Socially Awkward Jackass

Believe it or not, those two are different. There are areas where they may come off as the same, such as someone who is socially awkward behaving like a jackass, but someone who's socially awkward and someone who's a jackass differ at key points.

First, let's take socially awkward, or its cousin, socially retarded. Someone who's socially awkward seems to lack the graces to be considered a universally good conversation partner. He may say things that don't make sense, he may not control his tone or how he says things to other people. Sometimes, I think I can classify as socially awkward. I'm not always funny and my mind seems to run a lot faster than other people's. I can easily make connections between subjects that I talk about, but not everyone sees those connections and I can quickly jump to another by the time someone figures out what I was talking about before. What I think sets me apart is the fact that I pick up on tone, body language, essentially reading people, to know what or how to say or do whatever. Someone who's socially retarded, though, lacks these graces completely and easily becomes "that one kid" that no one wants to talk to. Thing is, I don't think these people actually realize what could be considered their "awkwardness."

Take my lab partner last week for instance. He's a nice guy, but I did find it particularly angering that he opted to drop chemicals at one point because I "drop too slow." He also took the time to blame a certain, albeit minor, mishap on my part when I mentioned to him that "maybe we missed a step." Our professor wondered what was going on and my lab partner did not hesitate to say "Oh, well he forgot the step." Yea.

Now, a jackass knows he's a jackass. He does not feign kindness. He's brash, inconsiderate, and quick to temper. Take my best friend for instance. If I hated him, I'd call him a jackass. I love him to death, but he's still a jackass. Know what makes him different? He knows he's a jackass, but he's lovable, AND he knows when to hold punches, when and what to say. I know lots of jackasses that I can tolerate. Now, then and again you find the kind of jackass that you can't STAND being around. The one who doesn't seem to know he's a jackass, but in truth, he does. The one who never hesitates to make some sort of snide or smartass comment and who has the utmost capacity to get his ass kicked on a daily basis. He has some of the characteristics of your average socially awkward guy, but to a less cute, way more unbearable and "Meet me at 3 o'clock" way.

Not going to lie, I have a bit of jackass in me, too. I can be downright brutal, emphasis on the can, but I try not to. I joke around a lot, but I've started to draw the line. Yet, I kinda put this sort of behavior in the "bitch" category more than jackass (I rarely find that gay men are indeed assholes or jackasses versus just being bitches). More on that.

So, here is your lesson on those socially awkward individuals whom you can't help but just stare at in awe at their, well, awkwardness, and the jackasses whose heads you want to rattle with the closest blunt object.

Adieu.