Stupid Is As Stupid Does Is

You remember that movie?

You know - hugely popular, all about how, just by being nice and honest and not thinking too hard, you could be a massive financial and social success (even if you were as dumb as using two bricks to make a house)? Yeah, that one.

I was reminded of it while in a conversation lasting several days with an opponent of the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque" (a term, that consists of three words: two of which are wrong and one other being misleading). It was both surprising and not for me - I have encountered stupidity before, and I've certainly met people who don't actually seem to be aware of what they are saying before. But what was surprising was the complete lack of self-awareness, even when they have their own written words that they can reference not half a page away on the same screen, but don't bother to.

I did finally get tired of ending my days smacking my head into the desk, so called it quits. Here, of course, was his final post:

Once again, an untenable position descends to name calling.

Now, can you guess what his second to last post was? Go on, guess! Oh, all right:

Oh I get it now Erin. People with lesser minds than yourself have a tendency to be swayed by simplification.

What is most telling, is that you do recognize a Mosque inside of Ground Zero would be offensive. Not offensive enough to penetrate... through your cool rational mind of course, but offensive enough to legitimize the protests. So from now on, let's just refer to it as: "The Mosque and More, Adjacent to Ground Zero," so there will be no more outrage from the simpletons.

Did it ever occur to you that people who paint the placards just prefer the shorthand, because it uses less paint?

There are few mock-arguments that annoy me more than the idea that being smart is a bad thing. He was insulted because I pointed out that the term "Ground Zero Mosque" is a horrible description, but great if you want to inflame emotions while misinforming the public.

Yes, he really meant that last sentence to be a cogent point in his favour!

Look, when people are being stupid, they're being stupid. And you know what? I'm not going to patronize them by pretending that their point of view "could be correct" when it patently isn't. The moon is not made of cheese, no matter how people you get to agree with you.

When you're stupid, you're stupid; and someone really should tell you when you are before you do something stupid, permanent, and public.

You can go look if you want, though it is on Facebook, so fair warning there.