7 Types Who Can't Mind Their Own Business

The Interfering Classmate

The teachers from local universities and colleges volunteered teaching at this neighborhood church to gain credits for their continuing education. Funding into the community kept church doors open, and I was grateful to be a part of the program. The classrooms had beautiful cream walls, high ceilings, stained glass windows, deep dark wood wainscotting border, and heavy door trim, with a window above each door; 18th or early 19th-century architecture. Antique porcelain water fountains in hallway walls built in like a vanity mirror with shiny brass knobs. The church had a courtyard, a flower garden, a swimming pool, a nurses’ station, and a kitchen. It was a well-kept historical landmark in the middle of the ghetto.

“Ghetto free is like, you’d be stupid not to see what’s up, okay?”

The curriculum comprised free courses in A+ certification, resume writing, typing, stenography, and learning to write computer code. Our household PC repair bills annoyed me. We had several computers with expired warranties. Sending our home-based computers to the “geek squad” at Best Buy for repairs was exuberant. I took the A+ Certification course given at the church. A+ Certification is (A Plus) an entry-level computer certification for PC service technicians. The exam certifies the competency of entry-level PC service professionals in installing, maintaining, customizing, and operating personal computers.

It’s the first day of class and the attendees are not what I expected. There were only 35 students in attendance, and one was 6 months pregnant. Three days out of a week for 2 months and I’ll be A+ certified and ready to give birth to our son. The teacher accommodated my bathroom breaks. Have you gone to a restroom and returned only to discover a classmate wrote in your notebook? What if all the information written was incorrect? What would you do? Yes, “helpful Hanna,” wrote an entire page of incorrect equations.

To this day, I’m uncertain if it was on purpose or if she just couldn’t mind her own business. Why didn’t she write the correct information or leave it alone? Who was she? I hadn’t seen her in every class. Before the teacher erased the chalkboard, I took a picture with my cellphone. I was the only graduate in that entire class because quitting wasn’t an option. I returned for other courses inside that old church. The doors it opened for me were priceless. It blessed me with amazing educators. Both of us trying to get something from the other. Amazing teachers produce amazing students.

7 types who can’t mind their own business.

Minding someone’s business isn’t always a straightforward task. It requires ingenuity. An actual applause can give credence for hard work ethics in the “nosey or busy-body” department. Governments, private corporations, husbands, wives, children, and pets also master this skill-set. It’s a career path for truly inquisitive minds. For example: Detectives, Professional Agency Spies, Paparozzi, Psychologists, Journalists, or Private Investigators. It’s a universal thing.

What if someone isn’t in any of these busy-body or nosey-paying jobs? What if ordinary people can’t mind their own business? When you’re minding your business, your brain discerns the level of danger the same way it does when you’re being nosey. In each scenario, a level of danger was a possibility. However, the level of potential danger is higher when involving others. Minding another person’s business is a bad habit, so why do it?

The classical busy-body seeks to intervene all the time, but they don’t have the good of the community in mind, explained Sally Scholz, Villanova University’s chair of philosophy.

“In fact, in ancient Greece, they considered the politician a busybody because they didn’t really understand what the community needed, or their own motivations. He was just looking to be seen.”

The Savior: In scenario #1, the interfering classmate or “helpful Hanna” and my notebook. Often, people believe they can save someone because they know what’s best. They see themselves as more knowledgeable and important. They want to tell you what to do, lead and guide you. After all, you are not capable of smart decisions. You need them.

Coat-tail busy-body: They have a vested interest in your failure and will coat-tail you to prove it. Keeping up phony appearances face-to-face, but tell back-stories to others with eager ears behind closed doors. Nosey-busy-bodies know all your latest business from failed attempts and every mis-step to hold overhead like a sword of Damocles. Those who like you have doubts, those who don’t know you never will, and those who care will fear the possibility because of the dark cloud of the coat-tail busy-body.

The Relationship Survivor: They do not have a relationship, but they are in everyone else’s business, doing the most. They shoot all good attempts at a relationship and quickly feed doubt and fear from a negative mindset. Relationships are a waste of their time, but have queries about yours. Defeated by heartbreak, poor in spirit, and weak in faith, their bitterness become love’s regret without the joy of wisdom. They’re viewing love from a broken lense. When you do not believe in love and happiness, you can’t receive it. For them, love doesn’t truly exist because heartbreak and rejection created self doubt.

The Gossip: Everything is an exclusive news story. (In journalism, a scoop or exclusive is an item of news reported by one journalist or news organization before others, and of exceptional originality, importance, surprise, excitement, or secrecy). Therefore, current events are crucial. They’ve development a taste for minding other people’s business to gossip daily. It doesn’t matter if the facts are straight. Gossipers want the “exclusive” and are likely to spread rumors.

The Control Freak: Complains about everything, everyone and has this preconceived notion things are chaotic and unorganized. Their sense of power and control come from knowing other people’s business. When visiting your home will ask those personal questions, criticize decor, snoop around and rationalize their rudeness. You’re not handling your own business to their satisfaction because they’re never satisfied or grateful for anything. Control freaks stay in your business because they have a bug up their butt with a legitimate gripe. They’re in charge or you’re not!

Busy-Body Super Competitor: This nosey individual approaches life like a sporting event. The gun has gone off, and the racehorse is out of the gate like a bolt of lightning. It’s okay for you to have and do amazing, just not more amazing than them. You may have taken part in a competition unbeknownst to you. An example is a nosey neighbor stopping by to view your holiday decorations to one-up it or downplay it. Current events, popularity and personal status are important to a busy-body super competitor. They will go to great lengths to defeat you by doing nosey busy-body research into your affairs.

The Lonely: Minding someone else’s business can become a hobby. Quietness fills each room with nothing constructive to do, so watching the neighborhood from a window might help. When you’re lonely, it’s easy to become irritated by minor distractions. The anxiety or eagerness for company and desperation for companionship can cause emotional depression if you dwell on the wrong things. It may cause defensive behavior and paranoia. Constant isolation causes your mind to seek other options to occupy it and explore. Getting into a friend’s or neighbor’s personal business is now a recreational habit. This person might have a slight crush on you. Lonely people usually fall in love quickly.