So, I kept bumping into this phrase everywhere, “the ick list.” Sounded like some newfangled internet thing the kids were on about. My first reaction? Honestly, I just sort of brushed it off. Figured it was another one of those fleeting trends, you know? Just a bit of silliness.
But then, you start noticing things. My colleague’s daughter was over at the office one day, and she was going on and on about her “ick list” for some guy she’d been on one date with. I overheard some of it, and man, it was something else. Things like “he ordered milk at dinner” or “his laugh was too loud.” Seemed a bit much, if you ask me.
My Go at This Whole “Ick List” Thing
After hearing about it enough times, I got curious. Decided, alright, let me actually try to make one of these lists myself. What’s the big deal? So, I sat down one evening, pen and paper ready. Thought I’d just jot down a few things that would instantly turn me off someone. Simple, right?
Well, let me tell you, it wasn’t as straightforward as I thought. I started thinking. Okay, what genuinely gives me “the ick”? I mean, real deal-breakers, not just minor annoyances. It’s easy to list things you don’t like, but that sudden, visceral “ick” feeling? That was harder to pin down.
I jotted down a few things, stuff like:
- Someone being really rude to service staff. That’s a big one for me.
- Constant negativity. You know, the type who complains about everything.
- Being super arrogant, like they know everything.
But then I looked at some lists online, just to see what others were putting. And wow. Some were just… out there. Things like “they use too many emojis” or “they run weirdly.” It made my list look pretty tame, almost old-fashioned.
This is where it got me thinking. Is this “ick list” just a new name for what we used to call “turn-offs” or “deal-breakers”? Or is it something different? It feels more… specific. And sometimes, incredibly trivial. Like, you could be really into someone, and then they do one tiny thing, and boom, “the ick” hits you, and it’s all over.
I remember back in the day, if you didn’t click with someone, you just… didn’t click. Or you found out something major that made you incompatible. It wasn’t usually about these tiny, almost microscopic observations. We didn’t have a catchy name for it, that’s for sure. We just moved on, or tried to work through things if the person was generally good.
So, after spending a bit of time trying to compile my grand “ick list,” I mostly just ended up with a list of things that are basic good manners, or serious personality flaws. Nothing like “he breathes too loud through his nose” or “she still uses a Facebook poke.” I guess I just don’t operate on that frequency of “ick.”
It seems like a way for people to quickly filter others out, maybe it’s efficient in this fast-paced world. But I also wonder if folks are missing out on getting to know someone because of something that, in the grand scheme of things, doesn’t really matter all that much. Or maybe I’m just showing my age, who knows? For now, I think I’ll stick to my old ways of figuring people out. It’s worked for me so far.
