Stupidity Assumes Stupidity or Stupid is as Stupid Does

March 17, 2008 by Keli.

I’ve been away from the computer these past few days cavorting in Southern California while chaperoning three young gentlemen junior golfers, one of which was my own, to the Los Angeles City Junior Open. Ever on the lookout for instances of everyday stupidity, I came across a veritable potpourri; a few tidbits will be shared here today with my dear readers.

I’m often asked if being a poor speller is a sign of the stuper (short again for an undisguisedly stupid person). The answer is no…unless one succeeds in committing permanent or semi-permanent spelling slips of a public nature; meaning the spelling mistakes sit comfortably for all to view with no attempt at correction.

Repeated, poor spelling is akin to going into an important job interview dressed like a farmer hot on the trail of wild hogs. Only the pitchfork is missing. It’s sloppy.

Even excellent spellers make mistakes when writing in haste or exhaustion or while under the spell of rapid onset amnesia (ROM). But should a person misspell, and advertise said error on a large sign, that is then planted securely into the ground, thanks to the wonders of quick drying cement, and strategically placed in front of members of the general public, then one is a definite stuper.

Unfortunately, I did not have a camera with me this past weekend. But I spotted a huge sign designed by a stuper on the very first tee of an enormous public golf course. The sign advised players to maintain a rapid pace of play so as not to slow down golfers playing behind them. Leisurely golfers would be penalized. Then at the bottom of this sign was stated, in bold, large letters:

NO EXECEPTIONS

More examples of poor spelling for public scrutiny:

Perhaps the blunders above can be blamed on the lack of satellite spell check or dictionaries placed in nearby, convenient locations.

My second skirmish with stupidity occurred while I walked the course, watching my son play. Some golf parents, dads especially, assume the rest of the non-playing, civilized world knows little, to nothing, about the game of golf. After I told one such father that I didn’t play the game myself, he instantly assumed I was an ignoramus. He accompanied me on four holes, giving me all sorts of golf advice, and then said,

“Tiger Wood’s playing a tournament today, with…. O’Hearn or O’Hara…the name doesn’t matter because it’s no one you’ve heard of anyway.”

I gently told him it was in fact, Sean O’ Hair, one of my favorite, young players. The father gave me a blank look and abandoned me for the snack bar.

Stupers don’t ask, don’t research, don’t bother; they just assume. It’s your decision whether you wish to correct them or not. Sometimes, it’s not worth the effort. But if it give you a sense of satisfaction, then by all means, correct the fool.

Think.

Keli
Keli@Counterfeithumans.com

Posted in Plain Old Fashioned Stupidity | 10 Comments »