To think a lot of people are completely stupid?

[blaisealex]

Someone posted a photo on a Facebook group of a Fabulosa product that is mean to keep artificial lawn clean and smelling nice. Said product is rammed full of toxic chemicals that are harmful to humans, animals and the environment. Hundreds of comments of people praising the product, tagging their mates in it. Lots of people going to be buying it, damaging the environment, probably harming their cats and dogs in the process. So bloody stupid. This cleaning craze of fabulosa and zeflora is beyond stupid.

Saw another post where people where complaining about paper straws and posting links of where others could purchase plastic straws. I mean, sure, I preferred plastic straws. They didn't go soggy and disintegrate half way through a drink but really, it's a small sacrifice to make. It's stupid and selfish.

Spoke to several people recently, ages varying between 20s and late 50s. None of them aware of who the suffragettes were.

So AIBU to think that so many people really are just stupid?

@MarshmallowAra

We covered suffragettes at school (in the 80s), I wonder if it's been dropped from the curriculum.

Actually I think it might have. I mean I was in school in the 90’s and it was never mentioned.

The Salem witch trials
Slave trade
London fire etc were

But the suffragettes weren’t

@TurquoiseLemur well it's a Russell group so it's not like they are unfiltered in terms of educational attainment.

You just have to watch Pointless to realise how much basic stuff people don't know

@PseudoBadger

I remember when I house sat for a friend and used her tumble drier. As usual I emptied the lint filter before putting it on. The lint filter was absolutely full to bursting, almost like a lovely soft duvet. When she came back I mentioned this and she said she had no idea you were meant to empty it. Doesn't everyone at least run an eye over appliance manuals?! She's lucky it hadn't burst into flames!

Isn't that a lack of common sense rather than intelligence as such?

I'm remembering when two members of my DH's family (both Oxford graduates) allowed their two children to sleep out in a camper van parked by the house. They locked the children in. Apparently it didn't occur to them that either child might need to come into the house during the night to use the loo. Result: two soiled and very upset children.

I dont neccessarily think a lot of the examples come from a place of stupidity.

The climate change stuff seems fairly well documented but maybe people think their plastic straw/balloon wont make any difference the grand scheme of things?

Littering is anti social and I dont understand why people think it's ok...but I'm not sure if I'd call them stupid.

My late MIL seemed have absolutely no idea about current affairs, news, or much general knowledge but she wasnt stupid. My DD is awful on geography and sport general knowledge but is predicted 8s at GCSE, so shes not stupid either.

I've just read on wiki that the Suffragettes carried out ' a nationwide bombing and arson campaign' and 'smashed windows'. I agree with their cause, but not with aggressive means. As women's franchise was already being debated and tables in other countries, arguably peaceful protest would have been enough. It bothers me that today, in times of greater rights and higher living standards, some people still believe that revolution or violent protest is the best method to forward your campaign. And they justify this view by looking to the past.

But aside from this, it is pretty unintelligent to not look at the causes of lack of lack of information , but just, instead, to sneer. It's also not very perceptive to not realise that that some knowledge, e.g. about Suffragettes is just token, a cliche like the one I said: 'I'm going to chain myself to the railing'.

GCSE English Literature is informing children about social change since 1850 in a very meaningful way and covering the different experiences of the sexes in that period, and covering the women's suffrage movement and WW1. So I think schools are teaching the important events in history.

Marshmallow Area

As I said above : a 'campaign of nationwide bombing and arson campsigns' is what is cited on wiki, re the Suffragettes. And 'smashing windows'.

I think franchise was under review in other countries and peaceful methods, as advocated by the other suffragists, would have been sufficient to bring about reform.

@Diverseopinions

Marshmallow Area

As I said above : a 'campaign of nationwide bombing and arson campsigns' is what is cited on wiki, re the Suffragettes. And 'smashing windows'.

I think franchise was under review in other countries and peaceful methods, as advocated by the other suffragists, would have been sufficient to bring about reform.

Like every movement the suffragette movement had different viewpoints, strategies and disagreements.

The violent/disruptive actions by some weren't what brought about female suffrage. As I said they damaged it's progress.

It's intelligent to want to be curious about things and to find out their causes. I think sneering at people and deriding them is not very clever and not very life-enhancing.

So, some ecologically-friendly cleaning products are basically just soap. Why might people not rush to buy them? Well, if you're fifty years of age and have grown up believing that disinfectant is good, and that, historically, people used to get sick because of poor hygiene, it is going to be a big step for you to abandon your Flash and CIF when you are cleaning the floors. You are going to need to re-educate yourself to see the merits of using only soap-based products. ( Especially if your pets are unhygienic in their roaming and licking habits). And there will always be some scientists who say we do need to was dirty towels at high temperatures and we should disinfect. People have to weigh the evidence, and that is not an easy and straightforward business. We do read a lot about sepsis in the press ( until a 'bigger' issue pushes it to the background) and some will say that is due to over-cleaning, and some the opposite, but it won't be being stupid or not caring which makes it hard to navigate all of the claims and counter-claims. And here we are using hand held to kill Covid and other bacterias, as most products state they do. It's confusing to clever and not-so-clever alike.

The real stupid ones are the people who won't admit they're wrong and don't value the process of learning.
And when I say process of learning I don't necessarily mean in an academic setting.
I mean the people who don't learn from their mistakes.
The husky thing from earlier in the thread is a classic. A truly stupid person would go on FB and complain.
Other people go ah shit. Yeah. I've been a bit thick. And not do it again.

Recently on fb i saw someone sharing a picture of a missing child. The picture was clearly an oil painting of a Victorian child but they wouldn’t listen to anyone who pointed it out

Or the dog who was ‘badly burned’ who clearly had a piece of ham on his face

I’m howling at these!

I agree Op. There is alot of selfishness around particularly concerning the environment. They know what can help but just can't be bothered to do it. Stupidity is why I think the human race is basically doomed! Happy Sunday

@OlympicProcrastinator

That's pretty obviously a joke review!

They locked the children in. Apparently it didn't occur to them that either child might need to come into the house during the night to use the loo.

Fucking hell. What were the kids meant to do in case of a fire?

Campervans usually contain gas tanks, and I am always very aware that we need to be able to get out in case of fire. How can someone own a camper and not be aware of this?

I’m not sure if there are more stupid people about, it’s just more obviously through the use of social media.

Recent post ‘there’s not hot water, is there a burst pipe?’
No idea how hot water happens
DD ex had a flat battery in his car, so sold it as not running …. Brought a new one as daddy is rich.
Lady across the road asked me where to buy red light bulbs as hers was broken, I asked if it was for her fire, she said no, the bathroom had a red light when she moved in so assumed that’s what it needed.

The list goes on!

If you’re going to call other people stupid it might be a good idea to learn the difference between bought and brought.

Was it changed in that release?

No, but as it wasn't shown in the cinema between around 1965 and 1973 (there was a short rerelease), anybody born after that point would have only seen clip shows on Bank Holidays, which would usually do Supercaligragilisticexpialidocious or A Spoonful of Sugar, rather than the Suffragette bit, until it was released on video when they'd see it in full for the first time - if their parents owned a video player (not that common in 1983, slightly more so by the end of the decade when it was re-rereleased) and were prepared to pay the very high cost of a Disney Video (it was £4.99 for most albums at that point, but Disney videos were around the £19.99 mark and CDs were about £14.99).

As such, people born between about 1966 and 1986 were unlikely to have seen all of Mary Poppins, never mind identify the political references in one minor segment. Leaving it to school to cover.

Common sense and intelligence don't always go hand in hand, and there are different types of intelligence. I might have two degrees and speak three languages, but I always ring my mum when I need DIY advice, and cooking is the only household task I don't have problems with (and basic things like doing laundry, cleaning a toilet etc.)

I hate how wanting to learn and do well at school is apparently a bad thing. I was badly bullied because I was more interested in doing my work than messing around in class, and I've heard that there are actually families who punish their kids for doing homework, because they don't want kids getting above themselves or something. My dad was a journalist and a prolific reader and my mum was a bit of a swot herself so it's kind of ingrained in me. I always envied my brother because he had loads of friends and no enemies, and a much better social life (I didn't go clubbing until I was in sixth form).

It's very privileged to think people should be concerned about history or forms of cultural knowledge.

Last week it was announced that 1 in 5 children are entitled to free school meals now. That's a lot of poverty people are having to contend with. That takes time and energy and doesn't leave a lot for anything else - ever tried filling in all the forms to claim benefit? Nevermind attending all their meetings. Stupid is as stupid does.

Maybe not stupid but just ignorant and careless.

@madroid

It's very privileged to think people should be concerned about history or forms of cultural knowledge.

Last week it was announced that 1 in 5 children are entitled to free school meals now. That's a lot of poverty people are having to contend with. That takes time and energy and doesn't leave a lot for anything else - ever tried filling in all the forms to claim benefit? Nevermind attending all their meetings. Stupid is as stupid does.

I don't think it's privileged at all.

Yes, I have had to fill out all the forms to claim benefits. I have a disability. I work PT. I regularly run out of money a week before payday. I have to dedicate a lot of time and energy to meal planning and shopping to try and make the little money I have go as far as possible. I have to make do and mend because I can't afford to replace things. It's utterly crap and the Government is a big pile of shit that penalises and vilifies the poorest of society. But none of those things stop me from learning or having an ounce of common sense. Nor does it prevent me having an interest in the past or prevelant issues that the world faces today. And it doesn't stop me being concerned about those issues. Poverty or not.

madroid There are many people within our society and around the world who are living in acute poverty that is true . To say it is priveliged to expect them to be concerned about history or forms of cultural knowledge is a generalisation though,

My family are immigrants and my late DF and my aunt walked the 3 miles to school 4 times a day as my grandparents didn’t have the 2p bus fare. There was often not enough food and my DF had to work after school from the age of 7 pulling basting out of the suits my DGF had sewn. Education and knowledge in general were THE priority in their house. It was seen as the way out of poverty and highly valued to the point of it being like a second religion.

If you watch documentaries about people living in conflict areas like Syria and Iraq you see older kids teaching younger ones in the shells of bombed out buildings and in rural China families sending their kids to live in cities so they can get an education. In many countries and amongst immigrant communities here it is hugely important to parents that their DC get a good education. I wore my DBs‘ handmedown jeans and jumpers and only had one dress, very few toys and games growing up but I knew a fair amount about history and have always wanted to learn about the world around me. I know lots of people from poor backgrounds who are this way.

@madroid

It's very privileged to think people should be concerned about history or forms of cultural knowledge.

Last week it was announced that 1 in 5 children are entitled to free school meals now. That's a lot of poverty people are having to contend with. That takes time and energy and doesn't leave a lot for anything else - ever tried filling in all the forms to claim benefit? Nevermind attending all their meetings. Stupid is as stupid does.

I also grew up in a single parent family who relied on benefits for survival. I qualified for free school meals and every other benefit going. I had an absent Father and a Functioning Alcoholic Narcissistic Mother. I walked, regularly, 5 miles after School to the Library to get myself a Library Card and check out books because I didn't have any books at home. I read them, I took them back and got more. Please don't use poverty as an excuse.

blaisealex. I totally agree as my experience has similarities to yours. It’s really insulting and patronising to assume that poor people shouldn’t be expected to be concerned with such inconsequential subjects such as history or cultural knowledge. I was fascinated when I started my little CofE school to discover people with very different religions, cultures and backgrounds to mine and to learn about harvest festival, Christmas and Easter. That interest has stayed with me throughout life and I’m just as interested in finding out about my own country‘s history as well as others and how different groups and cultures live. Being poor doesn’t mean we can’t be expected to learn or want to learn. It might not be easy but expectations can still be high.

@madroid

It's very privileged to think people should be concerned about history or forms of cultural knowledge.

Last week it was announced that 1 in 5 children are entitled to free school meals now. That's a lot of poverty people are having to contend with. That takes time and energy and doesn't leave a lot for anything else - ever tried filling in all the forms to claim benefit? Nevermind attending all their meetings. Stupid is as stupid does.

That’s very insulting but the point about cultural knowledge is interesting. There are many forms of knowledge and different people find different things important. Who has the God given right to decide what is supposedly ‘common knowledge’ and what isn’t? The more you know about a specialist subject the least you know about other things. That’s why intelligence is about the ability to predict and form abstractions. It has nothing to do with knowing specific things. I for example am curious about certain things in the world. Others I don’t care about st all, but everyone around me is bothered. Does that make me dumb?