Sightedness

I've often wondered how, over the past few years, people having become less patient and less caring about others.

Could it be they are losing their sight?

Not literally, of course. I'm talking in the "losing sight of the big picture," "losing sight of the plight of others." Instead of the conditions "farsighted" and "nearsighted," I've come up with the terms "innersighted" and "outersighted."

An "innersighted" person, which is the most common affliction, only keeps sight of themselves. They only care about what affects them, so if anything slows them down, inconveniences them, or what not, they get mad.

An "outersighted" person is one who generally only keeps sight of others. They watch over friends and family and protect them, sometimes at the risk of their own happiness.

Perfect 20/20 vision is rare. And there isn't any laser surgery for something like this.

How did this all come about, you say? Well, I'm glad you asked!

While shopping at the store the other day, I was almost ran over by a woman. I was walking towards the exit, in plain sight of anyone who might be in the aisles. She was in one of the aisles, coming out and apparently headed elsewhere in the store. Again, I was in plain sight. I wasn't walking fast. The woman, who was looking straight ahead, exits the aisle. I figure, she'll see me and the guy who was somewhat behind me.

Nope. She didn't notice until I was jumping out of the way, screaming "Watch it!!!"

"Oh excuse me," she said rather unconvincingly, as I gathered myself from the merchandise I had tossed myself into.

She had her shopping cart full of things, her shopping list.. painfully unaware of anything going on around her. Had we been driving, we'd have two wrecked cars and some injured people.

If only there were corrective lenses for a condition such as this. No, the only way to cure it is through self-improvement. Too bad most people are so far gone in their innersightedness that this will not come to be.

What about me? Am I innersighted? Outersighted? Well, considering I am observant enough to catch everyone's little foibles, I'd have to say I'm quite outersighted.