People ridicule about other people's stupidity..

Well spoken, Ygrec23.

http://hubpages.com/hub/What-is-the-...g-of-stupidity
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...-we-are-stupid

Never attribute to malice, that which can be reasonably explained by stupidity.
~ Spider Robinson

I didn't say not knowing things makes one an idiot; I agree, there's a difference between idiocy and ignorance. I'm not talking about the mentally challenged, but persons (adults) who ought to have enough sense not to do something (or to do something) but chooses to do the opposite.

Everybody makes mistakes. Some people make dumb mistakes, but are not dumb in general. Then there are those who don't even try to do the right or smart thing.

Pac, this comes close to what I want to say.

There are a group of people here in Phoenix who are nasty, arrogant, abusive, sadistic, offensive, rude, stupid, ignorant, and probably any other negative adjective you can think of and also DANGEROUS. Under normal circumstances, they are nice people. You will meet one if you ever set out to DRIVE AN AUTOMOBILE IN PHOENIX. What angers me is that most people do not have a clue and could not begin to tell you the reasons behind posted speed limits or most of the traffic regulations that exist. They are allowed to get behind the controls of three to seven tons of a potential lethal weapon and maneuver it down a raceway full of other potential lethal weapons doing the same thing, going anywhere from 5 to 20 miles per hour over the speed limit in residential locations. (NO EXAGERATION) The gap grows bigger when they enter the freeways. These people also carry guns. Road rage is rampant. One must never, ever put themselves in a situation of blocking the progress of one of these people in their pursuit of maximum speed, such as on an on-ramp or off-ramp or you will run the risk of being shot.

In my 42 years of driving, I've never seen anything like this. And it provides a certain degree of anominity. The sweetest church-going granny turns into hell-momma on wheels once she enters her car. After all, if the police can't catch her, they can't prosecute.

I've called people things I would never say to anyone's face while driving because I don't have any kind of armour mounted on the front of my car with which to ram them. This is my current Ohmmmmmm of my daily relaxation exercise...to simply get over the trauma of driving to the grocery or drug store.

Low IQ is one thing... but one can have average or even high IQ and do idiotic things... Some people don't think and that is the problem. One cannot know everything... but one should have a common sense...

What is so disingenuous is the constant that the other guy is always the stupid one.

There will always be one in every family. One on every block. One in every classroom. One in every workplace. One in every group. One on every site.
What are the odds of never crossing paths with "one"?
Trolls are everywhere. They thrive on ridiculing others.

I think what matters is how we choose to respond to how trolls are.
We all have the choice to either allow them to effect us, or not.
I feel that so long as we understand what trolls are about, they cannot phase us.
(Personally, I refuse to allow them to have that kind of control over me).



Shangrala

Maven,

So if I understand you correctly, you're writing about normal or smart people making dumb mistakes, sometimes repeatedly. And being open to criticism because considering their intelligence they really ought to know better. If that's what you mean, then I agree with you. If I've missed something, tell me.

Take care!

Absolutely agreed.

Take care!

A truly great comment! I've just spent half an hour thinking about it. And it has so many implications for this discussion that I need much more time to run through all the possibilities and present a reasoned response. Stopped me in my tracks.

First time ever.

Take care!










It means that we have to distinguish between different types of situation: (a) where neither person has any knowledge whatsoever about the other (i.e., parking lot fender-bender); (b) where the parties do have knowledge of each other, but not enough to form the basis of a serious opinion about the other person's intelligence level (you vaguely know the other person works for the same employer, but in a different department in a different building); and (c) where both sides have sufficient information about each other to make a good evaluation of the other's intelligence (you're in the same work group).

In both (a) and (b) the intelligence level of the other person can only be inferred from the character of the act complained of

Dear Shangrala,

You're right. We do have control over how we respond to trolls (nasty people who get pleasure from hurting the feelings of others). And people don't have to be trolls all the time. They could just have a "troll" streak that only comes out now and then. Regardless, though, we still have control.

Take care!

Since we do not know what the people are responding to it is easy to pass judgements upon the statements quoted. I've made these very comments although mine tend to be to your face.

For example, I have met some of the most bigoted people on the planet. Just a couple of weeks ago a co-worker created a stink about the simple comment "I am gay." She was listening to another conversation, this was not even addressed to her but she went to a manager and complained that this was against her religion and she should not have to be "exposed" to this behavior and further went on to make some really stupid comments about homosexuals in general.

This made me very angry for a number of reasons. First, we have this particular religion in common so she is uneducated on even the Church's dogma. Second, the person that made the statement "I am gay" was my son. And I will NOT sit quietly by while this woman tries to make him or anyone else feel bad about themselves because they do not conform to what SHE thinks they should be!

Once again I've written a book. But my point is this. Many people out there may agree with this very ignorant woman and believe her comments were "innocent". I strongly disagree. We are all entitled to our own opinion.

That's why I try my best not to judge anyone

I was driving home for lunch a few minutes ago. I was on a 4 lane road with a common turning lane in the center of the lanes. I met a man who was walking in the center turn lane while talking on his phone. His head was down and he was just strolling along. He was not crossing the road, just using the turning lane for his own personal sidewalk. I immediately found myself thinking, "what an idiot, he's gonna get hit". On first glance it would seem (to me) that I was justified in thinking this. Then I thought of this thread and forced myself to see it differently. I thought "ok, perhaps he has a very good reason for doing that, even though I can't think of one".

Good thread. Makes one stop and think...

I recognized myself in this response and am grateful for it; thanks pachy.

Here's an example, and I really hope I don't step on anyone's toes here, but I was hostage to a conversation recently (working, couldn't leave), where someone argued that universal health care was outlawed in the United States Constitution. The other person asked doubtfully, "Where?" to which the response was, "Why don't you read it some time."

Seriously? I've read the Constitution, many times in fact, and there is no mention that health care is illegal. But see, if I'm going to be a participating member of society then I need to vote. However, for my vote to have any weight at all, I need to somehow overcome the combined strength of all those votes that come from people who are going to vote based on whatever propaganda they are fed from whatever biased source that feeds them. Not going to happen. I need them to thnik critically for my critical thinking to have value. I am disempowered by the ignorance that people like this are parading proudly. In my frustration I'm liable to think critically about this person. I'm not going to call them an idiot to their face - no sense making them feel bad, but I certainly am harbouring some negative thoughts about them and there's no doubt a bit of resentment too.

So many times during life I have felt like I've fallen down the rabbit hole...

AkAngel... I know this feeling... I pride my knowledge of political science... and while I understand that not everybody studied the theory throughly... I have hard time being empathetic to people who argue a point based on "I read on the INTERNET that...".

Yeah, I find it tough to stomach how much ignorance there is in this society -- but it is there. Not how we learned things in school...

But then, consider that we are animals, and our brains have parts very similar to those of other animals, where quick-and-dirty reactions to danger are built in, for good evolutionary reasons. Our cortexes (cortices?), the parts that help us think things through in a more considered fashion, are much larger than those of the other animals, but the cortex still has to contend with that reactive part of the brain! That is not easy.

What to do? Keep plugging along, I guess. Do the best we can to use our cortex, in spite of what others may be doing?

(Can you tell I'm viewing on DVDs a course on neuroscience? )

I don't like laughing at another, and can't stand jokes that are bashing a stereotypical person/action. Laughing at oneself, and having others join in is different.

People put other people down to elevate themselves, at least psychologically. When you are at sites like PC, have to remember that most members are mentally unwell. At other sites, you have equally unwell people, they just don't know it.

All we can do is be the best we can be, and if we err is ridiculing another, or another's actions, set it straight and move on.

This thread has evolved. The OP is talking about the ridicule of those who possess a genetic trait they have no control over. For awhile the topic transmuted into a discussion of ignorance, with confidence and disenfranchisement as adjuncts.

Community Guidelines limit a fuller dialogue of various factors that may pertain to points already made. Nonetheless, the distinction between ignorance and stupidity is important. I agree with the OP that those with genetic deficiencies should not be treated unfairly for a condition they cannot change.

As for lambasting the actions of purported ignorants, perhaps we would be better served by trying to discover and understand their backgrounds. Just what is the impetus for their actions?

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_d...ype=book&cn=21
http://www.buildfreedom.com/stupidit...stupidity.html
http://thestateofamerica.wordpress.c...nding-fathers/
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...the_first.html
http://www.newscientist.com/article/...iscoverer.html

Good point Byz. I have been reading this thread with some interest since it started. A distinction can rightfully be made between the cruel ridicule targetted at the mental challenged and the judgemental ridicule targetted at others.

I wonder though if it really matters in the end? Ridicule is ridicule and besides how it might make the recipient feel the effect on the one making the ridiculing statements is equally problematic for me.

I get the link with self esteem and I think that is probably the biggest motivator for people taking hits at other people. Sometimes it becomes habit and ridiculing others their trademark attempt at humour. My ex is like that. Takes every opportunity to laugh and ridicule at me or anyone who makes a foolish gaff. Then if he sees me cry it just fuels him up again to make fun of my oversensitivities and lack of any sense of humour.

My ex would never make obvious fun, or ridicule a mentally challenged person but he is quick to do it to others. He finds it all very amuzing and entertaining to point out people's stupidity.

Maybe I am motivated by my own sensitivities but I think as you say that I am better served trying to discover and understand what motivates people to do what they do. Especially when what they do seems so outside my idea of good common sense. Before I fall into making a judgement I try to ask why might someone do, think or say such a thing.

Right, Ygrec. I don't think people are idiots because they've made a mistake, but when someone ought to have the least common sense (i.e., don't play with fire because you could get burned--yet I just saw a video clip on The Doctors the other day of someone doing just that), I call that dumb.

I agree with Whoopi Goldberg when it comes to the word "stupid," and related terms. She feels stupid is abusive and you can't really take it back, especially if you said it to a child. Kids especially, tend to internalize this kind of put-down, and I know this from personal experience. Children aren't stupid...they can be ignorant or naive, but not stupid.

LOL, Venus! I hear people use "I read it on the Internet!" all the time. I'll say I read something on the Internet, but not as proof of fact. A lot of people say specifically that they found info on Wikipedia, which anyone can change, so it is sometimes erroneous.

I've clearly misunderstood the thread; I thought we were talking about people doing stupid things who might be expected to know better, not people with a mental deficiency. I have all the patience in the world for someone with a mental deficiency, the manager at Taco Bell today who never even acknowledged me at the counter today for over three minutes as she leaned against the cash register and continued talking about next weekends plans on her cell phone while I stood at the counter waiting to order - not so much.

I think attacks on people that we think are very out of the ordinary, or people who are ill in some way, may well be instinctual. Some animals, at least, attack others, even of their own family, who are sick or helpless, and it may be "evolution's way" of weeding out weaker individuals. It takes effort and thought not to react that way, to go against instinct. It takes effort to see that there may be value in not just acting instinctively. Humans have not succeeded because they are the most physically powerful animals on the planet.

"People" don't exist. I only pay attention to what You say to Me. My actions, good or bad, are not me and your judgments of me don't count in my world, only mine do.

I find this thread a hypothetical discussion about "people" I don't know making comments, taken out of context about "other people" I don't know. I don't find the thread "stupid" but I do find it a bit "useless"?

That is a good approach. Life is too short to have your "feelers" constantly insulted by people you don't know... especially by comments that were directed towards someone else... People in Internet say nasty things even about cool people.

Someone said we should look in the background of people and why they do things... I am willing to do that for people whom I care for. Not some random person who gain a few minutes of recognition on the internet for doing something stupid... That is their problem, they have to deal with it. I am not here to make excuse for the world.

I read in a study about bullying that people treat weaker people badlyfor two reasons; they get a thrill from it and it works as a way to convince others they have power. Probably normal, but not admirable or acceptable in my book. Self esteem only fits in this indirectly.

I am sure that everyone has assumedthat someone they disagree with is stupid, whether that person is genetically or otherwise impaired or not (I know folks with depression or vairous PDs who can underperform horribly due to their disorder). I keep trying to remind myself that 1) The vast majority of people have good reasons for what they believe, whether I agree with them or not. You don't have to be stupid to think I'm wrong. Also 2) There are plenty of folks out there who probably have me pegged as a babbling moron who spouts idiocy. They might even be right!
There are times I suspect they might be...
Hugggs all