I really think the modern way of handling idiotic behavior is off target. The message seems to be to take the high road and ignore those who behave like jerks amongst us. Don’t stoop to their level. Be more mature than they are. Acknowledging their ridiculous behavior is only giving them the attention they so desperately crave. Some will take whatever attention they can get, positive or negative.
I bought into this line of thinking for a while. I like to think of myself as mature and able to take the high road in life. Lately it has felt like there are more and more idiots in my world. You know though, that’s not true. It just feels that way because they are being allowed a voice while the mature and considerate amongst us are silently walking this elusive high road. The real kicker is that the silent maturity is not accompanied by peace. It is tangled with frustration and irritation. Yep, the idiots are cozy as cucumbers while those who are doing the right thing are uncomfortable and upset. THIS MAKES NO SENSE!
I participate in an internet community that has been a big part of my life for over 2 years now. Lots of fabulous women who love and care about one another. Unlike most internet communities consisting heavily of women, this is not a dramatic or petty group. The goals of the cyber family are essentially to be funny, helpful, supportive and good natured. One person has decided that the peaceful harmony of our group is not to her liking and has taken it upon herself, in a passive-aggressive way, to irritate the group to the core. We weren’t giving enough attention and now the plan is retaliation. Of course, she denies this is the case. We are the immature ones, you know, for reacting this way. Yeah, 30+ women have it all wrong. Now, this is a group of resourceful and intelligent women. It wouldn’t take much to squash her like a bug if we all played by the same rules she is using and went after her. Have we done that? No. Why? Because of this misplaced logic that the best way to deal with idiotic behavior is to ignore it and carry on as usual. As if it should be beneath us to make this one person uncomfortable participating in our community if she is not going to do so in an acceptable way.
This is why I say idiots are smarter than we think. Really. They have figured out they can behave as poorly as they wish and the world is going to tolerate it with a quiet ‘oh well’. The irony is that not all of us can be an idiot. You see, it’s like calling “shotgun” for the right to ride in the front passenger seat of the car. Once someone has called it, they are in that seat. It’s theirs. Everyone else has to sit in back. Because this woman was the first one to make a claim on the idiot seat, it is hers. So, if anyone else wants to act like an idiot to counter her behavior, well, that’s just wrong. It’s not acceptable. Won’t be tolerated. To add to the frustration, the person with first claim on the idiot’s seat is also the one most comfortable criticizing others when they attempt to stoop to the same level. Do you see the silliness of it all? Civilized people really have made life more difficult for themselves. Ironic.
