Some people just really bug me.

Yesterday I had to go into a government office to re-do paperwork that I tried to turn in last week before I was terminated, and the imbecile at the desk told me "You don't need to turn in the paperwork, everything's fine!" yeah right!

Anways, I'm sitting there at the desk having to tell them EVERYTHING. I'm sure if they asked me when the last time I peed I'd have to answer honestly, or they'd say, "You're trying to defraud us!"

Okay, okay, anyways, I'm sitting there and the lady asks me, "Do you have any vehicles?" "I have a bicycle." She looks at me like I'd just told her that Geraldine Ferrarro was the President of the U.S. She looks at me like she doesn't believe what I'm saying and asks, "How do you get around with the kids???" Well, the brilliant lady had the paperwork in front of her that gave their ages: 15 years and 9 years. I answered, "They have they own bikes." (if a 15-year old and a 9-year old can't get around without their parents carrying them everywhere, their parents had NOT done them any justice.)

She still looked like she didn't believe me. And asked, "And you deliver the papers on your bike??? In the rain????" "Yeeees."

Stupid sheep. That's all most of the people around here are. Stupid sheep. They follow the crowd without thinking, if one jumps, they jump, even if there is no reason to jump. People around here think if you don't have a car then you can't get out of the house, I guess.

Sorry, stupid people really bug me. ~~Bren

Here's hoping you move on to better opportunities!



(I still can't figure out why people would rather drive somewhere when they can bike it!)

I'm glad to see someone similarly (sp?) as bitter as I am about such a large group of people- ie the general population. Stupid Sheep, I should get t-shirts ("You're nothing but a stupid sheep- so don't talk to me or even around me.")

That kind of reminds me of when I first moved away from the small town I was reared in. Everywhere I wanted to write a check they always asked me for a driver's license. I never could figure out what driving had to do with writing a check? I even told a lot of clerks that. They never seemed really all that amused.

Now that I have been out in the world for a number of years, it seems perfectly normal to need a DL to write a check. (even tho i never write checks) THe point is that people find security in doing what everyone else does. NOrmalcy generally equals correct in most places. The more I enjoy riding my bike, the more I appreciate the fact that most people don't. It is sort of like knowing a BIG secret, or having an awesome secret hideaway. It wouldn't be so great if everyone did it.

I expect the first guy to have a Motor Carriage in town was viewed as a moron as well. Certainly most of the town's folk must have all been whispering behind his back. I suspect they thought he had fallen off his rocker. It seems like autos have gotten pretty normalized despite this intial skepticism.

This person may be stupid, but just as likely, she is just plain ignorant. You can open her up to the fact that biking is a viable form of transportaion, given a respectful answere to her. Tell these people "Ylot of money, its good for my health, And it's FUN!"

I got the same disbelief, when I told a telephone surveyer that I don't own a TV.

As far as asigning Stupidity to others freely, I was tempted when I asked 4 coworkers if they knew where Egypt is. They are all "well educated". Only one knew. I think that opening up their eyes to their lack of knowledge might inspire them to pay more attension to world events, which they help shape with their votes.

All very sensible, however, I haven't been thinking sensibly as of late.

To my mind, ignorant people are stupid -- it's as simple as that. However, I agree with Iceratt, I generally try to give people respectful answers when they ask stupid questions about my cycling habits. Of course, it often leads to even stupider looks from the people, but maybe just once my message might sink in, and it that happens, it's all worth it. After all, it costs nothing to be polite.

In response to the original rant, I merely post the following Manic Street Preachers quote as a way of explanation:

"Little people in little houses like maggots small blind and worthless".

Reminds me of a line in a song by Marques Bovre and the Evil Twins:

"You've been taught to be stupid, by trivial people, all white noise and numb."

Many years ago, my brother and I were throwing back a coupla beers, complaining about work, et. al. He told me about some co-workers who weren't reading their Emails. They didn't understand it, so they figured they could ignore it. They were upset with him for daring to use something that they "couldn't", to try to communicate with them. I suggested an experiment, which, my brother being the iconoclast that he is, he actually tried. He didn't answer his phone for a coupla days. It became clear pretty quick that he was around, but not answering. When asked why, he said "oh, gee, I didn't understand what that chirping box was. So I just ignored it."

Geez I used to deliver papers on my bike, even in the rain and nobody looked at me strange of course that was 35 years ago and things were different for us kids back then weren't they? we rode our bikes everywhere and nobody looked down their noses at us. How times have changed I am glad to here that you are bring up your children to appreciate the self reliance cycling can provide a kid.

There are so many good replies to this thread.

I say, bring back the bicycle to kids and you'll save the country. Cycling kids might become cycling adults.

Remember the commercial when "Dad" shows his 4 year-old son the "Hemi" under the hood of his SUV ("SUx Volumes") and says, "Can you say, 'Hemi?'"

And the kids says, "Hemee!"

Fruitcake. What ever happened to respect for physical fitness? Don't people realize that what's under the hood amounts to nothing if you can't haul yourself up the stairs?

I too am free of the TeeVee. I got rid of my Evil Band Receiver in 1987 and never missed it.

The two most common comments I get when telling someone I do not watch The Box is:

1. "You don't have a TeeVee? What do you do at night?"

or

2. "Well, I don't watch much TeeVee myself. Just some Public TeeVee now and then."

well, i kind of understnand what you mean...

but, actually i think it has more to do with the Sheep mentality which is unfortunately "normal" for humans and a lot of not stupid people act that way.

for exmaple, in the US, through normal channels (media - TV, most newspapers, TV "news") people learn almost nothing about the world outside of the good ole USA - like Fox news - they should rename it the Propaganda service...

for example i can't count how many Americans ask me how i can live in Germany with Hitler there (i tell them he's been dead for like almost 60 years and they are confused) --- or how many Americans still think that Saddam was involved in 9/11! has that ever even been printed in a Fox news source?

unfortunately the US media is getting worse and worse and in the future Americans will have virtually no option BUT being sheep --- and a lot of marketers will be happy to sheer the sheep for all the cash... ADVERTISING tells Americans every few seconds that they should define their self-image by their cars... hey, i grew up in Texas and i bought into the scam until i was about 25 (when i was out of college and bought a new sports car and was spending almost HALF of my income on car-related expenses (car payment, insurance, parking, gas, repairs, accessories, etc.)

most of the Sheep have the potential to break out, but the pressures of advertising are VERY powerful and unfortunately getting more-so every day

It's not just in the US, the media out here is just as bad, particularly up here in Queensland. It's one of the reasons I stopped watching the news, I figured I would be better informed without all that rubbish. However, what amazes me is that nobody ever even questions the propoganda they see. I mean, it's amazing just how many holes anyone with a modicum of intelligence can pick in the average "news" or "current affairs" story.

It is for that reason I say those who follow the "sheep" mentality are stupid -- be they the majority or not.

Happy Birthday, Bren!

I am really enjoying this thread! Alot of what is said is is of my own philosophy! With regard to the news on TV I don't watch it either. Although I love movies!The reason I don't watch the news is because it never changes.

Fo example I can tell you what will be on the news 2 weeks from now - murder, ****, theft, government fraud, people killed in a horrible accident, rising prices, polluted environment, some stupid actor will pull a publicity stunt, Michael Jackson (again), bombings in some foreign country....Ah hell I guess I'll stop there.

I want to get rid of the cable TV, but my wife wont let me. Siggghhhhhh

Digger

Now there's a bunch of us together, I guess we're a herd. Baaaa.....

I too have axed the TV away back in 99' Best thing ever. I ride more than I drive, but some of my work and racing is usually hundreds of miles away. Otherwise, I commute to work via bike (36 miles round trip) or take a bus if the weather is really bad.
I understand the sheep quotes and the stupidity that surrounds us, but it isn't a "small town" phenomenon. Sometimes in the city I think they just converge and breed just to become ever more dumb. OK, that is my elitist speech for the day.
BTW, I am trying to expand my riding into bad weather and major shopping trips. Any help on this would be most appreciated. How is the BOB trailer? What about hauling it up three flights to the loft? Any other alternatives?

- Looking back on my comments, I should include that I usually try to give a simple educated answer to stupid questions or stairs. In most cases people then think I am an "intellectual snob" (no kidding), give an ever more complex look, or occasionally actually look curious. We must not shun these people just because we are enlightened to the benefits of cycling. People used to think being German was "enlightening".

It's all part of the semiotic process, as Roland Barthes suggests. We create the world we see and understand by our subscribing, intentionally or unintentionally, to that which we see, hear, and touch. We assign truth and value to everything which makes up our world every day. I think that all of you have at some moment in your lives reached a point not many will ever see; you have the ability to discern what theorists suggest is the difference between the sign and the signified: our ideas of value and truth, for example. But with this knowledge must come the understanding that many will never understand. Only 25% of any people display an ability to think critically, according to research. So is it any wonder that marketers have such a monopoly on the general population? The first thing our current president did when he entered the White House was to hire an advertising executive to work on his image as a leader. Rhetoric and semiotics are powerful things. Remember WWII?
Just rambling.

Urbanmonk

Excuse me while I do a little critical thinking here:

I'm not a social worker but I know a few. Maybe the lady was just doing her job? Vehicles have value and if I had to interview 100 people from the general population to see if they were eligible for assistance, I would be surprised to find many without a car. Also, if I was on the receiving end of an eligibility interview, I would expect questions to determine what my assets were. On the other hand, you just educated someone to the possibilities of living without a car. As to the great American Sheeple, their herd mentality & propaganda: it appears we each end up in the herd that suits us based upon the "propaganda" we buy into. Right & Left, Capitalist & Socialist, Vegetarians & Beefeaters, Hemi Heads & cyclists, we all have our propaganda. Don

What does TV have to do with anything? It seems often fashionable to chastise the TV. Why is it any worse than the computer? The very thing you are utilizing right now. I don't want to divert this thread any further, after all it was about bikes, as it should be.

However, I like television. I think a lot of being successful in this culture is being a part of it. Not only being a part of it but also being aware of it. The TV is a big part of that equation. Most of the people in this world don't have a TV. However most people that are not starving, not opressed and free, likely do.

Damn, you put it that way, and I guess I'll have to get rid of my subscription to The New York Times. But wait, then I'd never find out the latest happenings in Abkazia, Macidonia, and other places that few Americans have ever heard of( despite their relevence to world events).

Like the car, the TV belongs to my wife. Funny, she regards the computer, the way I regard her screen, as a waste time. Actually I think worse of hers. I think it's dangerous. I know, us few are so far out of mainstream, its rediculous.

I'll answere your question, then try to stay away from the TV issue forever( kidding).

TV exists in our culture to sell ideas and products of those with fantastic amounts of money and power. Usually, this reflects the products that they are hawking, and ideas that they think are Correct. To do this the media has to make TV entertaining and enticing. There is little incentive to make it anything else. I think that many people have much of their values and beliefs defined by the tube.

The computer has a lot of the same kind of trash on it, but then there are also many sites such as this one. Bikeforums has as much in common with TV as a Marvel Comic has in common with a good book.

That's just my oppinion. Most of the people that I know, respect, and love, watch TV. I just think they'd be better off without it.

I've only just heard that we've got a state election in Queensland. Apparently it's tomorrow! Apart from that, I don't think any of the headlines have changed here since last December.