Playing Dumb
If you’ve ever had a job dealing with the public in any capacity then you’ve dealt with them. Or if you’ve ever had an office job, you’ve worked with them.
Dumb People.
They’re everwhere. They walk around just like everybody else and they don’t even know they’re dumb. You see them at the grocery store buying Diet Coke and a bag of Cheetos. (One doesn’t make up for the other folks.) You see them at the gas pumps putting fuel into their BMW that they’ll soon drive back to the apartment with the notice of electricity disconnect on the door. And sometimes, when you’re really honest and really looking, you’ll see them in the mirror.
That vast horde of anonymous dumb people is populated by ordinary folks just like you and me who just either don’t have the energy or are intimidated or are a bit lazy or are just out of their territory.
In all likelihood, there is probably a guy/girl out there who tells a story in which you are the dumb idiot who makes it funny or painful.
The funny thing about us human beings is that we like to pretend that we’re more capable than we are. We’re stronger, faster, more skilled, more intelligent than we really are. We like to pretend that we’re the Andy Griffiths of the world and not the Barney Fifes. I think when it comes to intelligence we’re often more sensitive to this issue. I wonder if that’s because physical limitations are so apparent.
In most cases, just looking at a person’s build will tell you whether or not they’re stronger or weaker than you. You can’t really do that sizing up when it comes to intelligence. You can get a feel perhaps of what a person’s intellectual range is. I’m sure those who have read my stuff have a certain level of confidence that I’m not mentally handicapped or anything. But, I seriously doubt any reader who did not know me personally could guess at my exact IQ level.
But, IQ scores isn’t the tip of the ice berg when it comes to intelligence, there are lots of different types of intelligences as well as areas of knowledge. I tend to have a very analytical intellect. I am not very strong in my social intellect. Faux Pas are beyond me in many cases.
I was once at a party and one of the guests was finishing up a beer and getting ready to head outside to smoke. In an attempt to be witty I said, “So, done with one addiction and heading to the next eh?” I realized as soon as I said it, that it wasn’t really funny. It was insulting. I apologized immediately. I’m sure I’m the dumb guy in one of the stories she repeats to her friends.
So, we’re all dumb at times. Do you know what? That’s not that bad. There is a lot of advantages to being dumb. Did you know that? There was a comedian who once said that all dumb people should be given free rights to do whatever they want. That way, natural selection would take it’s course. The truth is that dumb people often get away with a lot more than their smart ass counterparts. Let me give you some examples.
Your fellow office worker isn’t getting the hang of this new spreadsheet software. The person seems totally and hopelessly lost in it. So, in an effort to help them out, you offer to take over a bit of work for the person so that you don’t have to watch them toil painfully through their work. The thing is, this person was responsible for that work. Because they are too “dumb” to work the software, they are now getting less work and you are getting more.
A cop pulls over a motorist for going over for a traffic violation. The motorist is confused and can’t understand why the officer is pulling them over and asks the offer to explain it. The officer does. The motorist is still confused. The Officer explains again. The motorist still has no clue. The Officer sees that he’s not getting anywhere and the poor motorist is just getting more confused and frustrated. So, the Officer simplifies it and says “Don’t do $BadThing.” and leaves without ticketing them. That “dumb” motorist just got out of a speeding ticket.
And, I know what some of you are thinking. Well, you should just let the dumb people deal with the problems that came to them. To a certain extent I can agree with that, but that’s not my point. My point is that they (us) get away with quite a bit for being labeled as dumb. It happens, is my point.
Here’s the great thing: Sometimes you can use that to your advantage.
I was once trying to catch a bus home. I showed up at the transit station to buy a pass for the week. Unfortunately their credit card machine didn’t work. Before I could get to the ATM and back, my bus showed up. It was a bus I couldn’t miss or else I’d be stranded with no other available rides to pick me up. So, I took an old pass and attempted to use that. When it didn’t work, I pulled the “Golly Gee, why didn’t that work.” look off. Then I “discovered” it was used up. “I swear, I had another ride on there.” I then offered to go buy a new one. The driver, who was on a schedule, took pity on the “Dumb” guy and let me ride home for free.
There are other advantages to playing dumb other than the above scenerios. I often play dumb around children because 1) it’s entertaining to them to think they can figure things out better than an adult and 2) it encourages them to figure things out on their own. I often play dumb in large social groups. It makes a person more approachable. I also play dumb at work when I’ve got a scenerio figured out and I need other people to catch up. Just telling somebody, “this is how this will work,” isn’t good for getting buy off on a project. However, if they figure it out on they’re own, they are much more invested. I also benefit in that I pick up more details along the way that help me refine the idea.
I believe my Dad is a master of this playing dumb game. To this day, I’m divided on whether he’s just a ordinary guy with a lot of field knowledge or a savant. He used to pretend scenerios with us when we were young just long enough for us figure them out. With a straight face, he’d say such things like, “I hope one of you guys has the keys to the house, I left mine in the car.” After a few moments of us panicking and then telling him how we were planning on getting in, he’d just pull the keys out of his pocket and open the door.
