Philosophical Question: Calling people "Stupid" "Moron" etc.

[Lsbcal]

I think a lot of folks act in stupid ways . That doesn't mean they are inherently stupid.

I wish I could be less judgemental about stupidly acting people.

OK, it's stupid of me to even consider stupidly acting people. But then again actions have consequences. I'm confused now.

 

[Lsbcal]

...
Never argue with a fool, onlookers might not be able to tell the difference.

Nice quote.

 

[NW-Bound]

How does one tell if someone is simply obstinate instead of being an idiot?

The problem is that so many things in life are not black and white. It's hard to get people to agree with me on everything.

So, I have learned to not care so much about other people's opinion, else I would have to ponder if they are simply stubborn or in fact really stupid.

And no, I try to not call people names, at least not publicly. But even the politically-correct among us have to admit that you do that in your head all the time.

 

[Amethyst]

Perhaps they could be, if moderators followed everybody around and warned them when they were getting out of hand

I wish that the views and decency expressed by forum members on this topic were more widely reflected in today's society.

 

[Moemg]

I would never call people names but sometimes the thought is in my head.

 

[audreyh1]

I tend to call out behavior, but notice many don’t make the distinction and some folks get offended even if my comment was about something they mentioned reading elsewhere on the internet.

 

[Chuckanut]

I believe true stupidity is self-induced and contradictory to human nature. In his book on the The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity, Cipolla describes a stupid person like this:

A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person or to a group of persons while himself deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses.

As one can see, this runs contrary to human nature. Therefore, I must believe it is a chosen condition.

I really like this definition of stupidity as it separates people who are ignorant or have impaired mental abilities from the truly stupid.

 

[MissMolly]

I believe true stupidity is self-induced and contradictory to human nature. In his book on the The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity, Cipolla describes a stupid person like this:

As one can see, this runs contrary to human nature.

I can provide a good example for that quote. Right now, in our neighborhood we are having a rash a metal garage doors getting bashed in. This has been documented by several neighbors who have outdoor security cameras. It shows several teenagers driving around at 2:00 - 3:00 am, the driver stays in the car, several others jump out, run up to someone's garage door and throw themselves bodily against the door smashing it in. They then run back to their car and speed away. A loss to the homeowner. No gain for the kids. Just stupid, senseless vandalism.

 

[target2019]

I need two mods, at least, to follow me around. One for the left shoulder and one for the right.

 

[Aerides]

I tend to call out behavior, but notice many don’t make the distinction and some folks get offended even if my comment was about something they mentioned reading elsewhere on the internet.

Right, and while there is a least a subtle difference between "That's a stupid comment" and "You're a stupid person" - the recipient usually a takes either as the latter. Which is reasonable.

If someone is hiding behind "well I didn't call you stupid I was just saying what you said was stupid" then,yeah...no

 

[Sunset]

...
If it's not OK today (and never was) to make fun of people for being blind, Deaf, physically handicapped in some way, or mentally challenged such as having Down syndrome or autism,

Why is it still OK (apparently, since it is extremely common) to call people "stupid" or "moron"? To say things like, "You can't fix stupid"? "I'm surrounded by idiots," etc. Is this not mocking an intellectual disability?

.....

Making fun of people for some lack of inherent ability is just cruel/mean as they can't do much about it, like I can't do much about my skin color or race.

People who have an ability, but do things that are dumb, example filling the car with gas or the boat gas tank, while smoking a cigarette do elicit the shorthand terminological statement of "stupid" from me.
It's not a matter of ignorance on their part.

Of course movies help promote certain sayings like "You can't fix stupid". So those catch on a bit, and get used more than normally would.

 

[SecondCor521]

Yes, you do, and you're kind too. And consistent - I've been reading your posts for years.

Thank you for the kind words.

 

[Winemaker]

My rule of thumb is if you begin to name call, "Stupid a$$", "Moron" etc., you have lost the argument.

However, if one uses the word as an adjective or descriptor, " asinine", "moronic", it was okay in my book.

Being a supervisor for 35 years, to folks who may have never completed 5th and was sharp as a tack, to PhDs who had crap for brains, I can't ever remember belittling someone publicly. I always took my subject off to the side and gave them an "improved performance talk" and explained to them what I saw as an error in judgement. While other members of the crew, project, or shift may have smirked or laughed off to the side (which is pretty easy to do in a coal mine), everyone makes a dumb move now and then, and doesn't deserve to be tied to the wagon wheel over it. But I have to admit, I'm pretty blunt, and sometimes doesn't make me look like the lovable fuzzball that I am.

 

[Chuckanut]

Of course movies help promote certain sayings like "You can't fix stupid". So those catch on a bit, and get used more than normally would.

People love to quote movie sayings as though they have some special substance to them. They might be meaningful if they are quoting a historical figure of note, but normally, they are just sound bites. The worst quotes are from Yoda, the Star Wars character. "Do or do not. There is no try". People quote this is though it is a great truth that came from a Ghandi or Jesus. It's a silly saying from a mechanical movie character.

 

[Midpack]

Being a supervisor for 35 years, to folks who may have never completed 5th and was sharp as a tack, to PhDs who had crap for brains.

Though education is a reasonable general indicator, I found the same. I had hourly employees with a basic education who were incredibly real world smart, often innately curious and self taught. Some of them could have gone much further career wise given the opportunity.

And they weren’t common, but I worked with several PhD’s with zero common sense, and huge egos. I actually might have called them “morons” to their faces now that I think about it, and I don’t regret it...presumably they were up to it.

 

[braumeister]

The worst quotes are from Yoda, the Star Wars character. "Do or do not. There is no try". People quote this is though it is a great truth that came from a Ghandi or Jesus. It's a silly saying from a mechanical movie character.

Mmmmm. Playing with fire, you are.

 

[Lsbcal]

People love to quote movie sayings as though they have some special substance to them. They might be meaningful if they are quoting a historical figure of note, but normally, they are just sound bites. The worst quotes are from Yoda, the Star Wars character. "Do or do not. There is no try". People quote this is though it is a great truth that came from a Ghandi or Jesus. It's a silly saying from a mechanical movie character.

Most of these sayings mentioned here I have never heard. Probably I'm not watching enough TV. Or I am truly stupid.

 

[audreyh1]

I really like this definition of stupidity as it separates people who are ignorant or have impaired mental abilities from the truly stupid.

But what about the folks that are willfully ignorant?!

 

[Amethyst]

A scriptwriter's or comic book writer's attempt to evoke Great Sagacity.

The worst quotes are from Yoda, the Star Wars character. "Do or do not. There is no try". People quote this is though it is a great truth that came from a Ghandi or Jesus. It's a silly saying from a mechanical movie character.

 

[braumeister]

But what about the folks that are willfully ignorant?!

I think most of us are, from time to time and in certain areas.

A combination of confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance. The reluctance to accept unwelcome facts or admit mistakes. We're all subject to it to some degree, and it can look a lot like willful ignorance.

I can notice it in myself occasionally, but of course I've never seen it in anybody else here on this forum.

 

[Walt34]

Though education is a decent indicator, I found the same. I had hourly employees with a basic education who were incredibly real world smart, often innately curious and self taught.

As a young police officer in an area of what was (and probably still is) one of the most highly educated and wealthy populations in the country I also found that to be the case. Many were very good at one thing that was very difficult for everyone else and thus were highly paid, but were significantly lacking in other skills, or what is referred to as "common sense".

My summation at the time was "There sure are a lot of educated idiots around here".

In contrast, a close friend of 45+ years (he taught me to fly an airplane) is one of the most intelligent people I've ever met. He never went past high school in formal education but holds an Airline Transport Rating, the "Ph.D of piloting" if you will, plus a bunch of type ratings. Owners of multi-million dollar jet airplanes don't hand the keys over to [-]fools[/-] people with bad judgment. Oh, and he's a certified aviation mechanic with inspection authorization. You don't get any of those ratings from a Cracker Jack box. Oh, and he built his own Pitts Special, an acrobatic biplane.

 

[Nemo2]

but of course I've never seen it in anybody else here on this forum.

What, you don't read my posts?

 

[Midpack]

But what about the folks that are willfully ignorant?!

What would that accomplish? Only to make you feel better, it not likely to change a willfully ignorant person. Calling someone who’s a socioeconomic equal stupid to their face is one thing (though I’m still not advocating same), going after someone at a disadvantage isn’t.

 

[6miths]

I am neither physically imposing nor well armed enough to say anything disparaging to anyone... and besides, I am Canadian.

 

[sengsational]

Back in the 1980's, when my sister was raising two boys, she noticed the older one calling the younger one a moron, idiot, and other descriptors that had never been uttered in the house. She was left wondering where that came from. The kids hadn't gotten out much, always supervised, and too young for school. It turns out the Disney "bad guys" have been made bad by yelling these things at their stooges. Highly charged lines, and kids are sponges.