I had a random thought this evening that I would like to share. It goes back to a discussion I had with Keith a long time ago, but I think it rings true for all of us.
The basic premise is that no one wants to be, "That Guy." For some "That Guy" is the one who clearly can't hold his liquor in a room of people who barely seem like they have had anything after a healthy night of socializing. For others it is "That Guy" who is talking with a group of people and is clearly the one who doesn't get it. "That Guy" is the person who does all the work only to see others who have done little in comparison get the praise that they rightfully deserve.
In any case, being "That Guy" can be many things to many people. In all cases it means that you are embarrassed and more importantly somewhere inside, you always feared that it would happen to you. That's what I think it means to be "That Guy."
Does this sound familiar? Or is this just a me thing?
I would be curious to see if others feel the same...
"That Guy"...
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2 comments:
Yes, I agree with all of this. "That Guy" reminds us that we too, at any given time, could "miss the boat," as it were. We could be the unwitting object of silent ridicule or pity. And that's actually the one item you left out (but that was perhaps implied): the fact that "That Guy" is never embarrassed for him/herself. Which even further horrifies us when we see this phenomenon happening.
An interesting sidenote to all of this is that I once said that my friend Dan is That Guy everywhere, every time. What I meant was, he is always the guy who's a little too loud, says the things you just don't say. However, this has always made him very popular with women, perhaps due to the fact that a) he's displaying confidence and b) he's the center of attention of the room. Now, I can't decide if I was using the term incorrectly or if I've revealed something about the condition of being "That Guy." Because, while on the one hand many people think he is That Guy at the moment, on the other hand the fact that women are impressed by his show of inappropriateness suggests that perhaps he is actually not acting so wrongly for the situation. Is he really "That Guy" in those situations? Who decides what is inappropriate? Can someone be That Guy to one person in a given situation but not to another?
Sorry for the late reply (more on that later), but I think you raise several valid points.
I agree that it is implied that, "that guy" is someone who is the unwitting object of silent ridicule or pity. However I think it is possible to know you are that guy, especially during that moment of epiphany when everyone is laughing and you realize that they are not laughing with you, but at you. That in my mind, is a classic case of "that guy" being exposed.
As for your second scenario, I am conflicted too. He isn't really "that guy" if he is actually popular, the same way I wouldn't call, "Louie" the guy who wants to "dip his balls in it" "that guy" either, because he is loved for what he is doing. It's "his thing."
On the other hand, some like that isn't "The Man" either. For reference, I don't mean the man that comes to oppress you, or anyone for that matter. I mean the slick guy who always comes through, he's the life of the party, and women flock to him. Your guy just doesn't seem to be there. I am not sure, but I have to believe that there must be a person in between.
Anyway, I will leave you with this one to ponder some more. Stay tuned for my tale of sorry in my next post.
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