Learning Social Clues

I find it sad that teenagers are learning about social clues for the first time.  Our local newspaper - the San Jose Mercury - has this picture of teenage girls on one side of the line - and boys on the other.  They are in the gym learning the meaning of "consent."

"Consent" - something those of us who played freely together as kids learned when we were about five years old.

What's the difference?  Easy - our parents, teachers, guardians were NOT on top of us at all times.  They were not dictating our play.  They were not  getting in the middle of our scarbbles?  They were not making up the rules of the stick ball or jump rope games?

We learned by doing - by succeeding and by failing.

Non-verbal cues are critically important to social relations.  Starting to learn them as teenagers and adults is sad.

Maybe I shouldn't call it sad since I am often consulting and coaching highly brilliant people how to get along with each other.  I am consulting with newly minted managers and CEOs even helping them learn the same things.

It's not just about dating.  It's not just about sex.  It is about understanding the social clues.