Stupid people

I admit not being a genius. I admit that when I took an IQ test when I was six years old, I did not perhaps "pass." I admit when I pick up the Wall Street Journal, I have to read the first line more than once to understand it. I'll admit to all of these things.

And so why is it that even if I am not so smart, that I am completely intolerant of stupidity? You would think I would be able to give people the break I have so often received. But no. When stupid people (or people just having an idiotic day) talk, I get a viceral reaction. The blood starts to pump to my head a little faster, and I feel my breath getting a little more shallow and quick. Normally, this happens to me during lectures or scientific discussions. Someone inevitably will say something, just to hear their own voice, wasting the time of everyone else, and contribute nothing. It makes me angry jsut thinking about it.

V often tells me to let it go. She also agrees that it is annoying, but she informs me that she has an automatic mute button. When someone says something stupid, the button goes on and she can think about all the other things in her life like what experiments she is planning, what is for dinner, what is she going to wear tomorrow etc..

Unfortunately, my mute button is faulty, which can be exemplified by Friday's Journal club. Journal club is one of my favorite activities. Basically, a student or postdoc will pick a scientific paper that seems new and interesting and present its findings. Over free pizza, the clincher for the whole event, we debate its merits, faults and try to get a big picture view of where that research may be heading.

Last Friday, a newer quiet well mannered graduate student presented a paper on lamins, their influence over nuclear shape and elasticity. It is a topic, I know nothing about. As she was presenting one of postdocs, N, starting harping on one of the experiments. N clearly misunderstood the experiment and when someone tried to explain it she kept saying, "I understand that, but ...." I felt the blood boil in my neck. I spoke. "No, N, you do not understand, because the definition of [insert scientific jargon here]. Let's move on." She, however, insisted she understood and kept at it for 5 more minutes. At this point, my excessive fist clenching and eye rolling was evident to those around me.

Then she did it again. She brought up some minute point that was irrelavant and could not stop picking at it. And what was worse, is that she began to confuse some the younger graduate students. I said something, but once again it fell on deaf ears. Why is it that stupid people can dominate a room? Why is it that stupid people can never get the point? Why are stupid people stupid? Why.....?

I know V is right, and at this rate I will stroke out at the age of 40. Eh. Oh well.