Response

I feel like I am becoming a different person.
Quickly.
I'm more upfront with people. My filter is diminishing, but not in an inappropriate way. In a finally-being-able-to-say-what-I-used-to-be-too-scared-to-say way. I feel bad doing it sometimes but eventually I realize that if everyone just said what they were actually thinking, people would finally get somewhere.
There's a saying that goes something like people don't listen to understand, they listen to respond.
I agree.
But I'm making my own saying.
People don't say things to communicate, they say things to receive an expected response. 
So I'm tired of saying things because I know what kind of response I'll get. That gets you nowhere, considering you learn nothing new about the person if the response you get is anticipated. You can uncover a great deal of insight about a person by experiencing reactions you don't previously anticipate or mold your diction to purposefully receive, but rather experiencing reactions you would have never been able to guess, and--most importantly--didn't try to.
So I blurt out what is really on my mind now. And you know what? I've learned so much about the people in my life--family, friends, and even complete strangers.
The most shocking thing I've learned?
They all say things to receive an expected response. They don't say things to communicate.

Maybe that's why I feel like none of them really know me.

-Beaskie