Absolutley Flustered

[AtlanteanTroll]

So, I was in (Economics) class today, and we had finished taking a quiz, so their was nothing worth doing in the class, so I started to read my English Book. Halfway through the alloted free time, a student comes up and sas something along the lins of, "Reading is stupid, you're stupid."

I realize this is ridiculous, and I Said nothing and ignored this. Stupid is as stupid does and all that what not. Anyway, looking back on it, I have found myself quite aggrivated.

Anbody else find themselves in situations where they are left with a similar feeling?

[Marnath]

All the time. Talking to my mother is much like that, she says things that have no bearing on our conversation, misconstrues simple concepts and goes off on tangents, and is generally incoherent much of the time. I've also had people come up and say stupid things like that out of the blue, too.

[Snares]

So, I was in (Economics) class today, and we had finished taking a quiz, so their was nothing worth doing in the class, so I started to read my English Book. Halfway through the alloted free time, a student comes up and sas something along the lins of, "Reading is stupid, you're stupid."

I realize this is ridiculous, and I Said nothing and ignored this. Stupid is as stupid does and all that what not. Anyway, looking back on it, I have found myself quite aggrivated.

Anbody else find themselves in situations where they are left with a similar feeling?

Meh. I wouldn't have said anything either. I'm not even sure that's worth dignifying with a response. It sounds like a 6-year-old poorly attempting to bully someone. If anything, I'd have just said "Your loss," because it is his loss really. Not worth getting aggravated and worked up over.

If I just ignore some comment, it's usually just for that sort of reason - it's stupid enough that it's not worth replying to. No point getting aggravated about that sort of thing.

[AtlanteanTroll]

If I just ignore some comment, it's usually just for that sort of reason - it's stupid enough that it's not worth replying to. No point getting aggravated about that sort of thing.
I agree with you, and that's why I didn't respond. But, IDK, it's just coming back and nagging at me.

[Tengu_temp]

If idiots pester you and it bugs you, you have two options:
1. Grow thicker skin so it will stop bothering you, and ignore them. This can be hard for some people, but it's pretty much a necessary part of being an adult.
2. Talk back, tell them to **** off or give them the finger. Do note that this might get you in trouble in some circumstances.

[AtlanteanTroll]

1. Grow thicker skin so it will stop bothering you, and ignore them. This can be hard for some people, but it's pretty much a necessary part of being an adult.
See, but it didn't bother m (as much) when it first happened.


2. Talk back, tell them to **** off or give them the finger. Do note that this might get you in trouble in some circumstances.
Like a High School Economics class.

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

Is this feeling of yours one of annoyance or curiosity?

[Don Julio Anejo]

1. Say: "Wait, I'm stupid for reading? Reading is what smart people do. NOT reading, on the other hand..?"

2. Wait for about 20 seconds for him to understand it.

3. ???

4. Profit!

[AtlanteanTroll]

Is this feeling of yours one of annoyance or curiosity?

Annoyance and a mixture of curiosity with disgust.

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

Annoyance and a mixture of curiosity with disgust.

I mean to say, are you more irritated with him for doing it, or are the mysteries of the attitude of mind that lies behind it bothering you more?

[AtlanteanTroll]

I mean to say, are you more irritated with him for doing it, or are the mysteries of the attitude of mind that lies behind it bothering you more?
This. Though, I am a bit curious.

[Eruantion]

I mean to say, are you more irritated with him for doing it, or are the mysteries of the attitude of mind that lies behind it bothering you more?

I've had a few experiences like this. To be honest, if he's anything like me, it's a mixture of both, along with sadness that someone has this frame of mind.

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

This. Though, I am a bit curious.

Oh. Well in that case, I should simply brush it off and forget about it. :smalltongue:

[AtlanteanTroll]

I've had a few experiences like this. To be honest, if he's anything like me, it's a mixture of both, along with sadness that someone has this frame of mind.
That sums it up nicely.

[Eruantion]

That sums it up nicely.

Thank you. You said this is high school? :smallannoyed: Most of my experiences were in middle school. Some people can't grow up, I'm afraid...

[AtlanteanTroll]

Thank you. You said this is high school? :smallannoyed: Most of my experiences were in middle school. Some people can't grow up, I'm afraid...
Doesn't help that this kid is always trying to get me to help him with his math when he won't begin to help himself.

[Jacklu]

I used to read a lot at work, between customers after I had cleaned and stocked the store. One day, while I was reading, a girl came over and looked at me.

"Oh. My. God. You read??? I've never read a book in my life (this part said like it was truly an accomplishment to be proud of)!"

I died a little inside.

[Keld Denar]

Take comfort like I do. I look at facebook and see a lot of the people I went to HS with. Most of them have crappy jobs and bitch about how they are broke and their life is miserable. Then I think about my college degree, something I worked hard on in HS to prepare for, and all of the money that degree makes for me, and all of the nice things, the nice apt, the nice car, and the fun times I have enjoying that money with my likeminded friends.

I wouldn't have gotten what I have if I had thought that reading is dumb. And I like what I have. So...reading must not be dumb. LOGIC!

EDIT: I know...money can't by happiness...but bitching about not having money doesn't seem to make people any happier! I'd rather be happy and wealthy than happy and poor, and I'd rather be wealthy and miserable than poor and miserable. All other things being equal, I'd just rather have money. Most people would.

[ForzaFiori]

my typical response to stuff like that? (Even in HS) "your f*****g retarded. Go away."

However, I was in a good bit of trouble most of the time in HS, so your mileage may vary.

Once you get into college it tones down a little. Or at least, it has at my college. For one thing, it's a more intelligent group of people on average, and most of them are also more open minded.

[Helanna]

I get the feeling a lot - it's just one person being stupid, but you just can't quite get over it, because they're just being so stupid.

Also I'm pretty bad at detecting when people are making fun of me, so I generally just went through high school with a vague feeling of suspicion about all of the more 'popular' kids, although my school actually didn't really have cliques or anything.

But it didn't help that I was 'that one kid' who was always reading. You know, one of if not the only person to actually read the book instead of Sparknotes for English class? I'm pretty sure a lot of Playgrounders know that feeling.

[CynicalAvocado]

when i talk to my brother. he does something wrong, then gets pissed when he gets punished

[Admiral Squish]

Once you get into college it tones down a little. Or at least, it has at my college. For one thing, it's a more intelligent group of people on average, and most of them are also more open minded.

The main reason for this, I find, is that people in college actually want to be there for the most part. High schoolers HAVE to be in boring classes they hate and they channel that frustration into making everyone else's life worse. In a college, you not only have to CHOOSE to go, you have to PAY to go. Thus, the people who go to college are the kind who actually enjoy learning things.

[Gullara]

:smallsigh: It saddens me that this discussion exists. Reading is the greatest of pass times. In my old high school class there were many that said they've never read a full book, I sorrow for them.

[Cealocanth]

This feeling is excreted out of the pores of some guy I know. He's your class A definition of a bully, you know, punches people for fun, emotionally insecure, etc. But he then sees quite clearly the complete and utter irrationality when someone else decides to get back at him or fight back or even just move out of the way.

I call him a hypocrite, but he is too ignorant to even realize that he's acting so stupidly. I quote:

"You're a real hypocrite you know that? You get pissed off whenever anyone wrongs you but you never do right to anyone else."

"What the **** man! does the phrase "Do as I say, not as I do" ring a ******* bell?"

I can't believe this guy! He actually admits that he does wrong, but uses that quote to justify his violent and irrational actions. He doesn't even realize that you need to treat others as you would treat yourself, not allow your own violent and irrational actions slide while heavily critiquing theirs.

________________________________________________

So yeah, sorry about the rant. I get that feeling that other people are simply too stupid to even realize they're stupid quite often.

[Don Julio Anejo]

Wait, this was high school? I thought it was in college (I'm guessing because of Econ) and got pretty shocked, since in a lot of places in college if you don't study for like 4 hours every night, you're in the minority.

In high school, it's pretty common.

I'm pretty sure it would be just as common in college if you made engineers take history, biologists take philosophy (fyi: knowledge of biology makes many philosophy arguments like "what is the meaning of life" completely moot and a waste of paper), drama majors take stats & calculus... you get the point.

[Fiery Diamond]

This feeling is excreted out of the pores of some guy I know. He's your class A definition of a bully, you know, punches people for fun, emotionally insecure, etc. But he then sees quite clearly the complete and utter irrationality when someone else decides to get back at him or fight back or even just move out of the way.

I call him a hypocrite, but he is too ignorant to even realize that he's acting so stupidly. I quote:

"You're a real hypocrite you know that? You get pissed off whenever anyone wrongs you but you never do right to anyone else."

"What the **** man! does the phrase "Do as I say, not as I do" ring a ******* bell?"

I can't believe this guy! He actually admits that he does wrong, but uses that quote to justify his violent and irrational actions. He doesn't even realize that you need to treat others as you would treat yourself, not allow your own violent and irrational actions slide while heavily critiquing theirs.

________________________________________________

So yeah, sorry about the rant. I get that feeling that other people are simply too stupid to even realize they're stupid quite often.

I...I am in awe. In awe of the stupidity that it takes to actually think "Do as I say, not as I do" is supposed to be a motto for the one saying it to live by. I think that person needs some professional help.

Edit: Another post was posted while I was posting and I wish to post a reply to that new post.


(fyi: knowledge of biology makes many philosophy arguments like "what is the meaning of life" completely moot and a waste of paper)

You should be careful saying stuff like this. It skirts the edge of topics that are not allowed and is also very provocative. Suffice to say that biology tells us nothing about the nature of consciousness, nor does any other scientific discipline, including neuro-sciences, and that the "meaning of life" is strongly tied into the "nature of consciousness," which many more religious philosophers believe is tied to the spiritual.

[Don Julio Anejo]

the "meaning of life" is strongly tied into the "nature of consciousness," which many more religious philosophers believe is tied to the spiritual.
I'm sorry, believe or have proof that? Also, discussion of religion is prohibited here, but I believe this forum is quite open to discussion of scientific facts, whether they contradict major religions/philosophies or not. For the record, scientific = theorized based on current knowledge, tested with experiments and falsifiable if new evidence were to come up.

Suffice to say that biology tells us nothing about the nature of consciousness, nor does any other scientific discipline, including neuro-sciences, and that
Yes it does. Our brain is simply a complex analog machine that has some things built in and can learn other things through either conditioning (stimulus-reaction-reward-etc system) or social modeling (copying what others are doing). Also, several animals such as chimps, dolphins, grey parrots, and ravens (or crows, I usually forget each one) have the capacity for both human language (to differing degrees) and a certain amount of self-awareness. Example: Alex (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_%28parrot%29) the talking grey parrot, who successfully passed several parts of Piaget's preoperational stage (second stage of human cognitive development which children experience around ages 2-7) such as object permanence.

This not only directly contradicts what several major religions have to say on the topic (that humans are the only animals capable of thought) but also suggests that consciousness (or rather capacity for cognitive processing) is not something you either have or don't have, but that it's more along of a sliding scale.

True, we don't have very much understanding of the specific mechanisms of how it happens and we can't (yet) make an AI that's actually aware (rather than simply able to pass the Turing test), but then, neither did we have any idea of (detailed mechanisms) of how reproduction occurs as little as 60 years ago.

EDIT: PS, it's "neuroscience," one word and singular.

[Amiel]

I'm reminded of that old saying "Better to look the fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt". Some people should not be allowed to talk.

Alternatively, you could have confused him; and it will be a fine verbal riposte.

[Gullara]

I'm sorry, believe or have proof that? Also, discussion of religion is prohibited here, but I believe this forum is quite open to discussion of scientific facts, whether they contradict major religions/philosophies or not. For the record, scientific = theorized based on current knowledge, tested with experiments and falsifiable if new evidence were to come up.

Yes it does. Our brain is simply a complex analog machine that has some things built in and can learn other things through either conditioning (stimulus-reaction-reward-etc system) or social modeling (copying what others are doing). Also, several animals such as chimps, dolphins, grey parrots, and ravens (or crows, I usually forget each one) have the capacity for both human language (to differing degrees) and a certain amount of self-awareness. Example: Alex (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_%28parrot%29) the talking grey parrot, who successfully passed several parts of Piaget's preoperational stage (second stage of human cognitive development which children experience around ages 2-7) such as object permanence.

This not only directly contradicts what several major religions have to say on the topic (that humans are the only animals capable of thought) but also suggests that consciousness (or rather capacity for cognitive processing) is not something you either have or don't have, but that it's more along of a sliding scale.

True, we don't have very much understanding of the specific mechanisms of how it happens and we can't (yet) make an AI that's actually aware (rather than simply able to pass the Turing test), but then, neither did we have any idea of (detailed mechanisms) of how reproduction occurs as little as 60 years ago.

EDIT: PS, it's "neuroscience," one word and singular.

:smallannoyed:I personally would appreciate if this line of discussion would stop. It is definitely against the forum rules on discussion of religion despite the fact that the main topic is not religion.

And that is all I have to say on the matter as I don't want to break the rules.

[KingOfLaughter]

I would have replied in turn with "Atleast I can do my work and understand it you twit" and then waited for him to swing so I could punch him. Or played on some of his short comings just to piss him off.

[WalkingTarget]

I used to read a lot at work, between customers after I had cleaned and stocked the store. One day, while I was reading, a girl came over and looked at me.

"Oh. My. God. You read??? I've never read a book in my life (this part said like it was truly an accomplishment to be proud of)!"

I died a little inside.

One of my cousins essentially told me this last summer. And she's just started college a few months ago. Cue me looking significantly at her older brother and him shrugging back at me. I don't know about that girl sometimes.

[Amiel]

Like you, I like reading. I also like words. I like how they can be used as a canvas to craft engaging narratives and powerfully compelling stories. I like how our imagination can collected through thoughts and stored in sentences and paragraphs.
I am disappointed that more people do not share our sentiments.

[Tengu_temp]

Like a High School Economics class.

I was thinking more in the line of "a violent, angry idiot is about to punch you".


Doesn't help that this kid is always trying to get me to help him with his math when he won't begin to help himself.

Well, now you know what to tell him next time then! "You don't need help from stupid people who read stupid books." Though he might be too stupid himself to grasp the irony.

[Amiel]

You could also quip with "Madness takes its toll, please have exact change"

[rakkoon]

Someone said something similar in a reality show yesterday
"I hope there are no boring people here, those you can just give a book and they are happy"

That struck me as odd since I love reading and don't consider myself boring. Overly silly yes but that's like the opposite of boring.
There's no helping some people I guess, try not to worry too much and hit them with a LOTR edition if they persist.

[Don Julio Anejo]

Someone said something similar in a reality show yesterday
"I hope there are no boring people here, those you can just give a book and they are happy"

That struck me as odd since I love reading and don't consider myself boring. Overly silly yes but that's like the opposite of boring.
There's no helping some people I guess, try not to worry too much and hit them with a LOTR edition if they persist.
These are actually pretty different circumstances to the OP. When someone is reading a book, they're not socializing. Hence, they're boring in the eyes of others, since you can't exactly talk to them without getting annoyed looks. Doubly so in a reality show where the entire point is over-the-top drama.

[rakkoon]

It was a cooking reality show so the drama was quite within limits :smallsmile:
I dunno, she claimed that boring persons can be kept happy with books, which was an odd relation I thought.
The OP had someone saying that books were for stupid people which is even more ridiculous. Yeah, the OP wins.
(but my revenge will be monstrous, monstrous I tell you!)

[Don Julio Anejo]

(but my revenge will be monstrous, monstrous I tell you!)
You're gonna go on MTV and add a book-reading overly silly person to the cast of Jersey Shore? :amused:

[Eldan]

I was a in a similar situation to the OP, actually: a group of people, each had to introduce themselves. I said I liked to read. The next person after me got up and said, after a few other things:
"I don't read, because *I* have a life."

I was very, very tempted to stand up and punch that woman's teeth in.

And yeah, didn't do or say anything either.

[Salbazier]

:smallsigh: It saddens me that this discussion exists. Reading is the greatest of pass times. In my old high school class there were many that said they've never read a full book, I sorrow for them.

I second you. I can't understand why some people don't like reading. And people who thinks that reading are stupid... feels like an alien to me.

Whenever I go to a friend's place, if I found their home almost empty of books except for textbooks, I'll always feel rather sad. On the other hand, if they a have sizable library, it's make me really happy. Especially since usually I haven't read most of what their collection.:smalltongue:


I was a in a similar situation to the OP, actually: a group of people, each had to introduce themselves. I said I liked to read. The next person after me got up and said, after a few other things:
"I don't read, because *I* have a life."

I was very, very tempted to stand up and punch that woman's teeth in.

And yeah, didn't do or say anything either.

God, that is just so...

I won't do anything either, because I'll be too dumbfounded at the absurdity to react.