I react to people as I see them. If I don’t know someone, I automatically assume my interaction will be pleasant until proven otherwise.

     That I’ve been proven wrong so many times doesn’t cast doubt on my system, because my system doesn’t keep score.

     And when I find a person acting irrational or mean-spirited towards me or someone nearby, I do my best to use empathy as a weapon. I can’t count the number of times I’ve defused an attitude bomb by asking, “Are you OK? You seem a little down today,” or “is there anything I can do to help you with this?” I then follow that up by earnestly listening to their response and offering them sympathetic feedback.
     Even though they seemed more petty than depressed, I figure most people are mean-spirited or petty BECAUSE they are unhappy. I know that’s a bit Socratic, but I happen to believe it is generally true.
     This is why I usually get my way, by-and-by.
     Partially because my way is usually a reasonable road to travel with no unrealistic expectations or demands, and partially because I try to make people understand that, if the roles were reversed, I would be helping them go down their path, too.