Stupidity

Do you ever feel a sense of understanding and goodwill towards people who you initially deem completely stupid? Do you ever say to yourself, "it's not their fault for being stupid." Intelligence and our raw capacity to figure things out is something we are born with. Wisdom and ethical virtue is taught from parent to child. Sometimes if you're smart enough, you can figure out on your own what is wise and what is unwise, but for those who are born with low IQs and unto parents who are fucked up to begin with, how is it their fault for turning out to be complete assholes?

Perhaps you're smarter than everyone. Perhaps you're a certified genius. So what do you do about it? Do you/would you take advantage of your intelligence, use it to your sole benefit to make yourself as rich and powerful as you can possibly be? Do you manipulate situations to your advantage to acquire wealth, or power? Or do you use your "gift" to help those who were not given your gift? Do you pity and sympathize with the stupid for their circumstance and the stupid actions they take, or do you blame them for it and simply wish/hope they get smarter on their own or get out of society's way?

Of the many ways to percieve and react towards "stupid people", what is your preference?

depends on the person's attitude ... if they constatly make an effort to try to understand things or at least understand they aren't the brightest crayon in the box, then i say cut 'em some slack.

but if they're total pricks, who think knowledge isn't something worth striving for, or feel as though they're better people than those who are intelligent, then i say they can lick my ass crack.

i think it all boils down to what kind of person they are on the inside, regardless of their intelligence or lack thereof.

abounds.

last night at barnes and noble:

girl walks up to help desk "who wrote that book hitchikers guide to the galaxy?"
*SMACK*

5 minute slater another woman

"hmm heres a book on texas hold-em...what does that mean is that some sort of game?"

given, these aren't the stupidest questions but...come on!
you dont know who wrote hitchikers guide?


hrmph

when that happens i just look at them with a expressionless face and point at them, nothing more nothing less

they seem to realise how dumb they have just been

what would i do if i were smart?

why, id join SG:NHS of course!


basically i agree pandamonium, if youre an asshole, youre an asshole. i think people that think they are smart are almost always assholes [case in point: everyone in this thread bitching about 'stupid' people].
so in general i prefer people that are stupid, but know it.


[Edited on Oct 07, 2004 by DrStinkypants]

huh

i am well smarterera then you

So what makes a person "who they are on the inside"? You might be referring to a person's general kindness or ability to be civil to others? How does one person learn to be kind, genuine, and understanding, while others learn to be callous, condescending, and arrogant? If their parents, peers, and other various societal role-models though childhood taught them through example that a callous and arrogant attitude is acceptable social behavior, how much blame can really be ascribed to how they turned out to be?

The total pinhead who asks "where are the CDs?" when they're right in front of him, how did they become so stupid? Were they born that way? If so, when is it ever your fault for being born the way you are? People are born gay, and as a society we're learning we should accept homosexuality as a reality, and be respectful at all times of that diversity in who we are as individuals regarding sexual preference.

Why shouldn't it be the same for our diversity of intellect, knowledge, and grasp of common sense? People don't have a choice whether they're born stupid or smart. To have that functional brain chemistry that allows them to more consistently see the answer to the obvious question (ie: the CDs are right in front of you!).

If you're generally a nice person yourself who encounters a total stupid asshole who's on the borderline of totally pissing you off, what about reacting to them as if it's not their fault they're so dumb? Maybe show them a little kindness and understanding. Perhaps it's the stupid assholes of the world who are in the greatest need of being shown kindness and respect?

Heh heh.

"It's okay to be arrogant and competent. And it's okay to be humble and incompetent. But it's never okay to be arrogant and incompetent. That's just a disaster waiting to happen."

My stock answer would be that I try my best to love everyone and everything, that my sense of pity extends to all living things, that I'm just brimming over with Christ-love, etc. But then I open my eyes, take one look around, and realize that my real reaction is this: Unalloyed hatred. Stupid people are the reason we're in every single mess that we're in, and stupid people are the reason we're getting into new and even more terrible situations while turning our backs on the shit we're already in.

I understand this discussion is about people who are actually stupid and have no way around it, but at what point does stupidity constitute mental retardation and at what point is it simply willful ignorance? If the physiology of a person's brain is actually different from that of everyone else’s, then I naturally feel only sadness for that person's plight and a deep annoyance at whatever God could've had a hand in such injustice. But if you just have a low IQ that's no excuse for refusing to acknowledge facts, and it's no excuse to declare Occam's Razor worthlessly blunt.

When I encounter a person who is unacquainted with some pertinent fact I don’t in any way blame them, assuming that their ears and minds are open to receiving said fact when it is offered. Lacking knowledge of a subject is in no way a failing, but refusal to acquire knowledge about a subject is one of the greatest sins. I have absolutely no patience for people who avoid facts, honest discussion, and education, and I would be glad to see the last of them depart this Earth. If I was Supreme Emperor, my subjects would have three options: Pick up a book, shut your fucking mouth, or shoot yourself in the head. I think I’d be a pretty good Supreme Emperor.

That is a good question.

I sell automatic transmission parts to mechanics, mechaincs who are supposed to be highly trained professionals and certified by ASE. Now being a counterman, it is my job to ask questions and sell customers the correct parts. My job does not require me to be able to work on a car or even know how to. When a customer calls me for parts I always assume that he knows more than me. I have a few customers, ill just call them "fucking pricks" who are either A. dumb as brick B. ignorant or C. fucking pricks. When they call me and ask for parts, I will ask them "what year is that?" or "what engine size is that?" these "fucking pricks" will usually retort with "i don't fucking know!" or "what fucking difference does that make?"

These people are clearly a waste of carbon and oxygen and should be shuttled to the moon where they can get drunk, huff brake cleaner and beat the shit out of each other

I missed this reply earlier. Perfect answer. It is going in my journal of message board wisdom.

Reminds me of that scene in Clerks where the girl ask the guy where all the new movies are at and she's standing in front of them with a huge sign behind her that says "New Movies".

not knowing an author of a certain book isn't stupidity, it's just not knowing who wrote it. I couldn't tell you who wrote The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. That hardly makes me stupid.

Humble them at every opportunity. Just because a person is smart, does not mean they always have the correct answer.

this depends on what your going on about with stupid,

i'm not saying peaplo who arn't as fireing on all cilinders arn't worthy or my time, hell can tel wen some one is not 100% or whatever

but someone who asks you quesitions for stuff when big fuck off signs are haging form the celing or hung on the walls tellling you were the stuff is, useally below the sign, they don't neede any sympithy, just glass's

It's one of those books that people just have to read, in my opinion, to be smart.
I'm a snob and I don't care.

It'd be like if someone had no idea who wrote Romeo & Juliet, to me. It's just something you should know.
*shrug*

I read Hitchhikers guide, I just didnt like it So I couldnt tell you who wrote it off the top of my head.

The most annoying thing Ive encountered is someone who said "I can tolerate everything but stupidity" its like..great, you can tolerate everything except people who should -recieve- the most tolerance.

Are you sure their intention wasn't to say, "I can tolerate everything but willful ignorance"? It's very easy to confuse the two.

Oh, wait. You already discredited yourself. Never mind.

Clerks is the greatest movie ever...
"So, how much are these?"

it ALSO depends on if she's driving or not

I think whenever I meet someone new Ill hand them a survey to fill out regarding their tastes in books and music. And Ill carry two red rubber stamps with 'approved' 'disapproved' on them when I mark them.

Okay. So who did write hitchikers guide to the galaxy?