The internet makes me feel stupid

[DrFaroohk]

I used to think I was really smart. I grew up in an area of idiots. Not necessarily educationally wise, because I know that the ones who dropped out of high school are educated in other ways (mechanics, fishermen, etc, it takes knowledge to do that stuff and I respect it!) but almost more of a maturity thing.

For instance the term "Running his mouth" is like a mantra around here. You can get away with doing anything to someone and as long as its because he was "Runnin' his mouth!" then its ok. It's like being on a playground with a bunch of third graders. "HE CALLED ME A NAME WAAAAH!" not to mention the racism and homophobia that still thrives around here. It's basically some place right out of a skynyrd song.

So I've always felt slightly superior to most of them as far as raw intelligence goes. There are people smarter than me here, but not many.

I always felt special.


Then the internet came around, and I realized that while living in tardville I was the king, compared to the rest of the world I'm probably quite below average. I used to think I had a wonderfully gifted insight into people's thoughts, motivations, emotions, etc....until I realized that it's nothing special that anyone with a few minutes to spend on a forum hasn't already thought of and more articulately than me.

I'm not special.

[Fryk]

Bah, I am of the opinion that no one is special. Which means, in a weird way, that everyone is special. I think.

I had that epiphany too, when I went to college. I thought that I was a mega-talented musician, until I got to school and realized that I was just better than the people I went to high school with. Which, it turned out, was not hard at all. It fucked with my mind all of freshmen year, until I learned that raw talent meant nothing, and that iit was the work you put into it that made you good. I ended my college music career pretty much back on top after that.

[telecom_goddess]

I guess I had the opposite kind of reaction. Before the internet I felt alone and isolated and rejected...and when it came along I found groups of people who had the same interests as me and groups where I could fit in more easily.

[Gravekeeper]

For me it's the opposite. The Internet is like a state fair. If you're ever feeling bad about yourself, just Google a random web forum and read it for 5 minutes. You'll feel better about yourself in no time. >.>

[Plaidman]

Internet made me feel like I belong. I didn't have to worry about anyone on the net beating me up. Or wanting to beat me up. I didn't have to worry about being pissed on, or stuffed into locker.


I also always felt far more stupid then anyone else. Everyone was smarter, stronger and just far better then me in all ways.

Then I got a job in customer service, and collage. While I still feel like a piece of shit, I know that I'm at least equal in intelligence then anything else.

[GINSENG]

In my experience, most of the people on the internet are morons.

For me it's the opposite. The Internet is like a state fair. If you're ever feeling bad about yourself, just Google a random web forum and read it for 5 minutes. You'll feel better about yourself in no time. >.>

Yeah, what he said.

[powerboy]

When I am on the right forums, I feel as if i belong.

[elsporko]

You apparently don't have much insight when it comes to interpreting song lyrics if you think Lynyrd Skynyrd are racists or homophobes. They sang against racism specifically and left homosexuality untouched to my knowledge.

[Ree]

You apparently don't have much insight when it comes to interpreting song lyrics if you think Lynyrd Skynyrd are racists or homophobes. They sang against racism specifically and left homosexuality untouched to my knowledge.

Way to focus on a totally irrelevant part of the post just to stir a debate.

I believe he was comparing the place where he grew up to one out of a Lynyrd Skynyrd song, and it was far more in regards to the intellect and maturity of the place he grew up, rather than completely about the homophobia and racism.

At least, that was my interpretation.

Oh well, what's yet one more off topic debate on fratching that zeroes in on an irrelevant point?

[elsporko]

It just bugs me when people who say they are smarter then somebody else say something that is completely wrong.

[DrFaroohk]

Seriously. How long does one have to sit there and how hard to they have to think to be this damn contrary? It's like we're reaching for things to fight about. I find it difficult that someone could read my post and not understand exactly what I meant.

[elsporko]

I understood your post I just find it ironic (and maybe a bit revealing) that you complain about other people being dumb while making a completely wrong statement.

[Fryk]

Doc, didn't you post something about this phenomenon recently?

Hmmmm.....

[DrFaroohk]

I'm sorry, but it still wasn't a wrong statement. You might want it to be. But it isn't. I said it was a place right out of a skynyrd song. Lots of skynyrd songs are about places in the deep south. Many of these are the very same places where one could be beaten to death for having the wrong color skin.

And I never claimed to be right 100% of the time. I just mean I'm smarter than most people around here (as in, the geographical area of the world I live in). I don't even mean in terms of education - that'snot really an accurate measure of intelligence. There's a lot of inbreeding, drugs, and a combination of the two that runs rampant around here that has dumbed down the population to basically cave people.

Actually at one time we had the highest percentage of drug addicts in the US. That's the best achievement we can come up with.

[Fryk]

Sounds like Fayette County PA!!!