Thick as two short planks

Dumb as a box of rocks.
That was the first one that popped into my head. It's the most offensive insult to one's intelligence I can think of. Maybe because the first time I heard it, I saw a guy say that to a woman at a public meeting. It was so surreal at the time that I had the feeling I was among a bunch of crazy people. It should have been easy to discount the remark because the guy that said it was a slobbering drunk, just keeping his balance, but it added to the dreamlike circumstances.
 
A good Scottish saying... "Heid the baw". This probably derives from suffering a head injury from 'heading' an old style heavy leather football.
(possibly similar to injuries suffered by boxers) Hence being a 'right heid the baw' is to be 'not quite all there'.

Another good saying to suggest that someone is out of their mind (often due to drugs or alcohol) is "Wired to the moon" .
 
This thread troubled me the first time that I read it and it has taken me some time to pin down exactly why I felt that way.

At some level, having fun at the expense of people who are mentally challenged is remarkably similar to having fun at the expense of people who are overweight. If fat shaming is in poor taste, so is making fun of people who are mentally challenged. There are many, many reasons that people may be mentally challenged including the fact that they may have been born that way, or they may have been exposed to lead poisoning, or they may have suffered from malnutrition, or they may be dealing with dementia, or a host of other things.

This thread made me reflect on the times, in my younger/dumber years, when I laughed at the expense of someone who was saddled with a challenge that they did not have any ability to change. I regret having done so and like to believe that it has been many years since I have mocked disadvantaged people. Mocking people who are disabled, short, overweight, not attractive, or socially awkward are among the many things that we should be very careful about. This is especially important when we interact with our children and grandchildren.

How are we to teach empathy to the next generation if we do not exhibit it in our own actions and words?

I have seen young teens who feel entitled to make mocking references toward the mentally challenged, old people, and a host of persons who have to deal with a wide range of disadvantages. Where did they learn that this was OK?

Well clearly, they learned it from us.

I am always pleased to shop at the one local supermarket that employs so many mentally challenged people. There they are doing their jobs, happy to be there and very polite and helpful to shoppers. I make it a point to engage them in dialogue any time the opportunity presents itself. I find that I am proud of them for leading productive live.

We have all done it and I am no exception; it is not something that I am proud of.
 
This thread troubled me the first time that I read it and it has taken me some time to pin down exactly why I felt that way.

At some level, having fun at the expense of people who are mentally challenged is remarkably similar to having fun at the expense of people who are overweight. If fat shaming is in poor taste, so is making fun of people who are mentally challenged. There are many, many reasons that people may be mentally challenged including the fact that they may have been born that way, or they may have been exposed to lead poisoning, or they may have suffered from malnutrition, or they may be dealing with dementia, or a host of other things.

This thread made me reflect on the times, in my younger/dumber years, when I laughed at the expense of someone who was saddled with a challenge that they did not have any ability to change. I regret having done so and like to believe that it has been many years since I have mocked disadvantaged people. Mocking people who are disabled, short, overweight, not attractive, or socially awkward are among the many things that we should be very careful about. This is especially important when we interact with our children and grandchildren.

How are we to teach empathy to the next generation if we do not exhibit it in our own actions and words?

I have seen young teens who feel entitled to make mocking references toward the mentally challenged, old people, and a host of persons who have to deal with a wide range of disadvantages. Where did they learn that this was OK?

Well clearly, they learned it from us.

I am always pleased to shop at the one local supermarket that employs so many mentally challenged people. There they are doing their jobs, happy to be there and very polite and helpful to shoppers. I make it a point to engage them in dialogue any time the opportunity presents itself. I find that I am proud of them for leading productive live.

We have all done it and I am no exception; it is not something that I am proud of.
Wow. QFT. Thankyou, Pecos, for your insight. A teachable moment. I made a facetious comment in this thread, never considering whom I was truly targeting. I am ashamed, I should have known better. Now, I do.
 
Last edited:
This thread troubled me the first time that I read it and it has taken me some time to pin down exactly why I felt that way.

At some level, having fun at the expense of people who are mentally challenged is remarkably similar to having fun at the expense of people who are overweight. If fat shaming is in poor taste, so is making fun of people who are mentally challenged. There are many, many reasons that people may be mentally challenged including the fact that they may have been born that way, or they may have been exposed to lead poisoning, or they may have suffered from malnutrition, or they may be dealing with dementia, or a host of other things.

This thread made me reflect on the times, in my younger/dumber years, when I laughed at the expense of someone who was saddled with a challenge that they did not have any ability to change. I regret having done so and like to believe that it has been many years since I have mocked disadvantaged people. Mocking people who are disabled, short, overweight, not attractive, or socially awkward are among the many things that we should be very careful about. This is especially important when we interact with our children and grandchildren.

How are we to teach empathy to the next generation if we do not exhibit it in our own actions and words?

I have seen young teens who feel entitled to make mocking references toward the mentally challenged, old people, and a host of persons who have to deal with a wide range of disadvantages. Where did they learn that this was OK?

Well clearly, they learned it from us.

I am always pleased to shop at the one local supermarket that employs so many mentally challenged people. There they are doing their jobs, happy to be there and very polite and helpful to shoppers. I make it a point to engage them in dialogue any time the opportunity presents itself. I find that I am proud of them for leading productive live.

We have all done it and I am no exception; it is not something that I am proud of.
@Pecos while I didn’t contribute to this thread, I also didn’t take offense, primarily because it never occurred to me that it’s targeting the mentally disadvantaged or challenged.

I read all the responses simply as comments about those who lack common sense. I never took it any other way, and therefore agreed with much of what was said, due to my own frustration with otherwise intelligent folks who just exhibit little to no sound, practical judgment in every day matters. That basic ability to perceive, understand and judge is shared by the majority, hence the word “common” in the phrase “common sense.”

I’m not disagreeing with or challenging you, @Pecos, Just offering another perspective for those who read your response and felt ashamed, like @Shalimar, who is one of the kindest and most empathetic people I’ve ever known.
 
Ronni, thankyou so much for your kind words, I am touched. Hugs. I am rather strict with myself around some things. I am in the compassion business, dealing with people who experience enormous emotional distress. It is incumbent upon me to be very careful what I

say. Triggers can be set off in an instant with often catastrophic results. Pecos comment was a valuable lesson in that regard. Sometimes, a little shame is appropriate. Transitory, but effective. ♥️
 
Well done Pecos. Here is my take on this post, if i may.

People process information differently. Some are quick some are slow. Who are we to judge, just walk away. Some are quick in spinning jokes at others and those who are serious take time in understanding the other persons intent. Back in the day, we had bullies but not as bad as it is today. Looking at children who bully other kids, its so obvious where they inherited those traits from. Serious damage is done due to this.
 
This thread troubled me the first time that I read it and it has taken me some time to pin down exactly why I felt that way.

At some level, having fun at the expense of people who are mentally challenged is remarkably similar to having fun at the expense of people who are overweight. If fat shaming is in poor taste, so is making fun of people who are mentally challenged. There are many, many reasons that people may be mentally challenged including the fact that they may have been born that way, or they may have been exposed to lead poisoning, or they may have suffered from malnutrition, or they may be dealing with dementia, or a host of other things.

This thread made me reflect on the times, in my younger/dumber years, when I laughed at the expense of someone who was saddled with a challenge that they did not have any ability to change. I regret having done so and like to believe that it has been many years since I have mocked disadvantaged people. Mocking people who are disabled, short, overweight, not attractive, or socially awkward are among the many things that we should be very careful about. This is especially important when we interact with our children and grandchildren.

How are we to teach empathy to the next generation if we do not exhibit it in our own actions and words?

I have seen young teens who feel entitled to make mocking references toward the mentally challenged, old people, and a host of persons who have to deal with a wide range of disadvantages. Where did they learn that this was OK?

Well clearly, they learned it from us.

I am always pleased to shop at the one local supermarket that employs so many mentally challenged people. There they are doing their jobs, happy to be there and very polite and helpful to shoppers. I make it a point to engage them in dialogue any time the opportunity presents itself. I find that I am proud of them for leading productive live.

We have all done it and I am no exception; it is not something that I am proud of.
Thank you Pecos!
 


Back
Top