Stupidity: Why do so many people suffer from it?

[Spork]

Ok, now I personally have a "Zero" tolerance policy when it comes to stupidity. Now this is just computer stupidity or office stupidity. This pertains to everything out there whether it be driving, eating, talking on the phone, whatever.

The big thing that has been bothering me lately are the people who have been using computers longer than I have, but have no idea how to do some of the simplest things such as formatting floppy disks, using the "Copy" and "Paste" functions, or just plain ol' switching from printing portrait style to landscape. Now don't get me wrong here, not everyone was given great technical abilities. But I think that people should atleast know how to empty the recycle bin or update the virus definitions on their computer every week. It's quite frustrating and the worst part is that alot of them tell me to take care of it while they are gone at a meeting. That's when I have to inform them that they WILL be present when I do it so that they know how to do it for future occasions.

Just thought I'd get that outta my system. <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0"> I feel better now.

[Matt_29]

my worst one is hitting the wrong windows and then i bithc then i do it again .. and then bitch more so it took 20 secs for a windows to just open due to being stupid

[ßracius]

Whooo! I feel better too. I just of the phone with a user that called about the cup holder. Geez you think they would get a smaller cup if it wouldn't fit. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[NooNoo]

Spork, I had no idea my father worked at your offices <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[ephmynus]

It seems (L)users are getting worse and worse these days. But hey, someone's listening. That reminds me, when is WinXP supposed to be released anyway?

[em-clown]

Humm...well the truth is Spork, nobody gives a damn anymore. People are thinking of computers as souped-up TV sets instead of true machines. A "computer" is a device that can perform complex calculations. OK, so it isn't very exciting to have a 50-pound calculator on your desk, but computers are, in the true sense, machines. Now people buy them and they get spoiled. Everything is right there under their noses and they still can't figure it out. Maybe if the general public gave a damn they would learn more.

I don't despise people who aren't proficient with computers; I despise people who aren't proficient with computers and don't care to learn.

[Cromicus]

Originally posted by em-clown:
<STRONG>Humm...well the truth is Spork, nobody gives a damn anymore. People are thinking of computers as souped-up TV sets instead of true machines. A "computer" is a device that can perform complex calculations. OK, so it isn't very exciting to have a 50-pound calculator on your desk, but computers are, in the true sense, machines. Now people buy them and they get spoiled. Everything is right there under their noses and they still can't figure it out. Maybe if the general public gave a damn they would learn more.

I don't despise people who aren't proficient with computers; I despise people who aren't proficient with computers and don't care to learn.</STRONG>

AMEN! <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[Elbatcho]

Stupidity vs not knowing are two diffrent things. I have been driving for years but don't know how to change my oil, so from a mechnical side am I stupid? On the flip side I have been writing english for over 24 years but I still make stupid mistakes. Now the diffrence between the too is lack of education vs stupidity. I have been working on PC's for years, and I have users who have been on them since dumb terminals, the diffrence is I want to know everything, they just want to know how to do it for that period of time. I show them how and teach them, the next time they ask I can say I showed you how, but will show them again. The third time is the last time and i tell them this point blank. After that they have just proven they don't care and are too stupid to remember the way to do it. I guess we are all like that. There are things I hate to do that I just plead stupidity. It's not that I don't want to learn I just don't care about it enough to do it. Maybe that's just me.

[ZeroCool]

Originally posted by em-clown:
<STRONG>nobody gives a damn anymore.</STRONG>

This sentence resume it all. In there mine we are always gonna be there to serve them like slave so they don't need to learn. In their mind we're the inferior people. <IMG SRC="smilies/mad.gif" border="0">

[ßracius]

I think it's just you <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[Wayward Clam]

I agree with everybody who hates people who don't CARE to learn.

On the other hand, we've all done things like that before. Some people come in through my front door who FEAR computer knowledge. Some people fear foreign languages, or trigonometry, or car repair, or the opposite sex, this way. For me, it's taxes. I genuinely don't WANT to know anything about taxes; I'm happy to turn them over to someone every year and let them do it for me.

Everybody's stupid sometimes <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[PuterGeekGirl]

Thinking I should NOT enter this converstation...but I'm gonna!!! <IMG SRC="smilies/tongue.gif" border="0">

Anyway...I had one of my remote users here this morning "CRAMMING" the LAN cable in his pcmcia modem slot...

he came back flustered cuz it "wouldn't fit"....i mean really..how do you not crack up laughing at something like that? <IMG SRC="smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0">

I held my cool, but LMAO when he left!! <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[small]

Spork, I have come to the conclusion that the world has a maximum of 20% bright people. That's so that when the comet/asteroid hits, the smart ones can breed and get on with the fun stuff and the surviving part of the other 80% will be their humble and willing servants, tilling the land and propping up their craniums as hard as possible. That way, when we are back to having VCRs, at least 90% of the population will be able to programme them.

Simple, see?

[JungleMan1]

You've all made excellent points.

What mostly sticks out in my mind is that most people do not even know what a DOS prompt is. They call it a "Stupid black screen". Sad world it is becoming..Gee I wonder why, Windows XP is coming to stores Oct. 25th <IMG SRC="smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0">

But I must agree with those who say they wouldn't want to do taxes themselves either. Though, things like taxes and oil changes are once in a while, computers are used every day. So stupidity is caused by people blindly use these powerful tools as if they were TVs or stereos or something, and everything is just press-the-big-red-Microsoft-button.

[LabRat]

Not entirely on the subject, but this topic reminds me very clearly of an argument I had with a school staff member a few years ago.

Walking through a halway, we spotted some graffitti on the wall and I said something to the effect of: "Looks like we've got some graffitti artists at work here."

She got irate! "That is not art! Some kid's got his head so far up his <cuckoo> that he's spraying <woooga!> everywhere but where it needs to be."

My reply: "Art is a form of expression and graffitti is an expression of stupidity."

The point is that no matter what the activity stupidity is pervasive, unimaginative, and (quite often) detrimental to the overall teamwork and enjoyment of the group. On the bright side: Stupidity can be cured provided that the person is not ignorant. Just have to stimulate the desire to WANT to learn.