Flip-Floppers (in general)

I wrote a recent post about flip-flopping in politics, but, there are plenty of people outside of politics who flip-flop regularly, as well.

Know anyone like this? It gets a tad annoying, doesn't it? One day, they may complain about someone they're dating. The next day, they absolutely hate the person they're dating. The third day, they're in love with this same person. Fourth day, they're not sure if things are going to work. Fifth day, things are good again, but not great. Sixth day, he or she mentions that there's definitely a mutual attraction on a physical level, but they're not sure if that's all it is. Seventh day, they break up. Eighth day, they're boyfriend and girlfriend again. Ever know anyone like that?

Flip-flopping happens sometimes. We have the right to change our minds about something or our viewpoints as we learn about and experience new things. But, if anything is done in excess, it can get to be quite irritating, just like in the example above. Flip-flopping once in a great while is tolerable, because, we all do it here and there. But, flip-flopping about the same topic on an average of once per day for a week or two? That's annoying. After a while, it just becomes the norm and you don't think anything of it anymore.

It's like if someone used space fillers a great deal, such as the word "like," or if vulgar words spit out of a person's mouth two times in an average sentence. If someone says the word "like" once in a while or swears every now and again, then it's tolerable. The vulgar language may be even more effective, since it's not constant. If they're used consistent and often, then the only words one hears anymore are "like, like, and like, like whatever, like totally" or the expletives. When one has gotten used to it (in a way), then it becomes a regular expectation. Going into the conversation, one then expects the excessive space fillers or profanities and it just becomes "normal."

A person isn't going to think anything of the flip-flopping if it continues consistently for a long period of time. They'll probably give up in trying to help out with the situation, because, regardless of what they say, they know darn well the other person isn't going to listen and is going to flip-flop the next day (and the day after). It's then common for the listening party to wonder about the friendship or to ponder about if they ever knew the person at all. It's like with Bush's constant flip-flopping, while he may appease some conservatives, many will scratch their heads and wonder who this guy is and what he truly believes. Same thing in this situation. We're not going to know who that person truly is, what they feel, or what they believe, if they constantly change their minds. It's very confusing if one thinks about it enough. I used to, but have chosen to give my mind a break, because whether or not I analyze the situation properly, it'd never amount to anything with a constant flip-flopper.