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MerryMelody-Symphony , Pixabay / pexels Report

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I talked about this before and will until the end of days because this man deserves to be shamed.

A 23 year-old man, who had the right to vote, who had a driving license, who had a job, and could get married and start a family...

THOUGHT PEOPLE WERE HANGING THE MOON IN THE SKY.

Like, the moon, Earth's natural satellite, was being hung on the sky like... a painting on a wall?

I'm still reeling over that one. This man had gone to school, had a formal education and was actually going to college. He *learned* about that in primary school!

And the kicker? I was the one to explain it to him, because I was his girlfriend at the time.

And let me tell you, things unraveled real fast when I started paying attention and saw through the smokescreen.

Dude was willfully ignorant, and bone-dead stupid on top of it. He was really, really good at hiding it.

I dropped him like the mess he was and dived into more and more books to compensate the loss of brain matter I suffered from going out with him.

Final score:

325points

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Nikole 2 months ago

This would make me feel as though I were going crazy, as stupidity usually does.

102points

WeAreAllBetty , Amina Filkins / pexels Report

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I had to explain to my mom that my daughter was growing in my uterus and not my stomach so the hot sauce on my burrito wasn’t going to cause her skin burns. I also explained if she were growing in my stomach, my stomach would certainly cause way worse burns than hot sauce.
It was then that I understood why the school nurse had to explain to me in 5th grade why I kept bleeding through my pants every month at school, and not my mom.

Final score:

318points

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CL 2 months ago

This is very sad.

236points

Katastrophiser , Los Muertos Crew / pexels Report

Whether it’s at a party, at work, or during a casual conversation, we’ve all encountered situations where someone asks something that makes you want to pause and question the state of human knowledge.

Here’s the thing: asking questions isn’t bad—part and parcel of development and learning. None of us are born with all the knowledge in the world, and curiosity is an essential part of our lives. There are times, however, that people ask questions that seem to defy basic logic or common knowledge.

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I worked tech support for an internet provider a few years back.

A woman calls in, complaining her wifi isn’t working.

Go through the normal troubleshooting questions, what’s your device, how are you connected, and finally “what can you see on your screen?”

Crazy woman (CW): it’s black

Me: how do you mean? Are you getting errors?

CW: the whole screen is black.

Me: have you turned the laptop on?

CW: I can’t.

Me: …. Why not?

CW: I’ve lost the charging cable

Me: ok…uh, do you have another device I can help you connect with? Maybe a tablet or your phone?

CW: no, you need to get the laptop reconnected.

Me: …can you go and buy another charging cable?

CW: no, you need to send me one.

Me: we don’t supply them…also we didn’t supply you with your laptop, we just provide internet

CW: yes, and now you’re not providing me internet, so you need to fix it

40 mins this went on, as my team around me stared in incoherent disbelief that this woman couldn’t understand why her internet provider couldn’t connect wifi to a computer with now power.

I remember hanging up the phone and putting myself on break. My manager looked at me and told me to take a walk, while barely hiding her unrestrained giggles.

Final score:

285points

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Andy Cran 2 months ago

know someone who was getting free use of a nextdoor neighbour's WiFi (all agreed and known) then said they didn't need it anymore as they now had access to a family member's netflix acc who lived miles away,I tried to explain that's not how it works but they wouldn't have it

100points

Pirate-Legitimate , scan by F l a n k e r / Wikipedia Report

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I was picking up Italian Liras one time (1999 - pre Euros) from a bank in Tennessee. The teller brought me the envelope. When I opened it to count the money, she looked at me with total surprise and asked, “Do other countries have different money?” A bank teller. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Final score:

284points

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ZuriLovesYou 2 months ago

*Hyperventilates*

96points

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That her power was shut off because she didn't pay her electric bill for three straight months, and the letters on neon yellow paper from the power company were sent to warn her of this happening.

She thought she was legally entitled to free electricity because "it's a requirement for human survival."

Edit to add: She wasn't in need. She worked a very well-paying job, and she enjoyed shopping for expensive things. This was *not* one of those situations where she needed assistance or mercy. She needed a foot lodged firmly in the backside, and the power company put on its boots.

Anything-Happy , Kelly / pexels Report

Final score:

272points

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Nikole 2 months ago

Ha!

61points

Affectionate-Owl183 , Tima Miroshnichenko / pexels Report

You might find yourself sitting in a meeting when someone asks if the office will be open on Christmas Day—despite it being a national holiday. Or you may even be engaging in a conversation with one of your friends who, out of nowhere, asks whether brown cows give brown milk. You cannot help but blink at these questions, wondering what planet you are on.

But before we jump to conclusions, it is worth analyzing what makes such questions possible in the first place. There are situations where people are just credulous or ignorant about certain things. It could be, somehow, they never got the opportunity to know it, or perhaps they’ve been given wrong information.

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult (from a vet tech)

1) That the ticks on a male dog were actually nipples...and that male dogs have nipples...just like every other mammal.
2) That a rabbit that clearly has visible testicles was a male.
3) That you cannot feed an animal that is strictly a carnivore (a ferret, fyi) a "vegan" diet (that thing so SO sick when it came in).
4) That yes, when you have two animals (same species) of opposite genders in the house and they aren't spayed/neutered...they will breed. Even if they're mother/son, brother/sister, different ages, different sizes, different breeds, etc. You'd be shocked at how many people "didn't think this would happen". O_o Like...do you understand biology at all?

Final score:

272points

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ToasterBoy 2 months ago

☹️ those poor animals!!

142points

miz_moon , Sora Shimazaki / pexels Report

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult We cannot hold period blood in

Final score:

268points

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ZuriLovesYou 2 months ago (edited)

I wish we could.

117points

Mission_Literature44 , Cup of Couple / pexels Report

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult Africa is a continent and not a country

Final score:

252points

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Nikole 2 months ago

Say it louder for the people in the back

164points

CourtSenior5085 , Sora Shimazaki / pexels Report

Other times, it could be possible they are nervous or distracted, leading them to ask something they’d usually know the answer to. We’ve all had those moments when we asked something we later realized was a bit silly. Let’s say you finally get to see your sports idol, and out of excitement, you ask rather silly questions like, “Do you like sports?”

#10

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I had to explain to a friend of mine who had grown up with me that no you cannot vote for Trump in the Australian election. He is not a candidate for anything here.

Final score:

251points

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Dusty's mom 2 months ago

Count your blessings!

277points

candlestick_maker76 , Ketut Subiyanto / pexels Report

#11

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I hope this isn't too racy for this sub...

I had to explain to a grown (college-educated!) adult that no, a**l sex does not "cause" AIDS. That no, if both parties are HIV-negative, they cannot "create" AIDS by engaging in this activity. NO, Daniel, that's not how viruses work!

Final score:

247points

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Andy Cran 2 months ago (edited)

but it does make your eyes water,so I'm informed

68points

rosiewayffu , Samson Bush / pexels Report

#12

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult Why a room below sea level on a cruise ship would not have a balcony

Final score:

244points

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Andy Cran 2 months ago

not an open balcony at least you'd get slightly wet

76points

blueschists , Unknown author / Wikipedia Report

What’s more interesting is how many people are afraid to ask questions because they don’t want to appear stupid. The fear of looking foolish in front of others can stop us from seeking out the knowledge we need. In a way, this fear can be more damaging than asking an ‘obvious’ question. It hinders us from learning, growing, and understanding the world better.

#13

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That the aztecs and incans are not interchangeable, they were in completely different parts of the americas, and that neither of them built the nazca lines. but especially not the aztecs, who were not in f*****g peru

this person kept trying to tell me it was "up to interpretation" like no its not!!! its geography

Final score:

244points

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Nikole 2 months ago

PIP! (Pizarro, Incas, Peru) CAM! (Cortes, Aztecs, Mexico)

238points

Aquashinez , cottonbro studio / pexels Report

#14

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult Volunteered in a charity shop. Lady came to the counter with a top and asked if I could look in the back for one of the same colour but a larger size. Tried to explain we don't do that because we're a charity shop. She insisted that other shops, like H&M, have done that for her. Wouldn't take no for an answer.

Eventually I just went in the back for a few minutes, made a cup of tea for a co-worker, and came out saying we don't have any. She got mad at that too.

Final score:

238points

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Andy Cran 2 months ago

more common than you'd think

74points

AWL_cow , RDNE Stock project / pexels Report

#15

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult When I was 19, I explained to a middle-aged woman that Jesus was not blonde haired, blue eyed, spoke English and from America.

Final score:

236points

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SmooshyFries 2 months ago

Well as a little girl, I believed God wore Levi jeans, flip flops, had shoulder length dark shaggy hair and wore an orange Coors Beer t-shirt. Nooo idea where I came up with that

107points

ItBeginsAndEndsInYou , Gustavo Fring / pexels Report

Consider a situation where you’re new at a job, and during the orientation, the presenter talks about “the cloud.” You know you came across the phrase some weeks ago, but you can’t place what it implies.

Everyone around you seems to know, so you hesitate to ask for clarification. Now since you were afraid to ask, it could potentially lead to bigger misunderstandings later on.

#16

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult When I worked at a doctors clinic, I had a lady on the phone wanting to book an appointment to have her flu shot. She specifically asked it to be a telephone appointment.

I could not believe that I had to explain to her that we cannot inject her through the phone.

Final score:

234points

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Nikole 2 months ago

Obviously not. She needs to have an online appointment for that.

138points

Realistic-Most-5751 , Pixabay / pexels Report

#17

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That the earth was bigger than the moon. Long story short- this was the beginning of the end of our marriage. He and I had an argument in front of the kids the entire five hour drive. He was telling the kids how stupid I was to correct daddy.

Omfg

Final score:

222points

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ZuriLovesYou 2 months ago

I'm glad you're not married to him anymore.

164points

AntibellumMoon , Anete Lusina / pexels Report

#18

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I had to explain to 2 teenage girls (15 and 16) that the reason the candle went out was because they put the glass lid back on it's jar. 1 of them said that fire can only be put out with water. I explained that fire needs oxygen and putting the lid back on it cut the supply. When they didnt understand after explaining a few times I had to explain it to them like toddlers. "Fire is hungry, so it eats the air. When all the air is gone, it goes to sleep. Bye bye fire." The double "ohhhh" was too much.

P.S. The look on their mama's face was so funny. She turned to me, threw her hands up, and said "I've failed." In the most defeated tone. That poor woman.

Edit: I would like to point out that we did, in fact, have a serious talk to these girls about proper fire safety, and when to NOT use water on an open fire.

Final score:

213points

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Robin Roper 2 months ago

Two sheltered teens ask me in front of their mother if they could get HIV from a toilet seat. I explained to them that yes, it was possible but the following would have to happen: 1. a person with HIV would have to leave body fluid (blood, semen, blood, a**l fluid, or breast milk) on a toilet seat. Then, they with an open wound on their buttocks, or lady parts would have to, use the toilet in such a way that the still wet body fluid would come into contact with the open wound. I pointed out that if the open wound was on the buttock this wouldn't be difficult but if the open wound were on their lady parts, flexibility and dexterity would be required. I then asked them, if they entered a stall and saw wet body fluid on the seat, would they still use that toilet including straddling the seat so that their lady parts were touching or would they go to a different toilet. They said, they would not use that toilet. I could tell the mom was paying attention as well - she had no idea.

137points

ooOJuicyOoo , Helena Lopes / pexels Report

In reality, making requests, even the simplest ones, should be allowed and even encouraged. It’s easy to forget that at some point, everyone was ignorant of something.

The person who doesn’t know what the cloud is might be an expert in a completely different field, with knowledge you don’t possess. We all have gaps in our understanding, and the only way to fill them is by asking questions.

#19

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That dogs are artificially bred, and that there aren't wild golden retrievers, wild chihuahuas, and wild Maltese just running about that we're catching to make into pets.

Final score:

211points

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Skye Ragsdale 2 months ago

But wouldn't that be hilarious. I'm picturing a pack of wild chihuahuas bounding madly through the desert 😆

305points

Mysterious_Silver381 , Pixabay / pexels Report

#20

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That you can still get pregnant with the woman on top 🤦🏻‍♀️ "gravity doesn't work like that!"

Final score:

204points

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Andy Cran 2 months ago

and brown babies do not come from having anàl.....yep seriously I kid you not

130points

#21

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult My husband had to explain to a co-worker that she couldn’t take a train from the U.S. to Europe. She insisted she had to because she didn’t like flying.

Munchkin-M , Pixabay / pexels Report

Final score:

201points

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Nikole 2 months ago

But what if the train is put on a boat, hmmm??

90points

VelvetWhisperer12 , Ksenia Chernaya / pexels Report

As a matter of fact, these are some of the most successful people in the world; they got to where they are today because they did not care how crazy the questions they posed were. It is the quest for answers—for more information, more detail—that fosters purpose and new ideas.

#22

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That no matter how much you might want to put a camo pattern on your walls, you (not the paint) have to determine what that pattern looks like and you will also have to purchase multiple cans of paint tinted differently because "camo" doesn't come out of a can that way.

Final score:

194points

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Andy Cran 2 months ago

nor does checkered or tartan (plaid for you US folks I believe) paint along with left-handed screwdrivers and be wary of being sent for a long weight (wait) and never I repeat never go looking for the golden rivet on a ship

79points

annotatedkate , Krisztina Papp / pexels Report

#23

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I had to explain to a restaurant worker that eggs are not dairy. Chickens do not have mammary glands. Someone who is allergic to dairy can eat eggs and chicken. Mayonnaise, containing eggs and oil, is therefore not dairy.

She was looking at me like I was the stupid one, the whole time.

Final score:

190points

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Trish Sullivan 2 months ago

I think a lot of people think eggs are dairy, because that's where you find them in the store.

179points

Reasonable-Cat5767 , sergey mishakov / pexels Report

#24

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That each country does not, in fact, have its own sun.

Final score:

182points

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Pill Nathan Whitely 2 months ago

Oh yeah? Well how come some countries are hotter and some are colder then, huh? Betcha didn't think of that, didja?

163points

Even if a question seems silly at first, it’s better to ask and learn than to remain ignorant. Life is full of mysteries, big and small, and the only way to solve them is by staying curious and never being afraid to ask.

#25

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I was amazed in my old workplace how many young adults, like early 20s or so, couldn't tell the time from the wall clock.

KindHermit , Caio / pexels Report

Final score:

182points

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Pill Nathan Whitely 2 months ago

Well it's all roundsy with multiple sticks pointing in multiple directions an' numbers an' stuff...

63points

The Phantom Stranger 2 months ago

Well the little stick is pointing at the VII, and the bigger stick is pointing at the IX (pronounced Vye and Icks).

11points

Ruben Schelstraete 2 months ago

All the analog clocks have been removed in the nearby hospital. They even did not replace them with digital ones. Use your "smart-tech". So frustrating.

3points

Salty_Sasquatch 2 months ago

Unfortunately kids and young adults are used to using their phones to tell the time.

2points

Rebecca Petersen 2 months ago

🤣

2points

Happy Onion 2 months ago

Yes! Had one girl with the audicity to say, "I blame the schools". I asked how old she was. She was 23. I said, "You've been out of school for 5 years. You've had lots of opportunity. I blame you." Cue shocked Pikachu face.

14points

SDLT010 2 months ago

I'm only 13 and even I was taught that s**t in elementary school.

13points

tresgatos72 2 months ago

My current 6th and 7th grade students can't, either. They also can't read cursive and many can't tie their own shoes. *facepalm* 🙄

11points

Julie S 2 months ago

I worked with a 20 something who couldn't tie her shoe laces. Even her younger siblings tried to teach her but she couldn't do it.

6points

Bookworm 2 months ago

I learned to read cursive from the illustrations in Dinotopia, not from school. Still can't read it well or do a real signature.

0points

Rayne OfSalt 2 months ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Lyone Fein 2 months ago

Aren't they supposed to learn to do this in kindergarten?

8points

Upstaged75 2 months ago

Not anymore. I tutored 1st graders who had no idea how to read it. I taught them by drawing on a small plastic clock with a dry erase marker. Mostly they just wanted to know how many minutes until lunch/recess. :)

5points

Captain Kyra 2 months ago

The wall clock being analog? I read the analog clocks at work for the young adults frequently. I offer to teach them, no one has taken me up on it yet.

6points

ZuriLovesYou 2 months ago

😭

6points

Ashlie Ann 2 months ago

They don't teach that in a lot of schools apparently. 🤷

5points

Mistletoe 2 months ago

No, they do. It's in every math book for first in second grade.

2points

2late4me 2 months ago

And very soon, we will have an entire US population that not only can not read an analog clock but also not be able to read cursive. Where is that Rosetta Stone?

4points

Andy Frobig 2 months ago

The clock is supposed to tell time, but it doesn't say a word no matter how many times I ask

4points

Caia Calabrese 2 months ago

The USA has a serious educational problem.

4points

Leading_Gold 2 months ago

That and many other things. Im American.

6points

Teutonic Disaster 2 months ago

I was (and still am) amazed/shocked at how many of my fellow germans, those around the age of 20-25 that is, struggle so hard with the English language. For context, we start having english as a 2nd language in like 5th grade, go to school for at least another 5 years (most for longer) AND it's pretty much mandatory the whole way through. AND it's, at least IMHO, a lot easier to learn than french, spanish or russian for example (unless you grew up bilingual with those, obviously).

4points

Roland Nijveld 2 months ago

It's because everything is in German. Even Hollywood movies. In the Netherlands we subtitle everything not in Dutch so we can learn a lot from it.

3points

Ella H 2 months ago

I blame the dubbing culture in Germany and my homecountry Austria. Everything is dubbed, every movie, every show, and there is a lot of German content online. I really believe that this makes a big difference.

1point

nottheactualphoto 2 months ago

English is at least a Germanic language. None of those others are.

0points

[>.<]/ 2 months ago

Well, we, 40 to 50 year olds, are the ones not teaching them aren't we?

4points

Debby Keir 2 months ago

There is a test for Alzheimers/stroke diagnosis, where the 'patient' draws a clock showing a specific time. With some conditions, numbers are missing, in the wrong order, or crammed into a small space. Unfortunately, many younger people are now drawing a digital clock, which totally negates the test.

3points

Boris Mohar 2 months ago

The other day a younger person told me that the time was ten minutes to four thirty. Technically correct.

2points

Highball Drink 2 months ago

That and cursive are disappearing, in a few generations that will be historical knowledge.

1point

Mistletoe 2 months ago

Kids are taught to tell time in first and second grade. They can tell time. These same kids get to high school and claim they can't tell time. Did they forget their potty training too?

1point

Lowrider 56 2 months ago

My step daughter is 26 years old and she can't understand what 4:45 is. I explain that it means 15 minutes before 5. She still doesn't get it.

1point

Bgray450 2 months ago

Or make change without the cash register telling them how much.

1point

Johnny McFearless 2 months ago

I am 38, and I always stand in front of those awful clocks reading them and calculating, and often getting it wrong. I am not generally stupid, I am just clock-disabled.

1point

Florence O'Grady 2 months ago

If no one in their family taught them, I'm not surprised.

1point

Marissa D 1 week ago

This annoys me. I'm 18, and I can tell time from an analog clock just fine. It's not hard, guys, c'mon

0points

Learner Panda 2 weeks ago

Which leads to not knowing what clockwise is. Dumbing down to righty tighty and lefty loosey. I despaired at that point.

0points

Jen Nunyabiz 1 month ago

I don't think reading analog clocks is an item on the tests that determine school funding. Parents have to fill in the gaps. But they don't have time either cuz everyone's either working or shuttling kids to after school activities.

0points

Abbie Tan 2 months ago

Because they grew I'm a digital world. In 1990's HS kids couldn't an analog clock.

0points

Zann S Massie 2 months ago

That's scary..

0points

MacintoshID 2 months ago

It is shocking how many of the younger generations were not taught how to read a clock or watch with hands. They grew up with cell phones or digital devices that told the time in numbers.

0points

Rosemary Stephen 2 months ago

i knew one who thought 17.00 meant it was 7pm had no clue at all how to tell time with a 24 hour clock

0points

Uncle Schmickle 2 months ago

" When the big hand is on number ... and the little hand is on number ... " etc.

0points

Laura Mitchell 2 months ago

My now adult daughter learned how to tell time from a clock that ran backward with a backward face. She did fine.

0points

Karen Bryan 2 months ago

Old lady here. I hate digital watches. My simple analog will outlive me.

0points

Thomas Schwarting 2 months ago

Sorry state this world (generation) is in when they're unable to tell time unless it's in digital format! THIS will be the next generation to take care of us older folks? I hope I'm dead before THAT happens!

0points

Sofia Carlson 2 months ago

They probably don't know the months of the year in order and can't write in cursive.

0points

Liz Butt 2 months ago

That is not uncommon. They are so used to digital watches that they don't know how to read a clock face.

0points

Ge Po 2 months ago

Depending on whether they mostly use the 2x12 or 1x24 system, I do get it. Because, why is 15:00 three on the clock? And why is --:45 three quarters?

0points

Nancy Parker 2 months ago

I remarked to the nurse giving me the basic mental screening questions that by the time the younger generation got old, "draw a clock" would get you something entirely different.

0points

Pamela Christie 2 months ago

They're not taught this in school anymore, and their parents (who probably can't read an analog clock either) haven't taught them at home. It's probably one of those skills that's going to go the way of the sun dial, as it's just not needed any longer.

0points

Pam McDougall 2 months ago

They have no idea why there are hands on a clock. Wearing a watch with a clock face does not mean that person can tell time on the watch.

0points

Ray Perkins 2 months ago

Wife had a co-worker in her travel agency that couldn't read a clock. I can see that more likely now, but that was 30 years ago.

0points

Nykky 2 months ago

It amazes me how many people have trouble with military time. Just subtract 12 if you see 13 or higher, and add 12 if you need to figure out what the midday/night times would be

0points

Jay Heisenberg 2 months ago

Crazy. We've got roman numeral clock in our house lol

0points

Laura Gillette 2 months ago

I don't think they teach it in school anymore, sadly. Same with cursive.

0points

Ke Rider 2 months ago (edited)

School taught me in the early 80s and I've worn an analog wrist watch since 10 yrs old, so I've mastered it. My watch collection includes a couple of GMTs that confuse my kids because of the 24hr bidirectional bezel around the 12 hr clock lol.

0points

ENSJ 2 months ago

I have dyscalculia and analog clock reading was/is a nightmare for me. I "can" but it takes so long it becomes embarassing.

0points

winterwidow87 2 months ago (edited)

I am 36 and both autistic and dyscalculic. I know how to read an analog clock i just hate it because i have to stop and count everytime, i cannot do it instantly.

0points

Ashbug 2 months ago

I have ASD and even as an adult I still sometimes have trouble with analog clocks and when I was in elementary school I tried my hardest to get it and when I failed I was made to feel like an idiot

0points

Leading_Gold 2 months ago

Thats so sad. I would have brought documentation for my diagnosis and shoved it in the teachers face 😔

1point

Lace Neil 2 months ago

I can't read those clocks at all. I think it's due to my autism.

0points

Roan The Demon Kitty 2 months ago

I couldn't until I was around 15 or so to be completely honest, but to be fair, I'm also dyscalculic. But I always understood that, for example "15;00" was 3 in the afternoon. idk why. I guess these days many of us grew up with using our phones as a way to tell time.

0points

Mike m 2 months ago

They don't learn to read/write cursive anymore either. I can look at the constitution, and while it's difficult to read, i can get the gist of it. Young people don't get that experience. Google tells them what it says.

0points

Raymond Smith 2 months ago

I also think that before around 1860 clocks also didn’t have minute hands. Just hour hands with 1/4 hour marks. Things moved slower back then.

0points

Lara Verne 2 months ago

Because they were taught to recognize digital clock, not analog. They know it's 7:30, but they don't know it's half past seven.

0points

Lene 2 months ago

I recently read a news story where they interviewed a lot of people on the street to ask them to tell the time from an analog clock. Even people older than I (I'm 40) could not tell time. It seems that ppl are too used to digital clocks and their phones. It is frustrating to know.

0points

Beth Wheeler 2 months ago

I wonder if they are no longer teaching that like they have stopped teaching cursive writing. I didn't know until a few weeks ago that they no longer teach cursive in school. They also don't teach kids how to sign their full name. I heard on the radio 1 morning some 23 yo got a NFL contract and lost it because he didn't know how to sign his full name only his first and last name. What's gonna happen to all of these people in the future when they try to but a car or a house or have to sign any other contract and don't know how to do it?

0points

Sara Frazer 2 months ago

Yep, I've actually encountered this among peers (I'm 30, FYI) very surprised when I have to explain to someone an analog clock (it happens more often than I'd like). Also somewhat related, I wear a watch on my wrist every day. A regular wristwatch. I work with small children, and every day at least one child sees my watch and repeatedly taps on the glass, expecting it to "turn on". Then I try to explain it's not a screen......

0points

Hmmm hmmmm 2 months ago

Well , it's taught pretty young and then not really used again. Like I can tell the time from a wall clock but not as instantly as older people.

0points

April Pickett 2 months ago

They can't handle a rotary phone either.

0points

Boopasnoot 2 months ago

Unfortunately, they do not teach this in school anymore. I taught my kids, though, I refuse to let them out into the world unarmed.

0points

TheBlueBitterfly 2 months ago (edited)

They do indeed still teach this in school. It's just that little Trajydeigh can't pay attention because she was raised on a tablet watching TikTok videos and has the attention span of a squirrel on crack, and the schools don't have the resources for one-on-one tutoring. It's even on diagnostic testing, with such advanced questions as "If it is 3:27 now, what time will it be in 4 hours and 18 minutes? Draw the correct time on the clock." But there's no intervention when the students fail that unit in math, so we end up with adults who can't tell time on an analog clock.

3points

Skye Ragsdale 2 months ago

This doesn't really surprise me. Digital clocks are so common now.

0points

David 2 months ago

So, I'm assuming the distinction here is not that it was mounted on a wall but that it was an analog clock. :)

-1point

Jerome Lenovo 2 months ago

they didn't major in science, don't be mean :P

-2points

Donna Peluda 2 months ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

nottheactualphoto 2 months ago

Dark, but still funny.

-2points

Amelia Jade 2 months ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Aerial (Any pronouns/Canadian/Jewish) 2 months ago

I know how to use a sundial! My school has one outside.

1point

Tobias---Funke , Supushpitha Atapattu / pexels Report

#26

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult North is not whichever way you’re facing!

Final score:

181points

POST

Nikole 2 months ago

Of course not; it’s up (/s)

149points

Majestic_Tangerine47 , Stefan Stefancik / pexels Report

#27

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I work in travel. I've had to explain time zones more than you'd believe. So, if you leave Sydney at 2pm and fly ~14 hours, crossing the international dateline, you arrive in LA at noon - about 2 hours "before you left." I've watched this emoji 🤯 happen in real time.

Final score:

176points

POST

Just Me 2 months ago

I KNOW this is true, but still can't wrap my brain around it.

113points

i__hate__stairs , Mahrous Houses / unsplash Report

#28

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That you have to have a printer to print things at home. Tech support, and I wish I was lying.

Final score:

172points

POST

DennyS (denzoren) 2 months ago

Lol maybe it comes out the base of the laptop.

45points

Boring-Report-4257 , Alex Green / pexels Report

So the next time someone asks you a question that makes you do a double take, just like the ones in this list, remember that we’re all just trying to figure things out. Embrace the moment, share your knowledge, and maybe even learn something new yourself.

#29

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult People on the internet can and will lie to you

Final score:

172points

POST

Nikole 2 months ago

I never would. Promise.

69points

#30

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That New Zealand, the country we were both born, raised and living in, is not in Europe. Edit to answer most of your questions: her reasoning is that when she fills out forms and has to tick a box for her ethnicity, she ticks "New Zealand European". She thought that option was there because we are European and therefore in Europe. I had to explain to her that just means SHE is of European decent. That her ancestors lived in Europe. I also had to explain that not every New Zealander ticks that box. That there are other ethnicities here too.

AriasK , Mario Amé / pexels Report

Final score:

170points

POST

Pill Nathan Whitely 2 months ago

Here in the States we have a lot of people thinking they're Europeans because they have European surnames. Had a gent tell me, "I'm a proud Viking and the seas flows through my veins." Yeah, pal, you're a chubby warehouse worker who would get seasick if required to stand on the bus. Prolly cut yourself with your own sword, too.

178points

LeraViiiiii , Nothing Ahead / pexels Report

#31

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult In regards to the North and South poles, neither is "the one that is always hot."

Final score:

164points

POST

Pill Nathan Whitely 2 months ago

So someone can be flat earther dumb without being a flat earther.

90points

#32

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That women do not all have their period at the beginning of the month all around the world at the same time.

itsteeeee , Sarah Chai / pexels Report

Final score:

163points

POST

Janelle Collard Premium 2 months ago

Can you imagine if they did???

105points

talledega7 , mazzy Fritzel / pexels Report

#33

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult A girl was staying with my family and had brought her dog. The dog got hurt at one point (freak accident) that required surgery on a back leg and the "Cone of Shame" to be worn.

At one point, she started cutting off a bit of the cone.

Me: Careful, cut too much, and he'll be able to reach his stitches.

Her: That's alright. He'll be able to keep them clean.

I had to explain to her, very slowly, that the purpose of the cone was to keep him from licking the stitches and pulling them out. She honestly thought the cone was just an aesthetic thing.

Final score:

161points

POST

Skye Ragsdale 2 months ago

She thought it was actually to shame her dog 😭

88points

ResponsibilityLive85 Report

#34

I had to explain to a doctor's receptionist from Michigan once that Canada was not located somewhere mysteriously "across the ocean?", but rather across the border... from Michigan. My mom and I spent the car ride home in stunned silence.

Final score:

161points

POST

- 2 months ago

If you stand on the shore of one of the Great Lakes, it *could* look like the ocean...

71points

#35

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That driving north meant the whole trip was uphill.

I laughed at her until I realised she meant it, ended up laughing at myself cos there’s no way I was going to explain it to her.

AliHea59 , Tobi / pexels Report

Final score:

157points

POST

Andy Cran 2 months ago

yep heard this one many times...it's the conflating and confusing of up and north

37points

Throwaway03461 , Towfiqu barbhuiya / pexels Report

#36

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That raw meat juices, especially that of chicken, should in no way come in contact with other foods.

I learned this in 8th grade home ec, so I was 13 years old.
I had to explain to a 40-year old that no, you can't put grilled chicken back on an unwashed cutting board that still has raw chicken juices.

Final score:

156points

POST

Nikole 2 months ago

And then there’s my dad, who was/is a firm believer that “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, despite the numerous, numerous examples he’s been presented with.

85points

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

See Also on Bored Panda

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#37

New England isn't part of Europe (to three different people). Get your s**t together, Arizona public school system.

Master-CylinderPants Report

Final score:

156points

POST

Gustav Gallifrey 2 months ago

How do they deal with New Hampshire?

58points

#38

Orange juice from concentrate doesn't come from a place called "concentrate".

anonynonnymoose Report

Final score:

150points

POST

DennyS (denzoren) 2 months ago

This made me laugh, I'm gonna use that next time. I only want juice that comes from Concentrate. lol

64points

#39

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult Used to work at a daycare. One day a little mouse entered the premises and caused an uproar until we caught and released it in the playground.

After the whole ordeal, one of my colleagues (who was the dumbest person I've ever met) said: "let's hope it didn't lay eggs anywhere!"

I was too stunned to speak and just stared at her, while my room leader/friend said, in the most done-with-this-s**t way: "Mice don't lay eggs, ." and walked off.

EDIT: I love how so many people in these replies are trying to find a different interpretation of what she must have meant, or say that she must have been joking :D but no, unfortunately I have to tell you she was 100% of the opinion that mice lay eggs because she even doubled down about it later.

Miezchen , Pixabay / pexels Report

Final score:

148points

POST

Linda Riebel 2 months ago

Thank you, BP, for giving us a photo of a pika.

82points

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

See Also on Bored Panda

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#40

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult A friend asked me how the sun knows the clocks have changed when we have daylight savings.

CommunicationEasy142 , Pixabay / pexels Report

Final score:

143points

POST

Andy Cran 2 months ago (edited)

NASA sends a system update obviously 🤓🤦‍♂️

141points

Rubberfootman , RDNE Stock project / pexels Report

#41

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult My bosses wife was learning how to use a computer. She typed in the numbers 1 to 9 and then asked how you typed in a number 10.

We were very diplomatic.

Final score:

141points

POST

Nikole 2 months ago

His bosses shared a wife?

85points

Remote_Match_6280 , cottonbro studio / pexels Report

#42

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That you cannot give your child a “smaller amount” of medicine that is only to be given to an adult. Boy that was a stressful night of very close observation and many calls to the nurse/poison control line.

Final score:

131points

POST

Ace 2 months ago

Some medicines do work like that, of course, but just Read The Label.

69points

GravityLands2018 , Davide Cacciatori / pexels Report

#43

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and Italy is not a town in France. Same guy. My sister dated him for far too long.

Final score:

127points

POST

Pill Nathan Whitely 2 months ago

Someone I respect asked me if I visited the nation's capitol often, since I live in Washington state. I was gentle. Someone I cherish deeply, who is by no means unintelligent, asked me whether Milan is the capitol of Italy. I was kind.

58points

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

See Also on Bored Panda

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#44

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I had to explain to someone you can't buy like two pounds of lunch meat and eat it for a month. The concept of things spoiling was new to him. To be fair, we were both college students and he was living alone for the first time.

I used to work at a coffee shop and had to explain what filling something halfway meant to a woman I was training. She didn't understand the concept of half.

Lafnear , Angele J / pexels Report

Final score:

126points

POST

Vicky Phenny 2 months ago

I'm so bothered by the fact the story is about lunch meat but the image is hamburger.

75points

Inevitable-Dot-5469 Report

#45

I had to explain to a 22 year old friend of mine when I was 18 what ovulation was. We’re both women, she had no idea.

Final score:

126points

POST

ZuriLovesYou 2 months ago (edited)

No way. 🤦🏾‍♀️

34points

EasyBounce , Amar Preciado / pexels Report

#46

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I had to explain to a fully grown adult that yes...your car's keyless entry remote does indeed have a battery in it just like a TV remote and yes the button stopped working because the battery is dead and you need to replace it. I also had to tell him that if you're going to buy huge bags of dry dog food and keep it in your garage which you leave open most of the time...you might want to actually close the bag and maybe even put the closed bag in a container with a lid instead of letting it sit completely open and then always wondering why the dog food is full of bugs, spoils fast and attracts rats and raccoons.

I wish I could say he was a super brilliant engineer or something but yeah...no.

Final score:

123points

POST

Taibhse Sealgair 2 months ago

Fun fact, my wife's car has push button start that requires the working key fob be in the car. If the battery dies, you're supposed to push the button WITH the key fob. YMMV.

21points

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

See Also on Bored Panda

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

#47

I had to explain to someone that New Mexico is in fact part of the United States, not a part of Mexico. I assume they failed Geography.

EggplantTall8403 Report

Final score:

122points

POST

Michael Largey 2 months ago

And history.

63points

smashisbeast , Mikhail Nilov / pexels Report

#48

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult Incremental tax brackets. a dude at my work thought he was going to make less money if he got a raise

Final score:

117points

POST

Janelle Collard Premium 2 months ago

You'd be surprised how many people believe this.

132points

Dr_Octahedron , Mikhail Nilov / pexels Report

#49

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult When you save a file on Windows, the save window actually lets you save the file into a particular folder. You don't have to go into your recent items to find it and then move it to where you want it to be saved. This person had been working an office job at a computer for more than 5 years at that point

Final score:

115points

POST

Skye Ragsdale 2 months ago

I hear younger generations are struggling with this because so much of what they do is on their phones, so they didn't get any formal computer education like so many millennials did

98points

Tobias---Funke , Elianne Dipp / pexels Report

#50

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult Whales don’t lay eggs.

Final score:

103points

POST

Pill Nathan Whitely 2 months ago

Of course they do- all fish lay eggs, silly!

35points

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

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“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

#51

That bocconcini, Parmesan and feta are dairy cheeses. I used to work in a pizzeria and had to explain to this vegan couple on multiple occasions that these cheeses all were made from dairy.

It got to the point I had to grab the original containers and read the ingredients on the third try to get it to sink in.

Lunavixen15 Report

Final score:

52points

POST

Sven Horlemann 2 months ago

If you chose to live vegan, of all things, I would expect you to have educated yourself suffienctly what that means. And some food basics.

3points

#52

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult Where pineapples come from.
That orcas and narwhals are real animals.

popsibaby , Cezar Bulat / pexels Report

Final score:

48points

POST

Pill Nathan Whitely 2 months ago

Pineapples grow under the sea, though some are spoiled by sponge infestations. Narwhals are what you get when you crossbreed orcas with unicorns. Learn some science!

52points

#53

Her child (my child's half sibling) could not have inherited a trait from my child, because that trait was inherited from me.

"But they're brothers!!"

AgingLolita Report

Final score:

48points

POST

Andy Cran 2 months ago

a learnt behaviour yes perhaps that's what they were eluding to?

11points

#54

That the sun was a star.

“No it isn’t, it’s a Sun. I learned that when I was like 6.”

Rtman26 Report

Final score:

47points

POST

Pill Nathan Whitely 2 months ago

No one's star pupil.

26points

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

See Also on Bored Panda

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

#55

When i was in culinary school i had someone ask me if their water was boiling. It was bubbling. I said yes.

humbruhhh Report

Final score:

47points

POST

StretcherBearer 2 months ago

Plot twist: they were sitting in a lukewarm bath tub.

27points

ChoirBoyComparedToMe , Ketut Subiyanto / pexels Report

#56

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult The difference between Chinese and Japanese people.

Final score:

46points

POST

- 2 months ago

Years ago, a woman working on a children's book asked me for a boy's name that could be both Chinese and Japanese. Couldn't get through to her that "not the same". She finally suggested "Kenny". Since the story took place in North America, I told her it was fine.

17points

#57

A small pizza is not the same size as a large pizza even though they have the same amount of "slices".......

HyenaLaugh95 Report

Final score:

46points

POST

Michael Largey 2 months ago

I always have my pizza cut into four slices because I don't think could eat six.

70points

#58

My mother once had to explain, to a fellow teacher, that humans only have one appendix.

crystaltheweird Report

Final score:

44points

POST

Skye Ragsdale 2 months ago

On the inside

23points

#59

That the moon wasn’t self illuminating from within.

chodsonwalker Report

Final score:

41points

POST

Nikole 2 months ago

Duh. It appears bright because it’s reflecting the electric lights from earth.

34points

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

See Also on Bored Panda

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

#60

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That an item damaged in a car crash did not qualify as a manufacture defect covered under warranty. The store refund policy was 90 days, and she had a receipt over a year old.

WishieWashie12 , Mike Bird / pexels Report

Final score:

40points

POST

Stacy Jones 2 months ago

OMG, that reminds me of the time a guy wanted to exchange a 6-pk of beer he had purchased 5 hours earlier because "It’s hot." I told him alcohol legally can't be returned; "But it's hot." I told him beer becomes skunked if it goes from cold to hot, so I couldn't let him return it; "But it's hot." I told him it was cold when he purchased it, and it was his actions that had caused it to be hot; "Are you stupid? It's hot, I'm not drinking hot beer!" *headdesk*

19points

MamaTried22 , LEONARDO DASILVA / flickr Report

#61

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult That cold sores are herpes.

I’ve also had to explain repeatedly that mice are not baby rats. Like…a lot.

Final score:

40points

POST

Aussiegirl 2 months ago

Eew that pic is gross

19points

Due_Purchase_7509 , Alpha / flickr Report

#62

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult How to make ramen.

The directions are on the packet. I pointed that out, their response was "i thought it was too simple to have directions on it".

Final score:

40points

POST

Pill Nathan Whitely 2 months ago

When your pack of ramen isn't the simplest thing in the kitchen...

51points

#63

Blood is red and not green

Paeliens Report

Final score:

37points

POST

Dusty's mom 2 months ago

Spock begs to differ.

56points

sicksages , Alina Skazka / pexels Report

#64

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult I had to explain to my two coworkers that it wasn't some magic fairy that was throwing away their coffee cups. They were joking around one day that their (old) coffee cups always disappeared by the next day and I had to tell them it was me and that I had to start doing it because they kept getting left in the way and being knocked over. I was off for a few days and came back and there were cups everywhere.

Final score:

36points

POST

ZuriLovesYou 2 months ago

I can't believe no one else was picking them up

13points

LoveDistinct , Andrea Piacquadio / pexels Report

#65

50 Things People Never Thought They’d Have To Explain To Another Adult It was at work. I had to explain that if they didn't do their job me or the next shift had to.

Final score:

34points

POST

Janelle Collard Premium 2 months ago

They might not care. :(

29points

Nikita's knack for storytelling and creativity has led her into the world of writing. With a robust foundation in business studies, she crafts compelling narratives by seamlessly blending analytical insight with imaginative expression. At Bored Panda, she embarks on an exhilarating quest to explore diverse topics, fueled by curiosity and passion. During her leisure time, she savors life's simple pleasures, such as gardening, cooking homemade meals and hosting gatherings for loved ones.

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I'm a visual editor here at Bored Panda and I enjoy a good laugh. My work ranges from serious topics related to toxic work environments and relationship difficulties to humorous articles about online shopping fails and introvert memes. When I'm not at my work desk, checking if every single pixel is in the right place, I usually spend my free time playing board games, taking pictures, and watching documentaries

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What do you think ?

POST

Damned_Cat 2 months ago

We were watching a NASCAR race once when an accident occurred on track. My mom commented that they wouldn't have wrecks if they stopped driving so fast.

28points

Justin Tyme 2 months ago

She wasn't wrong.

52points

Noproblem 2 months ago

I had a coworker who had to be reminded numerous times how to spell our manager’s name. Our manager’s name was Tim.

27points

Jerome Lenovo 2 months ago

Teame ?

9points

BeesEelsAndPups 2 months ago

Were they a native English speaker? The way Tim is pronounced, perhaps in their language it would have been spelled differently. And it was a confusion for them. It took me a long time to understand that "of" is not spelled "ov".

6points

Dan Flo 2 months ago

Sigh, another Tims-meating.

5points

Weasel Wise 2 months ago

I worked for a business owner that couldn't understand the concept that, yes, the cook's name is spelled J-o-s-e but that doesn't mean it must be pronounced the traditional Latin way. I really couldn't tell if it was an obstinate-ignorant situation or if the dude was racist; either way, it was incredibly frustrating to hear him repeatedly mispronounce the man's name.

2points

Rod 2 months ago

Timmy!!!!!!

0points

Marina Nygard 2 months ago

I once worked in an office with 3 Tims. I once had to explain to a coworker that they were not interchangeable and when emailing one you have to check you've got the right email address and not just select the first Tim in the list when you type 'Tim' into the recipient field.

0points

Mike m 2 months ago

Sim?

0points

Steve Robert 2 months ago

I once knew a girl who thought Moby Diick was a venerial disease!

17points

amy lee 2 months ago

Wonder what she thought the symptoms would be?

7points

Richienotsorich 2 weeks ago

Bet you two had a whale of a time!

0points

tameson 2 months ago

This deserves many more upvotes!

0points

Sam Lombardo 2 months ago

We had to tell our history teacher in 6th grade, that the statue of liberty was a gift from the French. A HISTORY TEACHER!

9points

Marnie 2 months ago

At the elementary level, they don't become teachers because they are knowledgeable, but because they got a degree in education. I've found most K-12 teachers to have very little intellectual curiosity and don't care that they know very little. (One of the reasons kids are strongly encouraged to read fiction and are unconsciously discouraged from reading non-fiction, unless it's a textbook.) It's terrifying. I have a sister who was a teacher for a while. Academically she was very gifted. She is a good person. But she had the intellectual curiosity of a knat. I read one of her college-assigned books for fun, and she just could not understand why I did that, even when I explained.

4points

IamMe 2 months ago

In fifth grade, we moved to West Virginia, because my dad was building a dam there. I had to explain to my new teacher, that my previous home of "Ver-mont", was nowhere near "Californy". She was convinced it was, because I "talked like people from T.V." The quotation marks, are all as said, by the teacher.

9points

Amelia Jade 2 months ago

My cousin's husband thought if you went over the international date line while in a plane that it would change from day to night like a switch had been flipped.

9points

Sven Horlemann 2 months ago

This was... hilarious and frightening at the same time.

8points

frederick clause 2 months ago

The number of people that slip through the cracks in the education system is staggering. It's almost as though the powers that be don't think an education is important.

8points

Don Adams 2 months ago

Worked as office manager for a nationwide relocation services company. Had a coordinator that constantly would ask what state Washington DC was in. Could not accept it was a district (hence the D) and not part of a state. Also requested a replacement Desk calculator, fooled with it all day, then complained it was not working right, that the numbers would not change. I peeled the label off the display....

7points

Freya the Wanderer 2 months ago

I get the impression that a lot of these people are ignorant rather than stupid. Ignorant is better than stupid because you can cure ignorance.

5points

B Jones 2 months ago

Some of it is also willful ignorance. People will form an opinion with no facts or on what someone else told them once, and believe that as the truth forever no matter what evidence is later presented. A complete unwillingness to learn or change even if otherwise they are intelligent. If you challenge someone's opinion they will cling tighter to it.

7points

Marnie 2 months ago

I agree, but for an adult to not know many of these things, they also must be almost entirely lacking in intellectual curiosity, which is worse than stupidity, imo. I'll take a person with an IQ of 90 who is curious and ready to learn over someone with IQ of 145 who cares about nothing.

3points

roddy 1 week ago

True, but still being ignorant of basic things as an adult shows a lack of curiosity and/or an inability to reason things out.

0points

Bamamom2boys 2 months ago

I live along the Gulf Coast (U.S.). I used to work in vacation rentals. I can't tell you how many times I would get this question when a fire alarm was going off in a building; "There seems to be a fire alarm in the building. What do we do?" I would always answer as politely as I could, "Get out of the building!" I would also get these calls: "Yes, there are sharks in the water. Who do we call to get them out?" Me: "Well, no one. That's where the sharks live."

4points

Dan Flo 2 months ago (edited)

Telling my co worker about a stupid online argument I read about someone wanted to know any food with high energy but low kcal. He didnt get it... So I told him that kcal is the unit for the amount of energy in food so you cannot have high energy and low kcal. He said, and I kid you not: "But there must be something with few kcal that gives lots of energy. Im thinking water... or is that zero kcal? No energy?". A part of me died that day.

4points

Lee Stone 2 months ago

Water would provide fabulous energy if you only had the organs to process it and burn it. Storage might be an issue as no one wants to be known as "gassy".

0points

Michelle Seasor 2 months ago

Los Angeles and New York City are not close to each other or San Francisco. I also had to explain East Coast and West Coast

3points

DeoManus Argentem 2 months ago

The father of one of my best friends in high school was so cheap he removed the light bulbs from their refrigerator to save money, but kept a flashlight with D-Cell batteries next to it so the family could see inside... As you may know, batteries (especially disposable) are expensive. I asked my friend if his father knew the light goes off when the door closes, he kinda just shrugs. Father was an immigrant from Mexico (maybe fridges work differently down there?), but neither poor enough to be that cheap nor uneducated - he was a practicing pediatrician (physician for children) in a wealthy area of the US.

3points

Penny Hernandez 2 months ago

I wonder what, if anything, they are teaching in U.S. schools today. Most. if not all of of the ignorance displayed above, I learned in elementary school, during the 40s and 50s.

3points

James King 2 months ago

We were on a cruise in the summer north of the Arctic Circle, so 24 hours of sunlight. The cruise was called "Into the Midnight Sun". A woman asked "What time does the midnight sun come out?" She actually thought a second sun would appear. I heard someone nearby mutter "We're not on Tattoine, ffs!"

2points

Hey! 2 months ago

We are doomed.

2points

M G----no 2 months ago

I had an air-headed cousin growing up. She was the princess of the grandparents and was spoiled rotten, so my bro and I never felt bad making fun of her. At my house, we grew up w/o a dishwasher, so we had to do dishes by hand. As she stood there complaining, my mom said, "Just think, before we had running water, we had to wash the dishes down by the creek. And my cousin replied, "Really???" Now, this was probably around 1990. Then once, while we were in the car, I turned to her and said, "Look! Trees!" and she replied, "Where?" ... as we were passing a forested area. I could go on with these. She also would go to pay for something that was maybe $12... she'd hand the cashier a $20 and walk off without change. She just thought that if it was above one denomination, you had to give a higher one and that was it. We had to explain that she would get cash back. She was a teenager at the time.

2points

Charlotte A. 2 months ago

Small wasps are not "baby wasps". Fellow uni student, we were both in natural sciences. 30 years later she's still one of my best friends, though :) My sister, when starting biology class in uni had to explain to her fellow students that bumblebees don't "burn", but sting.

2points

Papa 2 months ago

I worked as a beekeeper many years ago. It was not uncommon for people to ask me if I ever got bit. I could truthfully tell them that no, I had never had a bee bite me.

6points

Mike F 2 months ago

Wow!

2points

Crycket 2 months ago

I had to walk someone through knocking on a door. I was at school and a co-worker went to knock on the custodian's door, as someone had sent her to get something. I gestured her to the custodian's office, and she reached for the doorknob of the closed door. It was locked. She then stopped in her tracks and looked completely lost. I had to explain to her that she could either knock on the door and see if the custodian was there, or to go and come back later. She had to be in her mid 20s.

1point

Ruud T. 2 months ago

A friend of mine knew for sure, the top part of a doubledeckertrain goes to another destination than the lowerdeck part.

1point

Rebekah Krause 2 months ago

My friend had kidney stones and was told to pee into this strainer type contraption to catch the stone. She began to feel better but had not yet caught the stone- she theorized that because she was on her period maybe it got stuck on her tampon. She was over 40. I tried to explain to her how this was impossible but she absolutely could not grasp even after I pulled up a couple google image diagrams of female anatomy and pointed out the bladder does not empty into the vagina.

1point

Marnie 2 months ago

My sister (an academically gifted and very sweet person) had some mental discrepancies. I told her when she was in college that the contents of every non-fiction piece of writing just came from someone's head - their imagination, their observations, their conclusions, their summation, their hypothesis. It was just a person. She was astounded. To her, books were sort of "written in stone". They just WERE. They simply existed. Yes, she knew they had an author. But it was like she couldn't question it, either to dispute it, or to wonder about additional information on the subject. She couldn't understand that a book was the product of it's time. She especially did not understand that you and I could also come up with hypothesis or summation, etc. It's hard to explain her mindset. Also, she became a K-12 teacher. She, a very sweet person with absolutely no intellectual curiosity whatsoever.

1point

Lorraine R 2 months ago

Did you mean every "fiction" piece of writing -- not "non-fiction"?

0points

Caia Calabrese 2 months ago

I hate that this site is censoring my words! Fascists!

1point

The Other Guest 2 months ago

Put a non-width joiner in the middle of the word. The censor-bot will read it as dr ugs but it will show up on the screen as dru‍gs (for example). I keep the tab for one open all the time: https://unicode-explorer.com/c/200D

0points

Elizabeth Deighton 2 months ago

I worked in a nursery and we were having staff training. The deputy manager was talking about horistic play. All I could think of was holistic medicine. She asked if we all knew what she meant and I said no. She started to explain and the manager said It's what we called a bit box when we were young. Later, a student came up to me and admitted that she didn't know and was so pleased when I said that I didn't as she didn't like to admit it.

1point

jennifer brinkman 2 months ago

The stupidity of humans is astounding!

1point

Neb Skram 2 months ago

i had to explain to my SIL that Trump is a Republicain. she has voted for him twice, stupid just cant be fixed

1point

Marnie 2 months ago

What did she think he was?

2points

Lizz 2 months ago

I had to explain to a triple A guy how to change a headlight lightbulb in my truck. I studied art in school.....

1point

Stephanie Did It 1 week ago (edited)

My friend, an older woman, worked in the medical manufacturing field. She made post-mastectomy bras for women, along with inserts, wigs and other products for women. She believed that the color white killed germs and that's why bandages were white. This also applied to bras and prosthetics, even to doctors' white coats. She would not be persuaded otherwise. (P.S. I know white isn't technically a color; I'm using it as a descriptive term)

0points

Margaret Brazear 1 week ago

I had to explain to a grown woman that training a dog to do something involved more than just telling him to do it.

0points

Margaret Brazear 1 week ago

Driving my mother, a Londoner, through country lanes with fields either side, she remarked: All this land's wasted ain't it? They could stick houses on this. I asked her where she thought she got her weetabix and her bread from. Her reply: Supermarket of course.

0points

Margaret Brazear 1 week ago

I had to explain to my mother, who had lived in London through two world wars and raised five children, that my rabbits would breed, even if they were brothers and sisters. I had to explain to a friend that dogs do not all know 'drop it', that they know whatever they have been taught and I could say fluffy pink fairy cakes if that is what the dog had been taught. I had to assure someone that going to look at a car in a muslim area was quite safe and they would not all be making bombs. I had to explain to my mother that there was nothing really clever about a 3 year old French child speaking fluent French. I had to explain to a 17 year old girl that the posters declaring 'don't drink and drive' were referring to alcohol, not just anything you drink. I am sure I can think of more.

0points

Kay 2 weeks ago

The stupidest thing I have ever heard was my ex, who asked me, 100% seriously, why I needed good headphones, as I haven't even taken music at university.

0points

Richienotsorich 2 weeks ago

Had to explain to a 40+yo colleague that that "$hit version of the Statue of Liberty" in the Seine is the original that the NY version was designed from and which the French built and gave to America. Do a little bit of research on your holiday next time!

0points

Jen Nunyabiz 1 month ago (edited)

When I lived in Colorado, I got in five separate arguments with people who couldn't understand that at a four-way stop, if the car on your right goes first, that means traffic moves in a clockwise direction.

0points

Maria-Luiza Lobo 1 month ago

Na transmissão ao vivo do eclipse solar de hoje, um cara perguntou aos cientistas se haveria eclipse de novo amanhã ...

0points

Isabel Galvez 2 months ago

My ex boyfriend said our children should get my eyes and for that I had to drink a lot of juice to be strong.

0points

Danish Susanne 2 months ago

I much prefer people asking stupid questions, to people not asking when they do not know. So many years ago I started asking questions at meetings, when I knew that others didn't know the answer even if I knew myself. The surprising outcome was, that the others thought me intelligent because of my questions.

0points

Phil Cookson 2 months ago

I once asked a college educated intern to send an email to all the engineers in our tech company. I came by an hour later and asked if she had done it. "Still doing it. You know there are 84 engineers?" She was copying it, changing the email address and posting it, 84 times. I was too stunned to explain CC.

0points

Catherine Hutt 2 months ago

I had to explain how the alphabet works to a high school student who was interning in our dental office - she didn’t know how to use the phone book. She also filed the patient files by first name instead of last.

0points

Lorraine Woollands 2 months ago

I have always been treated as if I am stupid,,thick, but these make me feel like I am a genius

0points

Wielder of Yielder 2 months ago (edited)

My mum had to explain to her husband's daughter-in-law that we live on the outside of the globe, not the inside. It's hard to make sense of, but from the way my mum told it to me, it seemed this 20-something woman thought that Earth was a shell around the universe (so, like, if you fired a rocket from Earth, and it kept going in a straight line, it would hit whichever country was opposite from yours on the inside of the shell - get the picture?). She grew up in Communist Czechoslovakia; maybe their education suffered under the political system? Might that be the case?

0points

Patricia the Grey 2 months ago

My husband used to say that if we lived in caveman times, the dinosaurs would eat me because I am a late sleeper and wake up slowly. I was the first person to tell him that dinosaurs and humans did not coexist. He has a PhD!

0points

Lady Clarimonde 2 months ago

When teaching my student the correct steps before a blood transfusion, I asked her what she thought she had to check first. We had been through it the day before. She told me to secure the patient's genre. She literally went to my patient and asked him "Excuse me, are you a man or a woman?". She was 22. The face of my patient was beyond words... And when she knew she had failed the practicum, she still asked me why.

0points

Margaret Brazear 1 week ago

Nowadays, there is a choice of more than two. And I assume you mean gender?

0points

Liz Butt 2 months ago

I loved all the comments and answers to these silly statements and questions. More like this please.

0points

J K 2 months ago

Yet another article I cannot finish in one sitting as I either start to get depressed, or get frustrated, or start to get angry, or start to get demoralized, or a combination of more than one of those. Or something else.

0points

ronniebeaton00 2 months ago

Over the years, I've had to explain to multiple people that if a bar or club offers "Three free drinks" but you have to pay a cover charge to enter the bar/club, then your drinks are not free.

0points

Cory Tollman 2 months ago

I worked with a thirty something woman from Kansas City that did not know that it was on the Missouri river.

0points

LynzCatastrophe 2 months ago

And my faith in humanity goes down again!

0points

Ray Perkins 2 months ago

Car-pooled with a PhD (laser designer) who was always asking things like "how does a car work?", "how does a record player work?".

0points

roddy 1 week ago

To be fair, most people just use these things without wondering how they work. Wanting to know is more a sign of intelligence than a sign of stupidity.

0points

Nitka Tsar 2 months ago

Hey, does anyone know what might be the reason for me making more and more errors while typing? Is it most likely that I‘m getring old or my fingers maybe getting to thick, or might it be something more serious? I‘m getting really frustrated here

0points

The Other Guest 2 months ago

Had to explain to a man in his late 40s that the sticky side of a panty liner goes against the fabric, not the skin.

0points

roddy 1 week ago

Oh, like a bandaid! Just seal it up, and no more problem.

0points

Caia Calabrese 2 months ago

It must be the d***s. Or the Soviet Union put something in the water years ago. Or anything like that. People can't be like that in the US! How did you manage to become so powerful!?

0points

Marnie 2 months ago

We managed because we had a very large area of nearly untapped resources and made use of them during the Industrial Revolution. We also had learned scientists from other countries come here during our hey day. Now, as far as I can tell, many people cheat their way through college, due to parental pressure or greed. The Evangelical Christians, who used to just mind their business, now vote and put pressure on school boards to not teach. Republicans like that, because their corporate overlords thinks that makes us suspectable to propaganda, about which they are correct. I also suspect lead poisoning has hurt us worse than people realize, contributing to this. Another issue is the cultural idea of individualism. This has lead many parents to think that their kids just "need to learn to be independent" and then they've done their jobs well. As such, many, perhaps most parents don't actually teach their kids anything. And don't encourage their kids to treasure getting an education.

0points

Sarah Léon 2 months ago

In high-school, there was this... very nice but very dumb girl. First cold day of the year, -15°C. I used my scooter with 2 pairs of gloves and a double mountain coat. I was warming up near the heater when she came in, all shivering, and told me she was *so* cold. She came in a moped and wore a crop top under a thin leather jacket. "But I have style"... Another day, I was listening to music with a friend during recess. It was Die Moldau (Smetana). She came in, listened a minute and asked what it was. I answered. She said "oh, ok. I thought it was classical music". I told her it was. "Oh, I thought classical music was Mozart". It was to much to explain. And last but not least, one day she told me she could never be a sports teacher. I assumed "yes it's a lot of work and studies and you have to understand the human body, it's not that easy", and she said "Yes ! And you have to wear the same sweatpants the whole day !". She passed her final exams with honors !

0points

Freya the Wanderer 2 months ago

She passed her finals with honors? Who took the test for her?

0points

FluffButt Central 2 months ago

My brain hurts now.

0points

Lyone Fein 2 months ago

These people vote. And they're not all Republicans!

-2points

Verena 2 months ago

In some countries, you have the choice out of numerous parties

5points

Apatheist Account2 2 months ago

Please keep politics out of BP - especially since we're not all Americans.

4points

Thanos'Fingers 2 months ago

I'll bet they are though.

2points

B Jones 2 months ago

I'm more afraid these people are on the road driving cars that can kill with one bad decision.

1point

Puppy Dancing! 2 months ago

In Canada there are no Republicans

1point

POST

Damned_Cat 2 months ago

We were watching a NASCAR race once when an accident occurred on track. My mom commented that they wouldn't have wrecks if they stopped driving so fast.

28points

Justin Tyme 2 months ago

She wasn't wrong.

52points

Noproblem 2 months ago

I had a coworker who had to be reminded numerous times how to spell our manager’s name. Our manager’s name was Tim.

27points

Jerome Lenovo 2 months ago

Teame ?

9points

BeesEelsAndPups 2 months ago

6points

Dan Flo 2 months ago

Sigh, another Tims-meating.

5points

Weasel Wise 2 months ago

2points

Rod 2 months ago

Timmy!!!!!!

0points

Marina Nygard 2 months ago

0points

Mike m 2 months ago

Sim?

0points

Steve Robert 2 months ago

I once knew a girl who thought Moby Diick was a venerial disease!

17points

amy lee 2 months ago

Wonder what she thought the symptoms would be?

7points

Richienotsorich 2 weeks ago

Bet you two had a whale of a time!

0points

tameson 2 months ago

This deserves many more upvotes!

0points

Sam Lombardo 2 months ago

We had to tell our history teacher in 6th grade, that the statue of liberty was a gift from the French. A HISTORY TEACHER!

9points

Marnie 2 months ago

4points

IamMe 2 months ago

9points

Amelia Jade 2 months ago

My cousin's husband thought if you went over the international date line while in a plane that it would change from day to night like a switch had been flipped.

9points

Sven Horlemann 2 months ago

This was... hilarious and frightening at the same time.

8points

frederick clause 2 months ago

The number of people that slip through the cracks in the education system is staggering. It's almost as though the powers that be don't think an education is important.

8points

Don Adams 2 months ago

7points

Freya the Wanderer 2 months ago

I get the impression that a lot of these people are ignorant rather than stupid. Ignorant is better than stupid because you can cure ignorance.

5points

B Jones 2 months ago

7points

Marnie 2 months ago

3points

roddy 1 week ago

True, but still being ignorant of basic things as an adult shows a lack of curiosity and/or an inability to reason things out.

0points

Bamamom2boys 2 months ago

4points

Dan Flo 2 months ago (edited)

4points

Lee Stone 2 months ago

Water would provide fabulous energy if you only had the organs to process it and burn it. Storage might be an issue as no one wants to be known as "gassy".

0points

Michelle Seasor 2 months ago

Los Angeles and New York City are not close to each other or San Francisco. I also had to explain East Coast and West Coast

3points

DeoManus Argentem 2 months ago

3points

Penny Hernandez 2 months ago

I wonder what, if anything, they are teaching in U.S. schools today. Most. if not all of of the ignorance displayed above, I learned in elementary school, during the 40s and 50s.

3points

James King 2 months ago

2points

Hey! 2 months ago

We are doomed.

2points

M G----no 2 months ago

2points

Charlotte A. 2 months ago

2points

Papa 2 months ago

I worked as a beekeeper many years ago. It was not uncommon for people to ask me if I ever got bit. I could truthfully tell them that no, I had never had a bee bite me.

6points

Mike F 2 months ago

Wow!

2points

Crycket 2 months ago

1point

Ruud T. 2 months ago

A friend of mine knew for sure, the top part of a doubledeckertrain goes to another destination than the lowerdeck part.

1point

Rebekah Krause 2 months ago

1point

Marnie 2 months ago

1point

Lorraine R 2 months ago

Did you mean every "fiction" piece of writing -- not "non-fiction"?

0points

Caia Calabrese 2 months ago

I hate that this site is censoring my words! Fascists!

1point

The Other Guest 2 months ago

0points

Elizabeth Deighton 2 months ago

1point

jennifer brinkman 2 months ago

The stupidity of humans is astounding!

1point

Neb Skram 2 months ago

i had to explain to my SIL that Trump is a Republicain. she has voted for him twice, stupid just cant be fixed

1point

Marnie 2 months ago

What did she think he was?

2points

Lizz 2 months ago

I had to explain to a triple A guy how to change a headlight lightbulb in my truck. I studied art in school.....

1point

Stephanie Did It 1 week ago (edited)

0points

Margaret Brazear 1 week ago

I had to explain to a grown woman that training a dog to do something involved more than just telling him to do it.

0points

Margaret Brazear 1 week ago

0points

Margaret Brazear 1 week ago

0points

Kay 2 weeks ago

The stupidest thing I have ever heard was my ex, who asked me, 100% seriously, why I needed good headphones, as I haven't even taken music at university.

0points

Richienotsorich 2 weeks ago

0points

Jen Nunyabiz 1 month ago (edited)

0points

Maria-Luiza Lobo 1 month ago

Na transmissão ao vivo do eclipse solar de hoje, um cara perguntou aos cientistas se haveria eclipse de novo amanhã ...

0points

Isabel Galvez 2 months ago

My ex boyfriend said our children should get my eyes and for that I had to drink a lot of juice to be strong.

0points

Danish Susanne 2 months ago

0points

Phil Cookson 2 months ago

0points

Catherine Hutt 2 months ago

0points

Lorraine Woollands 2 months ago

I have always been treated as if I am stupid,,thick, but these make me feel like I am a genius

0points

Wielder of Yielder 2 months ago (edited)

0points

Patricia the Grey 2 months ago

0points

Lady Clarimonde 2 months ago

0points

Margaret Brazear 1 week ago

Nowadays, there is a choice of more than two. And I assume you mean gender?

0points

Liz Butt 2 months ago

I loved all the comments and answers to these silly statements and questions. More like this please.

0points

J K 2 months ago

0points

ronniebeaton00 2 months ago

Over the years, I've had to explain to multiple people that if a bar or club offers "Three free drinks" but you have to pay a cover charge to enter the bar/club, then your drinks are not free.

0points

Cory Tollman 2 months ago

I worked with a thirty something woman from Kansas City that did not know that it was on the Missouri river.

0points

LynzCatastrophe 2 months ago

And my faith in humanity goes down again!

0points

Ray Perkins 2 months ago

Car-pooled with a PhD (laser designer) who was always asking things like "how does a car work?", "how does a record player work?".

0points

roddy 1 week ago

To be fair, most people just use these things without wondering how they work. Wanting to know is more a sign of intelligence than a sign of stupidity.

0points

Nitka Tsar 2 months ago

0points

The Other Guest 2 months ago

Had to explain to a man in his late 40s that the sticky side of a panty liner goes against the fabric, not the skin.

0points

roddy 1 week ago

Oh, like a bandaid! Just seal it up, and no more problem.

0points

Caia Calabrese 2 months ago

It must be the d***s. Or the Soviet Union put something in the water years ago. Or anything like that. People can't be like that in the US! How did you manage to become so powerful!?

0points

Marnie 2 months ago

0points

Sarah Léon 2 months ago

0points

Freya the Wanderer 2 months ago

She passed her finals with honors? Who took the test for her?

0points

FluffButt Central 2 months ago

My brain hurts now.

0points

Lyone Fein 2 months ago

These people vote. And they're not all Republicans!

-2points

Verena 2 months ago

In some countries, you have the choice out of numerous parties

5points