People Talk About Their “I Am Surrounded By Idiots” Moments

Idiots. A special kind of people as old as time itself. They have always been around, and they are the ones most likely to survive a nuclear holocaust, a coronavirus pandemic, and basically everything that life throws their way. They walk freely among us, unnoticed. 

Maybe you work with them, go to school with them, or perhaps you even went out for a cup of coffee with them. They are there, waiting for the chance to show their true face. And when they do… oh boy. You don’t really know how to react because you remain in disbelief that anyone could say or do something as dumb as that.

These 20 AskReddit users talk about the moments when they realized they were surrounded by idiots. These 20 AskReddit users share stories about when they realized the people around them were complete, 100% morons. 1. Dumped! 2. Airplanes? 3. Airhead 4. Smoke 6. Cataracts 7. Landline 8. Dumb American 9. Is space real? 10. Fried Chicken 11. Leo 12. Jump 14. New water 15. Genius 16. “Not Academically Enriched” 17. Oceanographer 18. Gasoline 19. That is a big word 20. The world is in GREAT shape Want more? Check out the articles below: We know you can choose from many sites to read, but we want you to know that we’re thankful you chose Did You Know. You rock! Thanks for reading!

Cognitive Dissonance in Misunderstandings

The phenomenon of encountering ignorance in others can be linked to cognitive dissonance, a principle highlighted by psychologist Leon Festinger. When individuals are confronted with facts that challenge their beliefs, they often experience discomfort, leading to rationalizations or denial to resolve this tension.

Research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology shows that this dissonance can lead to a lack of critical thinking. To mitigate frustration, it’s crucial to approach such moments with patience and empathy, promoting dialogue rather than confrontation.

1. Run, man, run!!!

When my girlfriend got jealous on 9/11 because the Twin Towers were getting more attention than she was.

‘So a couple of buildings fell down. What’s the big deal? Everyone is ignoring me today.’ — from my soon-to-be ex-girlfriend at the time.

2. Do you have airplanes in Germany?

During my exchange year in the USA.

I came from Germany, and in class, we had this thing where I introduced myself and everyone asked their questions about me and my country.

So this one girl raised her hand and seriously asked, ‘Do you have airplanes over there?’

I was completely stunned by this question and had to calmly explain that I actually flew there by plane… but to this day, I’m not entirely sure if she was just trolling me. I mean, you can’t be THAT uneducated?!

3. Such thing exists?

Someone came into the shop and asked to change the air in her tires from ‘summer air’ to ‘winter air.’

4. Smokey and the Bandit, the movie?

In my 7th grade science class, there was a debate going on among a good chunk of the class about whether smoke was alive or not.

5. Yeah, those are the worst.

I tried to explain to my ex-colleagues that thunder is not the result of clouds smashing together. They thought I was stupid. When I asked them to explain why it’s not always thundering when it’s cloudy, they both agreed that it only happens when there are storm clouds.

6. How do those two even combine in their heads?

During my freshman year of college, I was in a math class, and we had some random group project to do. A girl in my group informed us she wouldn’t be at the next meeting because she was going to have eye surgery. I asked her why, and she said, ‘I have genital cataracts,’ and I said, ‘You mean congenital?’ She gave me a confused look, and everyone backed her up, insisting that she really did mean genital and not congenital. Even after I Googled it and showed everyone the difference between the two words, they proceeded to tell me how you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet. I was dumbfounded.

7. He forgot how to use the landline.

My friend once couldn’t find his iPhone in his house, so he rang it from the landline.

His iPhone rang, on the table in front of him. He picked it up, and obviously, there was nobody on the other line.

He screamed upstairs to his parents, with a phone in each hand: ‘Who the heck is ringing me?’

I sat there facepalming.

8. It’s a flavor, not a fruit. Yeah, just like strawberries.

I met an American woman while traveling who got aggressive trying to convince me that blueberry was a flavor and not ‘a real thing’ while obsessively picking out all the little blue/purple ‘round things’ from her blueberry ice cream.

9. I never saw it, so it doesn’t exist.

I was at a small social gathering at my parents' house and mentioned something about the National Space Center in Leicester. A girl piped up and said,

‘Oh, I love taking my son there; he loves it. I just find it amusing because I don’t believe in space.’

I looked at her dumbfounded and asked if she meant she didn’t believe in investing money in space exploration. No, she did not believe in space. She simply did not believe that anything existed above the sky, that pictures and videos were all fake, and that all space agencies and anyone who claimed to have been to space were lying.

The other girls in the group started nodding in agreement, saying things like, ‘Now that you mention it, I’ve never really seen space.’

I just went home.

10. Hmm, fried chicken.

Yearly, a local restaurant offers a meal for the price of $1 for their anniversary. They offer fried chicken with sides or meatloaf with sides. I decided to go, only to find a line stretching around the block. I hopped in line and waited an hour and a half before I was pretty close. An employee walked out to say, ‘Sorry, we ran out of chicken. We only have meatloaf.’

The chaos that erupted after that was astounding. One lady in particular I remember for the amazing quote, ‘That’s freaking bullshit! My dog and I have been here for two hours, and we both wanted chicken!’ Further up, I heard a bigger commotion. Apparently, one guy got upset about there being no chicken; his friend tried to calm him down, someone else in line made a comment, and an all-out brawl ensued. The line scattered. Two cops nearby subdued the situation to the best of their ability. The restaurant shut down for the day. No more $1 anniversary special.

That was a nice thing for a while. I miss $1 Fried Chicken Day.

11. Yeah, actors do that from time to time in movies.

During my first year teaching high school English, I was showing my class the DiCaprio version of Romeo and Juliet, and one girl was staring at the screen intently with a puzzled look on her face. Finally, a light went off, and she said, ‘How can he be in this movie? He died in Titanic.’

12. He did right.

I used to work on the Brooklyn Bridge as an ironworker… One day, some poor soul was standing towards the edge and contemplating jumping. I told my foreman, and he called the police. At about this time, all the trades on the bridge started to gather and watch this man. Maybe five minutes went by, and someone started a ‘Jump!’ chant. This dude was going to kill himself, and now he had about 40 people egging him on… he jumped. I quit my job and moved across the country; forget those freaking idiots.

13. Tough math.

I had to explain that Halloween, in fact, can never be on Friday the 13th.

14. It would be nice...

I once had an argument that rain was ‘new water’ bestowed upon us by the Earth. My friend truly believed that water did not recycle, and consuming it meant that it never saw the Earth again. He also believed that anything flushed down a toilet or drained was burned and evaporated into nothingness.

15. Give or take a century or two...

Some people in my class thought the Boston Tea Party and the Attack on Pearl Harbor were the same thing. This was my high school class…

16. TV

I was a TA in high school for a regular World History course. So not Honors, not ‘Academically Enriched,’ but not quite eating your own feces either.

Anyways, I got to class, and the power was out, so of course, everyone was going nuts because… it’s dark, I guess? The teacher still wanted to lecture, and the kids all groaned. That is until one yelled out, ‘Let’s watch TV!’

YAAAAAY!!

Everyone started chanting, ‘TV! TV! TV!’ I’ll never forget the teacher’s face as he looked at me. His eyes filled with disappointment about the future of our country, unable to realize that no electricity also meant no television. Sad.

17. Two Pacific Oceans.

On the first day of college, a girl raised her hand and asked why there are two Pacific Oceans on the map.

[The professor] turned to look at the map, turned back towards the class, and motioned with her hands, saying, ‘The world is round.’

Literally the best “fuck you” response a professor could give.

18. Gas

I was hanging out with my friends. One of my friends had just gotten his very own moped. It needed a fill-up, so they went to get the jerry can with petrol in it. We were in the middle of an apartment building complex on the patio. My other friend wanted to see how much petrol there was, so he used his lighter to help him see. I immediately said, ‘Stop that! It will catch fire.’ He did not believe me, so they decided to test it by pouring the petrol on the ground and trying to light it up. The person who was pouring the petrol got scared and jumped once the petrol caught on fire and dropped the jerry can. The rest of it splashed to the ground and formed a 10-meter (32 ft) tall fire spiral.

19. No big words.

I was at work explaining to a coworker how to put wrap on a cooking wrapping machine, and I said, ‘You have to pull it taut.’” She just stopped and said, ‘That isn’t how you use that word. You can’t teach a wrap.’ My bosses came in, and I had to convince them that taut was a word, and they told me that I shouldn’t use big words like that all the time. Taut.

20. Eight continents.

"The morning after the EU referendum in the UK. People around me at work said, ‘So, as we’re leaving Europe, does that mean there will be eight continents now?’

Because they didn’t know the difference between Europe and the European Union."

The Role of Cognitive Dissonance

Moments of confusion, such as mistaking historical events, can trigger cognitive dissonance, a psychological phenomenon where conflicting beliefs or knowledge create discomfort. According to researchers at Stanford University, this dissonance often leads individuals to rationalize their errors instead of confronting them directly. It's a natural defense mechanism aimed at preserving self-esteem and personal identity.

Interestingly, studies suggest that people are more likely to experience cognitive dissonance when they hold a strong belief about a topic. As a result, they may overlook facts that contradict their understanding, leading to embarrassing misunderstandings in social settings.

To address these moments constructively, it's essential to cultivate a mindset open to learning and correction. Embracing mistakes as opportunities for growth can alleviate the anxiety associated with cognitive dissonance. Techniques such as mindfulness and self-reflection can help individuals recognize when they're clinging to misconceptions, allowing for a more accurate understanding of the world.

Encouraging a culture of curiosity and questioning within educational settings can foster resilience and adaptability. By promoting discussions that embrace uncertainty, individuals can learn to confront their knowledge gaps without fear of judgment.

Psychological Analysis

This behavior reflects a common cognitive bias where individuals' confidence in their knowledge overshadows factual accuracy. It highlights the importance of fostering an environment that values inquiry and critical thinking, which can significantly reduce instances of misinformation.

Analysis generated by AI

Analysis & Alternative Approaches

Overall, our understanding of cognitive dissonance sheds light on why people experience such embarrassing moments. As psychological research indicates, these experiences are not merely failures but part of the human learning process. Recognizing the value in these moments can lead to greater self-awareness and improved social interactions.

Social psychologists emphasize that labeling others as 'idiots' reflects a common cognitive bias known as the fundamental attribution error. This bias leads individuals to overemphasize personal characteristics while underestimating situational factors influencing behavior.

Dr. Carol Dweck's research on mindset suggests that reframing these moments as opportunities for growth can foster more constructive interactions. By encouraging a growth mindset, individuals can shift their perspective, viewing ignorance as a chance to educate rather than criticize, thus enhancing relationships and promoting a more supportive environment.

Behavioral Analysis & Pathways Forward

Understanding the psychological principles behind our reactions to perceived ignorance can transform frustration into empathy. By recognizing cognitive biases and employing a growth mindset, we can improve our interactions and foster a more inclusive atmosphere.

Ultimately, the ability to educate rather than criticize not only benefits our relationships but also contributes to a culture of learning and understanding. Embracing these concepts can lead to personal growth and a more harmonious social environment.