“Don’t Get Me Started”

If someone opens up a conversation with this terrible phrase, run away.

The problem with “Don’t get me started” (DGMS) is that its implied meaning is the exact opposite of the its literal meaning. The speaker wants to get started. Not only do they want to get started, they want to keep going. They should say “Don’t get me stopping” because stopping is the last thing they want to do.

I’m a good listener and love to hear a funny anecdote, unique insight, or inspirational story. But a DGMS is none of the above. It’s a rant, complaint, vent, or whine. The only people who like to listen to rants, complaints, vents, and whines are those with their own DGMS. Which means they aren’t truly listening, they’re just biding their time for the person to finish, so that they can share their DGMS.

The only time a squakle (made that up) of Complainers (see Desert Island or School on a Desert Island) may be listening to each other, is when they set out to steal the DGMS. It’s like watching kids trade Pokemon cards at lunch. The group is exchanging complaint stories, so that they can go off and pawn the DGMS as their own.

At least in Good Will Hunting the bar guy (just learned his name is Clark!) is pretending that an academic viewpoint is his own in order to sound smart and impress girls. Stealing a DGMS doesn’t serve any purpose, except making yourself a magnet for negativity. But, maybe that’s what you are looking for?

There’s more than enough cynicism in the world to go around. Often, we can’t avoid it. If you know the warning signs for undue negativity, it’s your responsibility to evade it. The next time you’re in a conversation and someone says, “Don’t get me started” change the subject, say “I won’t”, or tell them to look at something and then run away.

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