We grow up learning not to comment on other people’s appearances, especially if it’s negative. We learn the old adage «If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.» And that’s generally a good rule to keep to. Only when your dear, dear friend asks «Is this outfit ugly?» and they’re at home ready to change it, can you feel free to speak your mind. Otherwise, if they can’t fix it in five seconds, don’t point it out. Not everyone has internalized this axiom, though. Some feel the need to point out every little thing that might be wrong. Maybe they’re control freaks, maybe they’re insecure, or maybe they’re just plain mean. 

The man in this story might have been a combination of the three. When a man who looked like he was going through a hard time showed up to a meeting looking that way, his coworker couldn’t resist a comment.