Are dumb people worth talking to?

[Duffy]

I've only sort of glazed over this thread. My general impression is people are viewing this in terms of some sort of social-y status-y sentiment. Like "let us not associate with those people."

Have any of you ever dealt with someone genuinely stupid? I'm not referring to the ego games people typically play online when someone doesn't agree with you and you call them stupid. I'm referring to people who, when you talk to, becomes self evident are lacking in something, something more....fluid. Yes, it is difficult to associate with arrogant and cold people, but the truly idiotic are very difficult to talk to. Personally, people who tend towards staunch idealism, neglecting any form of rationale, or people who overreact, or people who overtly paranoid, give me the hardest time, in terms of forming any meaningful dialogue. To me, this is the crux of incompetence, and no, it is not worth it.

 

[Hawthorne]

I've only sort of glazed over this thread. My general impression is people are viewing this in terms of some sort of social-y status-y sentiment. Like "let us not associate with those people."

Have any of you ever dealt with someone genuinely stupid? I'm not referring to the ego games people typically play online when someone doesn't agree with you and you call them stupid. I'm referring to people who, when you talk to, becomes self evident are lacking in something, something more....fluid. Yes, it is difficult to associate with arrogant and cold people, but the truly idiotic are very difficult to talk to. Personally, people who tend towards staunch idealism, neglecting any form of rationale, or people who overreact, or people who overtly paranoid, give me the hardest time, in terms of forming any meaningful dialogue. To me, this is the crux of incompetence, and no, it is not worth it.

Funnily enough, those are the exact sorts whose perspectives I tend to find interesting. At the very least, talking to them gives me insight to my own psychology and some of the things I take for granted. Or vice versa.

Slightly off the personal front, I think learning how to breakthrough to people like that can be a very rewarding experience...if done with enough patience and care.

 

[Lark]

A lot of them are dead on, the "dumb" people that is, though arrogant people? Hardly ever worth bothering with.

 

[highlander]

How far away can someone be in intelligence from you before you just "don't bother"?

I don't think for me there is any correlation. I do think that I have more chemistry with people who are closer in intelligence to me though.

 

[Lark]

I don't think for me there is any correlation. I do think that I have more chemistry with people who are closer in intelligence to me though.

I think I know what you mean, I only really became aware within the last year, maybe even within the last couple of months of how much distance there is between myself and others by virtue of my "book smarts", see I dont really think of myself as being particularly smart, just well read and I remember stuff I read for a whiles afterwards too.

However, while I've always suspected this puts distance between myself and others because they just arent interested in the same things as me, kind of like if you're a big fan of football or not determining whether you can carry of a conversation at a party or gathering watching a match, I never thought it was really a big deal.

Lately, I've become aware of how much this can actually bug people, like I mean they will want to see you do badly or be excluded from things because of it, its made me dumb things down, make a lot of being modest or humble etc. which is no good either because if people detect or even suspect that then they'll think you're trying to be manipulative.

Its a difficult one because intellect and esteem are tied up in all sorts of ways, at least I find they are, like people with low esteem, or who're covering up in a big way, they dont even need to be narcissists to be really "deployed" that way, will wind up imagining they arent smart or someone knowing something means they dont know it or is a judgement on them etc. Mine field.

These are the kinds of things I'd laid at the door of a Thinking vs Feeling divide years ago or some of the emotional intelligence terrain but now I'm inclined to think its more complex. The whole remarks about stupid people not being worth your time could be an ego defence of a nerdy outsider even.

 

[tinker683]

As long as they're nice, sure. Otherwise, not just no but HELL no

 

[EcK]

this is funny.

 

[Blackout]

I know it's considered wrong or really mean to think other people are outright "dumb" but I'm sorry, I've encountered so many people who feel the need to enact their stupidity out on other's who are around them that it's not hard to unflinchingly think that.

I have found that many unintelligent people tend to be very quick to size or over estimate not only their own natural abilities but those of other's around them and be completely de-mystified or contentious towards real or actual intelligent individuals. It is so beyond and difficult for them to understand that they turn with hostility and contempt at their very way of being or existence because it is so far beyond their conceivable grasp when all they know of the nature of reality is the petty, crass and vulgar side of life.

I have learned from my experiences that it is simply not safe to put yourself in situations around others who are too unintelligible because they will be frightened, hate and turn against you.

And anyway, that's why I think that most often intelligent people "nerds" "geeks" are bullied and those who act on those impulses are often not too intelligent themselves and their very existence is ugly, crass and vulgar itself.

You may have heard so often how brutal, or how much like animals we as humans are, how ugly and violent life can be, but I would simply say that it is themselves who are that way. But I'm not really sure if it's that black and white but it's certainty one variable and side. I have dealt with enough abuse and misunderstanding on behalf of what I know understand or see as clearly the fact that what was always misunderstood by these people are actually traits that originate or exist from a place of what could conventionally be considered as intelligence.

So if you're an idealist and you're continually faced or on the side of shame for such things, or being told that change or such things will never be possible, it should be realized that it's only mostly true for themselves. I guess maybe in that way perhaps it is "natural selection" and small minds often think so brazenly alike.

 

[Blackout]

I grew up around criminals, crooks, low lives. Pretty much everyone from my childhood dropped out of school early and spent sometime in prison. Over the course of time, these guys have been my greatest teachers when it comes to human nature. There is more to intelligence than being articulate or being a great scientist. Intelligence can be simply surviving difficult circumstances, making the most of your environment, understanding people. In my experience very few people are actually dumb. Some may look at life from a very narrow angle or have a lack of curiosity, but few are truly stupid.

How so? I grew up in an environment similar to that, and yet instead of teaching me all that much, they mostly bullied and treated me like a mental patient or freak and I only served as the butt of all their jokes. I guess it's sort of true in some instances though...

I almost think it has to do with social norms and environment, but maybe I will say that it can be dangerous to be intelligent, or perhaps maybe it's just because I'm an INFP or something I don't know. But like I said as well, it's not all together black and white, but it's true in some regards or instances.

They all had me pegged as a complete and/or hopeless mental patient my whole life and guess what! it was the other way around this whole time, so I'm not really sure. I only trust people who have that glint of intelligence or awareness in their eyes quite often now or I know if will assuredly frighten and perturb them with my non-normative traits and personality.

 

[Mole]

Originally Posted by human101 -

I grew up around criminals

The criminal sub-culture imposes control on its members. And in particular it imposes intellectual and emotional impoverishment on its members.

 

[Yara the Corpse]

Definitely not.... I know who will get nothing out of me just as I know who won't give me much in return.

given that dumb means possessing less quality and quantity and depth of information than you do, regardless of what information it is you're seeking (emotional or practical or abstract or sensory)

edit: okay I understand the teacher and student situation, yes, but as a regular connection ehh

 

[1487610420]

Someone should talk to dumb people, so they don't feel outcast

 

[entropie]

Good they are worth it, otherwise you wouldnt ever have known me

 

[EcK]

Well I define 'dumb' as an unwillingness to acquire understanding.
And I define understanding as 'grokking' / getting it fully (so not book learning for the purpose of parroting back until deluded in the belief that this is in fact understanding)

So no.

If you mean people who have what is generally related to a low IQ then well.. no its not inherently incompatible with an interesting conversation.
Most everyone has some specific experience / knowledge which can be interesting to learn about - I tend to engage in conversations with about everyone everywhere I happen to be at the time.

However in the context of an 'intellectual' conversation based on logical arguments and specialist knowledge about generally non-commonly known facts average/low iq people tend to just talk such utter nonsense that it's not really worth addressing. In my experience at least. I will either listen because I'm interested in something else, crush their ridiculous argument or just hope they go away after I tell them to.

 

[Pionart]

By dumb I assume you mean a person who does not speak.

I think whether you would talk to someone like that is up to you.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

If by dumb people you mean minions, then yes of course. I'm still recruiting.

 

[highlander]

Arguing may be a different story

 

[Galaxy Gazer]

The only people I don't bother with are 15-year-old fanboys who think they understand everything about the world and don't know how to type, and basic bitches whose idea of an argument is "um okay lol "

 

[Rouskyrie]

I feel that everyone is worth talking to, regardless of what their level of intelligence may be.

 

[boomslang]

How far away can someone be in intelligence from you before you just "don't bother"?

How long are you going to continue to use intelligence as an ego crutch?