Thursday, April 08, 2010

TMI? I say, "Share on!"

So I just read this article about "Oversharing in the Workplace", which regales the reader with such horror stories as one worker having to hear his office buddy share a story about shaving his legs before a bicycle race, or another woman blurting out that her 16 year old son was conceived on her first date with her husband in high school.

All I can think in response to the article is, "Really? Have we as a society become so isolated that we can't handle hearing a male coworker talk about shaving his legs for a bicycle race?"

I'm not saying that appropriate boundaries aren't important, because they are. However, I think it's sad that we live our lives behind such well constructed walls that we find it hard to hear even such benign things as shaving ones legs for a race.

Okay, so admitting that you had sex on the first date with your husband might be inappropriate work conversation. I get that. But what I also get is that we are human beings with quirks and frailties, and I'm not sure that what we classify as "oversharing" really is "Too Much Information".

Maybe it's just a way to say, "Hi. I'm alive, and I fail, and I have joys and I cry sometimes. Am I the only one?"

What if instead of looking the other way while shouting "T-M-I!", we could look that person in the eye and say, "Dude! Did you have to borrow your wife's razor for that?"

At worst, we might feel uncomfortable. At best, we might make a new friend!

5 comments:

Laura said...

Great post!!

Jennifer Disney said...

Preach it girl!

J said...

I'm guilty of over-sharing on many an occasion, so I'm glad to have you in my corner. ;)

Dana Cheryl said...

Does it count as TMI if you give a speech about shaving your entire body before a swim meet? If so I know a few folks guilty as charged.

Why is it that our society so often nick picks the dumb stuff? When has shaving become taboo?! I must have missed that day in social etiquette class.

josey said...

ahhh, a girl after me own heart! LOL! wow, i thought i was the only one who thought about stuff like that. ESPECIALLY that. i am infamous for being quite nonchalant about silly things and probably giving out TMI at times. i like to have fun and it's always my goal to bring the tightest-lipped prudish people in a group to surrender with a grin ;) but geezloueeze, you're right...people would enjoy life so much more if they'd lighten up and get their panties out of a bunch!! teehee! many (not all, like you mentioned!) things that are classified as TMI are quite harmless and give life a little zest :)