Monday, November 16, 2009

Stupid Is As Stupid London Does



I'm no genius. I make mistakes. I'm a flawed and imperfect individual. I recognise this, and whilst I seek to improve I understand that perfection is an impossibility. Yet this cannot stop me believing I live in a city of slobbering idiots.

The people walk up and down stairs without any thought for those behind them. They meander. They stop in weird, but truly inconvenient, places. They can't change the batteries in a smoke detector. They never have their Oyster card/ticket ready. They appear unable to queue. They think putting a bag on a seat in some way implies that seat is now theirs. They push. They shove. They look at you aghast if you point out any of their multitude of failings. They can't work self service machines at supermarkets but insist on using them even when there is a checkout free. They think you're really clever because you know some history pre-1990.

That seems to be humanity. These people can vote. You have been warned.

*Note grumpiness caused by idiotic Londoners may have coloured by views somewhat in this post, normal service will resume... at some point*

This blogger works for nothing but the joy of writing but always appreciates things bought from his wishlist

5 comments:

  1. A lot of this looks less like stupidity than like lack of consideration for others.

    Paul

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  2. Personally I don't think it's intention lack of consideration, I just think these people don't have the mental faculties to comprehend that they might need to think about others. Hence stupidity. Except the bag on the seat, that's just meanness.

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  3. Anonymous10:56 pm

    Come to Canadia! They're just as idiotic but polite! (Most of the time.)

    -miss v

    ps: hope you are otherwise doing well :)
    pps: ooouuhh! look at your new fancy-lookin' template! ^O^

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  4. Well...Lack of consideration is necessarily unintentional. Some people seem to think they act badly only if they intend to do what they did, so if you remonstrate with someone whose huge rucksack hits you in the face they seem to think it excuses everything if they say, "But I didn't intend to hit you in the face," and I want to reply, "But if you were a decent person you'd THINK about such a thing before you wander around with a rucksack twice your size on your back."

    We always like to think that if people really *knew* the pain or inconvenience they caused others - if they were intelligent enough to perceive the impact of their behaviour on others - then of course they'd alter their behaviour at once. That strikes me as a bit optimistic. Why should we assume that knowing you're hurting someone necessarily goes with caring about them sufficiently to avoid hurting them?

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  5. We have been living in America for fifty years. My mom, 94 years old now does not speak the language well. When President Bush was giving one of his inarticulate speeches, she was watching him and commented: "dat is not jau jew sei dat"

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