Do you know dumb people who pretend they're smart?

[trekkor]

Originally Posted by legion

A friend in college had a store-bought T-shirt that said: "Your Nauseating". He never "got" what was wrong with it.

Nothing! He was the source of nausea to someone?!?



KT

[cab83_750]

I currently have one who is "so stupid, he thinks he's smart." He is a snake and a backstabber. No one at work can get along with him; unfortunately, the boss' boss is his friend.

In most corporate world, it is "not what you know, it is who you know!"

[Jims5543]

In the big corporation I used to work for, I was always made fun of and frowned upon because I did not have a degree. The other 5 Surveyors did, although some held degree's that had nothing to do with the field they worked in it was a degree none the less.

When I left to go on my own there was a pool going over how long I would last. 10 years later I am having the last laugh as I out earned many of them 2 to 1.

I am not smart, I have a HS education, but, I have lots of common sense and I listen to others who I feel are smarter than I. I have enough common sense to know to use a financial adviser, a CPA and an lawyer to help me make decisions when I need them made. Its called humility and it has served me well.

Even at DE's on tracks where I still need an instructor. They always comment about the fact that I listen to them and look for their input. Too many come out wanting to show off how great they are.

Same goes in life, so many are hellbent on proving they have the bigger brain. Good for them, most of the time they look like a tool trying to prove how smart they are.

[David]

Two of my favorite sayings:

Never argue with an idiot. They'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Why is it that people who know the least, know it the loudest?

[on-ramp]

eloquent writers aren't always the smartest people. it's a mistake to confuse words with ideas.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by on-ramp

eloquent writers aren't always the smartest people. it's a mistake to confuse words with ideas.

Well, somehow I haven't come across any good writers who weren't at least very smart. Maybe there are a few out there or they have excellent editors, while the dumb writer gets all the credit. In the days before computers, when my dad had to write a serious letter, report or essay, he'd let his final draft sit in a drawer for a few days to "ferment". Then he'd try to cut the word count way down. It's amazing what kind of final product you get after something like that. Now everyone just bangs out emails as fast as they can and syndicated columnists write their weekly piece on a laptop while flying somewhere. But truly good writing is a talent and it's pretty rare that a dummy can write well.

[holtjv]

Geez..I'm guilty of a lot of the incorrect word use examples, I think...I've always had a problem with "further" and "farther", "prior" and "before", "anyone" and "anybody". I think I have most of them right but still have to think about it for a second before/prior their use. Never thought about "fewer" and "less" or "jealous" and "envious" though. Probably botching those, too.

Overall, I really don't care how people talk or write. but it does give me insight into their personality which is sometimes helpful. Listening to repeated "um's" drives me batty, though; one of the first things I taught my daughter not to do.

JH

[kqw]

Just remember:

PHD's are "people who know a lot about very little"

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by kqw

Just remember:

PHD's are "people who know a lot about very little"

That is an apt description of 95% of the PhDs that I come into contact with.

I agree with the previous comments, "the wise man is he who realizes how little he knows". So true.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by on-ramp

eloquent writers aren't always the smartest people. it's a mistake to confuse words with ideas.

OHHH so you are familar with Cornell West...

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by kqw

Just remember:

PHD's are "people who know a lot about very little"

just remember: generalizations are sometimes wrong

That's kinda like saying artists can't do math and engineers don't get aesthetic (well, the latter is true, but you get my drift ).

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by nostatic

just remember: generalizations are sometimes wrong

That's kinda like saying artists can't do math and engineers don't get aesthetic (well, the latter is true, but you get my drift ).

Hey, I said 95%.

As for engineers..............ok, so my wife does all our decorating.

[Mo_Gearhead]

QUOTE: "Do you know dumb people who pretend they're smart?"
_______________________-

At the last company I worked at (for 26 years) our C.E.O. retired. I was one of several staff members inline, with adequate credentials, to replace him. I talked it over with my wife and being (at that time) about 49 years of age, decided to pass. I liked my position and the work I was doing and was working hard to retire at age 55 anyway.

The new CEO was, naturally, younger (I believe 35?) than I was and early on during a discussion of something minor that went wrong, he said, "My Bad." I believe that was the first time I had heard that used.

The real 'light bulb moment' for me came later on at a staff meeting of 12 individuals where this same C.E.O. asked one staffer for an assessment of a situation that we all knew was troubling for the company. As the staffer began to give the report, this C.E.O. put his hands over his ears and began chanting "La, la, la, la, la, la"....rocking his head back and forth, like some grade school child that didn't want to hear what was being said!!! The speaker stopped, mid-sentence and the room was silent except for the sing-song 'ditty' being uttered by our BOSS!

I knew at that point, my time with this company was up! I resigned later that year.

[holtjv]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Crap! Paradigm shift! I knew I was missing at least one smarmy new age corporate speak phrase.

That's what I get for focusing on work and not PPOT!

How could I forget the c-note term? "Ah ha moment"

Jesus--just writing it gives me the willies.

[BlueSideUp]

My favorite thing to do with these people is make up words, usually they'll use the word later in a sentence while trying to sound smart.

For example "discombobulated" as in... "I am really discombobulated about this project, it just doesn't seem to be coming together". Or "That's a really discombobulating problem".

It's a great inside joke when they use the word later on.

[72doug2,2S]

STRATEGERY!

Still, worse than being uppity, or a Sans Nobilus (snob), is not having a good sense of humor about your self. I can take anyone's mistakes if they're willing to not take themselves so serious.

[Rick Lee]

The funny thing about "strategery" is that I don't think Bush ever really said it, but once SNL got a hold of it, Bush campaign and later WH staff started calling their meetings "Strategery Sessions". Gotta love it.

[72doug2,2S]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

The funny thing about "strategery" is that I don't think Bush ever really said it, but once SNL got a hold of it, Bush campaign and later WH staff started calling their meetings "Strategery Sessions". Gotta love it.

-my thoughts exactly.

[Drago]

I couldn't get through your post; too long.

[Drago]

Originally Posted by tabs

There are Oh so many predictable people on this Board.

Speaking of...