The study of human psychology has greatly impacted my life at times. One particular instance involved one of my uncles at a family gathering. I think most people can relate to having an uncle or two in their family that designate themselves as the "funny uncle", and usually you'll find them tickling and joking their way through the house on holidays. But making jokes at the expense of others sometimes runs the risk of offending. One particular time that my knowledge of psychology helped me was a time that my uncle was poking fun at my then-new diet (of only plants). He was giving me trouble about it around the family dinner table. Eventually he asked me why I didn't feel bad for murdering all those plants. When I started to explain that trees don't suffer the same way that dogs, pigs, cats, cows, and chickens do, and that eating them actually kills more plants than just eating plants because of how much we have to feed them, he instantly interrupted me. He enjoyed mocking me, but never opened himself for an actual answer. Earlier in my life, I might have been very angry with him. But after what I've learned about human psychology, I took a more complete look at him, his history and his current situation, and I remembered that he was in the middle of a terrible, ugly divorce likely to be very depressed. I decided to not make a scene, as I have flaws of my own and would appreciate being treated kindly if I was in a similar situation, and over time I've come to realize that this was a much better decision for me in the long run. The nicer I am to my family, the more they like having me around and cooking food for me. Remembering that everyone has a complex psychological story helps me pick the right battles and avoid the wrong ones. Things can escalate quickly, and may lead to unwanted and unhelpful fights.
