Nash Stupid

[sirlief]

So I just had a great conversation with Kristi about "what is stupid". This is an idea that I have been kicking around in my head for a while now (3-6 months) and has some merit. The basis for the whole question is: why is it that almost nobody considers themselves stupid, while if you look around with a keen eye you can see stupid everywhere

Comments

[casca0604]

I agree that stupid is a lack of forethought about the results of one's actions. Additionally though, I tend to think of stupid as a social remenant, or more accurately an over-abundance of self-centeredness in situations in which an individual needs to communicate with others. For instance, Kent relayed to me a story of a fat woman who, when Kent was polite and socially aware enough to scoot over as much on a seat on the bus to make as much room for her as possible, demanded he move so she could have the seat because her ass still could not fit and acted offended when he pointed out that he was there first and the real problem was her diet and exercise routine. I perceive this woman as stupid because she refused to be aware that the consequence of not fitting on the seat was a direct result of how she chose to live and that another individual should not need to make special accomodations for her sheerly because she exists. A lack of awareness of what is socially acceptable is probably the greatest "stupidity" an individual sees on a

[faunna]

First off, stupid isn't trying the same thing over and over again expecting a different result... that's crazy. Stupid is doing the same thing over and over again not caring if you get a different result or not. By defination stupid inherently invloves dullness, foolish, and/or senseless so the lack of controlling possible downsides is a key factor and the reallly stupid folks don't even take the time to ponder the possible existance of downsides

[revhhkitty]

There are lots of forms of stupid, but I think stupid is a general processing inability.

[spar30]

Maybe this is why I have avoided academia. I am more inclined to just dub someone a dumb-ass and move along than delve into what I feel makes them tardtastic. Of course that in its self could put me in that category. I would rationalize that in the time it took you postulate that probability, I would have accomplished a fair amount of actual work.

[grendel_macg]

suicidal tendencies had a track on one of their more recent albums, basically mike muir talking about all these so called intelligent people, running around doing stupid things, so he wanted to have an international 'don't be stupid' day.
it was funny