datasuspect
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Sat Nov-08-08 02:07 PM
Original message |
are people who claim that they are intelligent |
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really that smart?
or is it grandiosity?
most of the television-addled shallow pates i run across who think they are einstein because they know about web trends BEFORE they are cool and make humorous photoshops seem nominally interesting, but i wouldn't consider them intellectuals by any stretch.
this includes the other types who speak/write in stilted/grammatically OVERcorrect/or non-conversational english (meaning, sometimes they try to sound like a book).
the absolute WORST are americans who think/act/speak/write like they are british.
tell us some of your tales of dilletantes, fops, and half wits.
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crim son
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Sat Nov-08-08 02:15 PM
Response to Original message |
1. I've never met anybody who claimed otherwise |
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and I resent your inference that those of us who write like there's a pole up our ass might be faking intellect. :spank:
Seriously: who ever admits being stupid? There has to be a better litmus test than self-evaluation.
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Xipe Totec
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Sat Nov-08-08 03:58 PM
Response to Reply #1 |
10. Some of the smartest people are ones who doubt their intelligence nt |
crim son
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Sat Nov-08-08 05:52 PM
Response to Reply #10 |
20. I've never seen that in action. |
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Edited on Sat Nov-08-08 05:53 PM by crim son
I think it's one of those myths like the "noble poor"; not that there are no noble poor, but poverty generates at least the same share of assholes as wealth does. I believe that there are people who know they do not know everything, and I credit them with great intelligence. But somebody who tells me, "I don't believe I'm that bright" tends not to be that bright. IMH but Informed Opinion. :P
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Xipe Totec
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Sat Nov-08-08 05:57 PM
Response to Reply #20 |
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Edited on Sat Nov-08-08 06:00 PM by Xipe Totec
Used to ask others to read his programs to check for errors because he did not trust his own coding abilities. This is the foundation of ego-less programming... Von Newmann's contributions are endless: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_von_Neumann
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datasuspect
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:38 AM
Response to Reply #1 |
40. socrates in a sense admitted he was "stupid" |
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well, not really.
he did realize that wisdom is contained in realizing what you don't know.
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Dystopian
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Sat Nov-08-08 02:47 PM
Response to Original message |
2. I'm not smart enough to make such a claim. n/t needed. |
HEyHEY
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Sat Nov-08-08 03:14 PM
Response to Original message |
3. People who state the absolute obvious and think they're being profound. |
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That is tuhe most irritating. I find in general, the surest sign of intelligence is as the dude in Miller's crossing said, "A little less you talk, a little more you listen."
BEing smart isn't knowing things, it's be able to have the mindset to relax, and listen, compute then come up with an opinion. Many people who claim to be smart just have ego and not much else. Hence the reason I stay outta GD.
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Fire Walk With Me
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Sat Nov-08-08 03:22 PM
Response to Original message |
4. tell us some of your tales of dilletantes, fops, and half wits. |
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Isn't "fop" a British term? ;)
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datasuspect
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:35 AM
Response to Reply #4 |
37. i could regale you with many tales of fuckwittery |
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but i cannot write my autobiography here.
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Deep13
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Sat Nov-08-08 03:35 PM
Response to Original message |
5. How can something be "overcorrect?" |
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It's either right or it is not.
Bloody 'ell.
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The Inquisitive
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Sat Nov-08-08 03:48 PM
Response to Reply #5 |
7. I interpreted the posters use of 'overcorrect' as |
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being so concerned with being precisely correct when it is not needed, and in this case to an extent that it may seem intentionally done for pretentious reasons.
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Kutjara
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Sat Nov-08-08 03:44 PM
Response to Original message |
6. Why does writing/acting/speaking in a British manner... |
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...equate to intelligence? I'm British and I'm a total fucking cretin.
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Fire Walk With Me
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Sat Nov-08-08 03:51 PM
Response to Reply #6 |
8. Never underestimate the American fascination with the British accent. |
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We're like deer in the headlights. Try it sometime.
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Kutjara
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Sat Nov-08-08 03:55 PM
Response to Reply #8 |
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If I hear one more person say "Oh my Gaawwd, I just luuuuurve your accent" I may commit murder. My favorite such encounter was in my local WaMu branch last week. The teller said to me, after ascertaining my country of origin, "How come you speak with that accent? Do they speak a different language over there?" I barely restrained my urge to reply, "Why yes they do. It's called 'English'".
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GirlinContempt
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Sat Nov-08-08 04:01 PM
Response to Reply #6 |
11. Did you ever see the show Arrested Development? |
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The man character dates a person with a mental handicap for weeks, and doesn't figure out that she is handicapped because she has a British accent and sounds so intelligent when she speaks.
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Kutjara
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Sat Nov-08-08 04:05 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
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Edited on Sat Nov-08-08 04:08 PM by Kutjara
I always thought people just liked the sound of the accent, I don't think I ever truly realized they assumed the speaker was more intelligent because of it. This has some fascinating possibilities for me: I'm going to completely slack off at work and see if people think I'm deep in thought about Really Important Things. I may even start inserting "indubitably" and "elementary" randomly into conversations. My workmates will think I'm Sherlock Bloody Holmes! Hurrah!
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Fire Walk With Me
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Sat Nov-08-08 04:17 PM
Response to Reply #12 |
13. I myself shall add to the fray by introducing the words "oi" and "yob" |
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into my verbal communications.
:rofl:
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HEyHEY
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Sat Nov-08-08 04:32 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
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Edited on Sat Nov-08-08 04:33 PM by HEyHEY
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GirlinContempt
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Sat Nov-08-08 05:29 PM
Response to Reply #14 |
18. You could always make land. On the ocean. |
GirlinContempt
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Sat Nov-08-08 05:25 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
17. I meant main, not man |
datasuspect
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:36 AM
Response to Reply #6 |
38. reminds me of my uncle paul in croydon |
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there isn't anything high-fallutin' about that guy: every other word is fuck, oy, and cunt.
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libodem
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Sat Nov-08-08 04:36 PM
Response to Original message |
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I used to work with a male RN that loved medical terminology and liked to use the big words to communicate simple, usual functions. He seemed to want to prove he was intelligent and came off as kind of boorish. He was always the person in a meeting that had a question when the rest of us were ready to bolt. And always the kind of question he probably already knew the answer to. (to which he already knew the answer) Yep, he always had some wordy multi-syllable question at the end of a discussion just to prove he knew what was being presented. I liked him better than most of our mostly female staff, the poor sap had a pretty big hurtle to jump working with the man-haters, we worked with. (with whom we worked) :P
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Fire Walk With Me
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Sat Nov-08-08 05:30 PM
Response to Reply #15 |
19. For some reason I have large words in my vocabulary. |
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I've found that if you don't use them, you lose them. What little German I learned in high school is pretty much gone...gestorben..
Communication is a dying art. Not that I communicate well, but I do enjoy reading the works of those who do. If that upsets anyone, it's their problem. :shrug:
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libodem
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Sat Nov-08-08 10:59 PM
Response to Reply #19 |
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I know a few myself and throw them in here and there. To tell the truth I'll bet that most DU'ers are smarter than average. I'll tell you what though, I'd hate to be judged by my spelling if we didn't have spell check. OMG.
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Fire Walk With Me
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Sat Nov-08-08 11:56 PM
Response to Reply #25 |
26. I use Google as a spell checker at times. "define: ___" is good on Google as well. |
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And I want to have good English skills, so I'm always attempting to polish what I type.
It's just learning. If anyone gets offended, again, it's not my problem. Keep your own level of expression, as you said :)
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datasuspect
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:43 AM
Response to Reply #26 |
44. you can type in polish? |
datasuspect
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:38 AM
Response to Reply #19 |
39. if you're an academic, that's one thing |
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but in everyday usage, it serves no real purpose to make an exposition of 10 dollar words when 3 for .25 words will do. especially in business. people don't trust you if they think you are smarter than them.
and ultimately, the only real way to get money from people is to get them to fundamentally like you.
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datasuspect
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:34 AM
Response to Reply #15 |
36. like people in business meetings who use "penultimate" |
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instead of saying "next to last"
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Fire Walk With Me
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:57 AM
Response to Reply #36 |
45. I make it a point to use "Paradigm Shift" a lot |
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because I don't know what it means.
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datasuspect
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:59 AM
Response to Reply #45 |
46. i like to use "paradigmatic underpinnings of the presuppositions of consumer behavior" |
PeaceNikki
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Sat Nov-08-08 04:40 PM
Response to Original message |
16. And if you use the word "utilize" every time you should use "use", |
AlCzervik
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Sat Nov-08-08 05:55 PM
Response to Original message |
21. Show me don't tell me, let me decide. |
Orrex
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Sat Nov-08-08 06:39 PM
Response to Original message |
23. I assure you that no one is as smart as I think I am. |
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Hardy har har.
However, for as long as I can remember people have commented upon my manner of speech. I've gotten "stilted" and "stiff" as descriptors and many times heard the question "why do you use such big words?"
Honestly, I don't know, but I know that it's not deliberate. That is, I don't make an effort to pick a bigger word when a smaller one will do; I simply use the words that present themselves to me in my head, and those are the words that get said.
I'll go so far as to claim that I'm not stupid, and I seem to have a knack (trained or inborn, I don't know) for analytical thinking. But does that make me smarter than that guy or that woman?
Beats me, but probably not.
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DarkTirade
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Sat Nov-08-08 06:53 PM
Response to Original message |
24. I know I've got a high IQ |
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and there are subjects that I'm rather clever in. I don't claim any more than that, though. :shrug:
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old mark
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Sun Nov-09-08 04:06 AM
Response to Reply #24 |
32. Same here: I'm sure the process is too |
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complex to really measure of even understand fully. I can do what I can do, and can't do other things.
I don't like people who really try to impress you with their intellect. It's not necessary, and I usually don't care one way ot the other - I did nothing to get it, and I'm not overly happy I have it much of the time.
mark
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DarkTirade
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Sun Nov-09-08 01:56 PM
Response to Reply #32 |
49. I'll admit I do like showing off now and then... |
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but I tend to only show off at the things that I'm good at. :P There are plenty of other things out there that I suck at.
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Kat45
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Sun Nov-09-08 01:36 AM
Response to Original message |
27. A friend of mine once said that someone is wearing his education on his sleeve if |
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he uses a polysyllabic word when the word "fuck" will do.
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reyd reid reed
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Sun Nov-09-08 01:42 AM
Response to Original message |
28. Most of the people who believe they're smart... |
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show their ignorance by thinking that way. My experience has been that the truly intelligent people realize that they really aren't and understand just how much they DON'T know.
That's true intelligence.
:hi:
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Lucian
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Sun Nov-09-08 01:46 AM
Response to Original message |
29. I really am that smart. |
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Not in web trends though, because I find them to be useless.
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FedUpWithIt All
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Sun Nov-09-08 01:58 AM
Response to Original message |
30. I KNOW i am not overly intelligent but I am happy with what i have to work with. |
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Edited on Sun Nov-09-08 02:04 AM by FedUpWithIt All
I never really acknowledge it much until i see someone tearing into others for their grammar or spelling. It seems to me that anyone who feels that they need to correct others (without knowing any background) can keep their intelligence. I would rather have compassion, patience, wisdom, caution.
:shrug:
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datasuspect
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:42 AM
Response to Reply #30 |
43. and that encapsulates the better part of "how to not be a sociopath 101" |
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that's a good way to look at things.
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jpgray
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Sun Nov-09-08 02:30 AM
Response to Original message |
31. I fucking -love- failing at grandiloquence. The more spectacular the failure, the better |
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See, I like clunky yet euphonious words. "Euphonious." Yeah. Fuck off, "pretty-sounding." Ornamental articulation of my idiocy is all that keeps me going.
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Nikia
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Sun Nov-09-08 10:59 AM
Response to Original message |
33. I wish that I lived in an area where people valued intelligence |
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I live in a town where only about 10% have a BA/BS or higher. I agree that there are many smart non college graduates and that college doesn't guarentee that, but it is considered weird around here to be smart. Being smart around here is almost like being gay with many actual smart people being in the closet. I worry about interviewing for another job or graduate school someday because I have started to adopt their poor grammar and vocabulary, which differs from the grammar and vocabulary mistakes that I grew up with. I don't proclaim my intelligence around them or even that I am a college graduate unless they ask. Sometimes though I wonder if I should, though, since I do have a more privleged job at my company and people question behind my back as to why someone like me should have that job.
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datasuspect
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:41 AM
Response to Reply #33 |
42. college graduates are often some of the least interesting, conformist, |
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stupid people i've ever run across (but not always. i guess it depends on where they went to school and what they studied).
i've had more interesting conversations with people who had 8th grade educations.
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Rob H.
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:00 AM
Response to Original message |
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there was a woman we called Our Queen of Malapropisms because she tried to use fancy words when simple ones would do and invariably wound up sounding like an idiot. My favorite was when she used the word "castrate" instead of "castigate"--"I don't know why he thinks it's okay to... to castrate me for doing that."
I also visited a friend of mine in San Francisco and when I got back to work was describing a day when I saw a wall of fog headed from just off the coast toward the city, and Her Highness said something like, "Yeah, the fog there is amazing sometimes, like a giant sausage rolling in to slap you in the face."
My first thought was, "Okay, it's nothing like that," followed by, "Did she really just say that? Wow, she has issues," followed finally by, "Wait. Is she hitting on me or something?"
She and my boss also used computer-industry buzzwords instead of normal English, which was slowly driving me insane:
"I'll talk to you about that offline." ("offline" = "later")
"I'd love to help, but I don't have the bandwidth." ("bandwidth" = "time")
"It has a compact form factor." (In other words, it's small.)
Did they think they were super-intelligent androids from the future or something? I dunno. :shrug:
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datasuspect
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:39 AM
Response to Reply #34 |
41. did they wear silver tunics |
BarenakedLady
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Sun Nov-09-08 11:06 AM
Response to Original message |
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Daddy said I didn't have to think.
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Doc_Technical
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Sun Nov-09-08 12:35 PM
Response to Original message |
47. I had to learn quite a bit |
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before I could comprehend how truly ignorant I am. I think curiosity is a vital motivator for learning. I'm tired of willfully ignorant people who do little more than regurgitate dogma and call it intelligence.
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insanity
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Sun Nov-09-08 01:00 PM
Response to Original message |
48. The more I learn, the less I know |
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And the more confused I feel. That being said, I think I'm decent at what I do (academia) except in mathematics where I'm a complete fuckwit.
I like big words in the proper context, but much prefer to use 'fuck' in my speech.
Also, I use British slang because I picked some up when I lived there and I quite like it.
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