Over the last decade, I’ve had a fair share of negative interactions with various individuals. This actually really bothers me, because I love people. Naturally, I love my friends and family, but I also love my neighbors, and random people walking down the street. I love chit-chatting with people I haven’t met before. When I was a teenager I used to make fun of the idea of “small talk”, but now I proudly have mastered the art in order to spark conversations with strangers. I love people in other countries. I love people who are different than me. I love people who make fun of me. I love people with different political opinions than me. I love the person who cuts me off in traffic and flips me off. They’re just having a bad day, you know?

So I’ve been trying to figure out: why do these negative interactions happen?

— Andrew Kelley, An Open Letter to Everyone I’ve Butted Heads With, 2025