My "Stupidity is the new Normal" theory

[Redundant]

Sorry but I'm living this theory these days, and it needs airing, if only for the sake of my sanity.   Back in the dark mists of May I mentioned I was about to make myself redundant, in the true sense, that is.   In reality of course the true culprit is the evil trolls at head office.   In May they asked me how long it would take to close down the two companies I manage, I said December at the earliest so they "made" me redundant in September.   I'm still here, or there, depending on your point of view.   Now it looks as though the situation will continue, probably until the end of March at least.

So were does "Stupidity is the new normal" fit it?   Well firstly it's mainly stupidity that has enabled the situation to continue, that and empire builders who apparently work mainly with sand, but that's not the true "Stupidity is the new normal" moment.   That moment occurs when I become the bad bugger for mentioning just how stupid it has been.   That moment occurs when I am so ungrateful that I won't take a fifty percent reduction in my continuing salary as, and I quote; "I won't have that much to do".

"Stupidity is the new normal" comes not from the reality that humanity is essentially on a one way journey to idiotic oblivion, hopefully at the hands of Artificial Intelligence we create, but from the reality that it is now wrong to challenge stupidity, or even to point it out.   When the idiot in the shop overcharges you, because they can no longer count and the till does it for them, and the button for the purchase of a television is too close to the button for a tin of beans, he or she is not the bad guy; you are for pointing out your cooker isn't big enough to cook the Television, and that you prefer Heinz anyway.

When the idiot comes to fit the replacement glazing and it doesn't fit, and they seem puzzled because they are sure they measured twice, they are not the bad guys.   You are the bad guy for pointing out that they possibly should have measured the right window, i.e. the one that doesn't have any glass in it, as opposed to the one that already does.

And that's why "Stupidity is the new normal".
 

[Mince]

I have to admit that in the last decade, and the last year or so in particular, I have re-evaluated much of what I would now consider stupidity on my part, and as a result I don't waste a penny on stupid corporations, especially water companies, or on dvds, cds, or on brands, or on anything that might be a stupid waste of my time or money. But I'm not there yet: so I guess we're all stupid to a degree. Having said that, you're probably talking about "monumental jaw-dropping stupidity".

[Redundant]

I have to admit that in the last decade, and the last year or so in particular, I have re-evaluated much of what I would now consider stupidity on my part, and as a result I don't waste a penny on stupid corporations, especially water companies, or on dvds, cds, or on brands, or on anything that might be a stupid waste of my time or money. But I'm not there yet: so I guess we're all stupid to a degree. Having said that, you're probably talking about "monumental jaw-dropping stupidity".

It's not the stupidity itself, that's identifiable in virtually every area these days, it's the acceptance that this level of stupidity is now normal.   The meek haven't inherited the earth, the idiots have.

[Mince]

Oh, don't worry. Watch out for your own stupidity, maximise your happiness and wealth, and let others be stupid if they want to. You could always resort to sarcasm when necessary.

[Redundant]

Oh, don't worry. Watch out for your own stupidity, maximise your happiness and wealth, and let others be stupid if they want to. You could always resort to sarcasm when necessary.

Dude, I would love to let them be stupid, but there's a voice in the back of my head that insists "tell them they're stupid".   It may have something to do with not being stupid, equally I suspect the neatly lined-up pens, pencils and notepad on my desk may be a factor.  Throw in the fact that newly hung pictures [thanks again Roger] get checked with a mini spirit level and you may start to formulate a reason for my frustration.

Anyway, I don't object to their stupidity, I object to being the bad guy for pointing it out, particularly when it's rabid stupidity.   The other day my wife couldn't get served in a shop, their electricity had failed and thus the tills were inoperable.   They could get them open but they couldn't do the calculations between cost and change.   On the positive side my Grandson is pretty smart, so if the timing is right he could end up World Emperor...

[Roger Kettle]

And then there are some of us who have made a career out of being stupid!
Actually, Red, I'm in your corner. The Red corner, if you like. I'm extending your argument SLIGHTLY, but what really gets to me these days is the attention, coverage and importance placed on the mind-numbingly trivial. A few months back, several newspapers ran a photograph of a celebrity sneezing. I kid you not. When I say "celebrity", I mean someone who has appeared  on a TV soap or one of those "reality" shows. One of these newspapers decided that the photo merited a slot on the front page. Now, I've worked in the tabloids for a long time and I fully understand how they work but it seems to me that, in the last few years, they've given up on any pretence of providing even the tiniest piece of meaningful information. On a similar theme, I find myself swearing at the TV when I hear almost any actor/actress being interviewed. They talk about the three months of "sheer hell" they went through while preparing for their role in the latest crap movie they've just made (while picking up $30,000,000 in their luxury on-set trailer). I refer them to the real world.
I've made a living out of being trivial. There is NOTHING important about what I do. It's MEANT to be trivial and a quick laugh, hopefully, is all I'm going for. There may well be comic strips that will stand up to intellectual analysis but mine ain't among them. I'm proud to be trivial!

[Mince]

There may well be comic strips that will stand up to intellectual analysis but mine ain't among them. I'm proud to be trivial!

Many of us would not characterise Beau Peep as trivial. I agree you have a cushy job and therefore little to complain about, just as film stars do, but that does not make you or them any less talented. Of course, it all depends on one's perspective: after all, if I was as utterly unable to cut and paste as you are (how many laptop screens and glue pots have you been through so far?), I'd have to consider ritual suicide to avoid the dishonour of looking like a dunce.

[Redundant]

And then there are some of us who have made a career out of being stupid!

Sorry to ruin your day but what you do is anything but stupid, I'd argue that you make a living making use of and highlighting stupidity, and there's a big difference.   I agree with you on the tabloids and news in general, "not news" has become news, I don't know where they are putting the real news.   I don't remember the last time I bought a newspaper, I gave it up after cutting out the parts I wanted to read, i.e. news stories, and realising I had less than three pages from a total of thirty-four.   Nor do I watch television, I like the idea of putting "celebrities" into a jungle, I have issues with bringing them back again, I think expulsions from any reality programme should include a cliff, and I can see all the body fat I want to, and too much more, just looking down.

But I do not deny any human being their right to stupidity, I just wish there were not so many eager to sign up

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

People who use the word "anniversary" to describe events that happen on a non-annual basis. "It was our one month anniversary yesterday!". No, it bloody wasn't!

Almost worse - people who remark on annual events with a correct usage of 'anniversary', but insist on using the word "year" in doing so. "Tomorrow is our three-year anniversary." 
It's your third anniversary, Matey! We know they're counted in years... well, apart from those who mark them in months... weeks... days... hours... ******* nanoseconds... 

[Mince]

If we're onto pet hates then . . . packaging.

Options Hot Chocolate using curved pots to con us, since the 'settled' contents leave the blue part of the pot empty. Look at the pot and imaging just the brown part: that's all you get, and it's the slender part of the pot.

[Mince]

And people who say things like "a present for Jack and I", as though "a present for I" makes any damned sense at all.

[Mince]

And the Daily Mail.

[Bilthehut]

Just remember

 "Common sense isn't".

[Mince]

My dad always said to me: "Ignore my advice." It's been stressing me out ever since. 

[Redundant]

Well I see we hit a nerve or two!   Favourite quote about common sense; "Common sense is like deodorant, those who need it the most rarely use it".

As promised, an update on the Redundancy redundancy, which has now been extended to March 31st 2016.   Taking into account the eventual redundancy payment that will mean a redundancy period of over a year, from an initial three months.   Good news both financially and in terms of finding a decent alternative.   Bad news only being confirmation that "Stupidity is indeed the new normal" but that's hardly breaking news [no sneezing for a start].

I find myself hoping that when the archaeologists of the future [be they of human descent or other] start digging around they go a lot deeper than to the remains of our current civilisation, "Homo Moronus"