5 min readMay 7, 2025

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Picture of a smiling Teddy bear against a blue wall.
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“You’re a grouch,” my beloved wife accused me, accusingly.

If there is one thing to turn me into a grouch, it’s being accused of being a grouch. Nobody likes it when people grumble about you being a grouch; it’s irritating—it’s a grima¹ on the mirror of self-reflection.

Slights are likely to offend. Offence was taken.

Once taken, the conversation is all too likely to descend into debate, a debate that deteriorates into argument, and arguments have a way of developing into something that both parties ruminate on obsessively for several hours.

I opted to ignore the jibe.

I said nothing. Reserved my judgment. Outwardly, I remained stoically unruffled. Sticks and stones may batter my self-esteem, but I’m not stripping off to show you the bruises.

Which was another fault.

“You are too insular,” she pointed out pointedly with her pointy finger.

“You mean introverted,” I replied, calmly and with authority. I said it in the way of a wordsmith who is self-aware, but not in the way of someone who is instantly likeable.

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Pragmatic Wisdom
Pragmatic Wisdom

Published in Pragmatic Wisdom

Simple lessons for our complicated modern times, drawn from philosophy, religion, and common sense

Malky McEwan
Malky McEwan

Written by Malky McEwan

Born storyteller. Born curious. Fascinated with what makes people tick and how the world works. https://malkymcewan.medium.com/subscribe

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