half full? half empty?

Some years ago someone I knew felt that you could tell a lot about a person by the way they answered the question "Is this glass half full or half empty?" when I was presented with the question I replied " it depends". Instantly frustrated this person tried to force my answer by repeating the question " Is this glass half full or half empty?" Puzzled by their frustration particularly since the point was that my asnwer would reveal a lot about me I just repeated my answer "It depends" . Finally they asked "depends on what?" "On whether you poured half the water in or poured half the water out."

Because this person thought there were only two possible answers to the question they were not prepared for another possiblity and so they failed to see that although my answer was not one of the original two it still told you something about me (which was in fact their original premise).

The way we experience the world is determined by what happened before. Approaching the glass (or a person) as if we knew the present the circumstance without the previous story is limiting ( if not judgemental)... at least the way I see it.

So I guess they were right in a way...my answer to the question does tell you a lot about me!