When did learning become insulting?
I will apologize ahead of time for the rant boys, but if you don't want to read it you don't have to.
I have this problem with people that seems to be reoccurring. It's happening more and more to the point where I've questioned if I'm the problem, but I know that's not the case. I don't understand why it is that people are insulted when you try to teach them something these days. I'm not referencing this place in particular, although I see it plenty on here. I also have this problem with people face-to-face as well.
On here it happens like this- Somebody asks a question. They are trying to fix something or maybe they've got an idea in their head that they're feeling out before they grab the torches and the welder. One would assume the reason they're asking a question is to gain knowledge or to learn from someone else's experience. The problem arises when somebody who is experienced in what they are attempting to learn about replies and the knowledge is taken as an insult or disregarded. Why? Why is it an insult when someone who knows more about a subject than you attempts to answer your question or to guide you? Why ask the question if you're not going to listen to the answer? It has gotten to the point on here where I have debated on not posting at all outside of our local ride thread. That's easier said then done for me though. I have a lot of spare time at work.
I take on a new kid at work to help out here. I do heavy truck inspections. He doesn't know what a king pin is, or a ball joint, a tie rod end, or a leaf spring. I'm starting from scratch. I took him under my wing and showed him what these components are, how they work, what they're like when they're worn out, and how they fail. At least I attempted to. Every time I try to show this kid something he starts talking before I can finish a sentence. He's trying to finish my thoughts and he is dead wrong 100% of the time. It got to the point a couple months back where he actually got mad at me when I was trying to teach him something and it turned into a big issue. Not only was it not a big issue, and not even a small issue, it was absolutely nothing that he got fired up about. He ended up getting chewed out by the owner and almost got fired because he wanted to argue about how a certain cord was being wrapped up on the inspection machine.
Even my own girlfriend I have these issues with. I'm 33 and she's 27 so there is a slight generation gap there, but it drives me nuts. I don't force her to learn things, she wants to know. Then when I go to show her she gets mad at me. I had to teach her how to use the wood stove in my house. It's something she has to know and she also wanted to know. It's our primary source of heat. I tried to explain to her how the dampers work, what kinds of woods do what, what to do and what not to do, etc... She got mad at me and said to forget it, she won't touch it. I had to explain to her that our home and our lives are on the line with this. It's serious stuff! But she'd rather get angry and not learn anything rather than simply listening to what I'm telling her and educate herself. Why? I've been heating houses with wood for over 20 years. Why not listen to somebody who's very educated in this field?
Customers come into my shop and ask me why their car is making this noise or not doing something it's supposed to, so I begin to explain. It amazes me how many times I start to explain something to somebody and they cut me off within the first 5 seconds of my explanation. Then I just stop. If they don't want to listen to the answer to the question they just asked me, that's their loss.
I was at a swap meet a couple weekends ago when a friendly camper neighbor came over to our site to chat. He had an old Dodge motorhome that he was very proud of and he obviously liked talking about. Now, in my book, a conversation goes like this- First you talk and I listen, then I talk and you listen, repeat. Very simple. After this guy talked for about 5 minutes straight about his motorhome, I started to tell him about one that I knew about that was local to me and in very good shape. It was virtually the same camper as his. Not only that, but it's for sale and it's priced very reasonably at $500. The engine alone is worth that! I got about 10 seconds into my sentence when he turned his back to me and started talking to someone else behind him. I was floored. HE came to MY site to talk to ME, then turned HIS back on ME the first time I tried to open my mouth. I didn't even get to tell him about the camper at all, let alone the fact that it was for sale at such a good price. Oh well, his loss.
I can assure anyone who is asking themselves if I talk down to people that I do not. There are plenty of guys on this forum who know me personally and can tell you I don't talk down to people. Also, I do not claim to know it all. I'll be the first to admit when I don't know something. I am smart though, and I got that way from listening to what people who know things that I don't have told me. I gladly take their wisdom if they're kind enough to hand it down to me. Old people are the best for this. Sure, they can't drive worth a damn or do anything at a normal pace, but they've been there and they've done that before. It would be stupid to pass up the opportunity to take wisdom from someone who is willing to give it to you. It's free, why wouldn't you take it?
It's no secret that I'm not happy with the direction this country is headed and some of my past rants are probably part of the reason so much I have to say gets dismissed so easily on here, but I'm not ashamed of how I feel nor am I afraid to speak my mind. I am afraid to share my wisdom now though, because it's so rarely appreciated. The vast majority of our population in the United States have been raised with far too much of a feeling of entitlement. Everyone thinks they're better than everyone else. They think they have the right to not be offended. People are too concerned with being offended or being made to think that somebody may know something that they don't (god forbid) to even realize the knowledge they are passing up.
So thank you all for the knowledge you have passed to me over the years here on 3ww. I will continue to soak it in for years to come. From this point forward though, I can not promise I will return the favor. I am sick of this behavior both here and outside of here and I just can't stomach any more of it. I am going to make an honest effort to post less and thereby avoid the whole problem altogether. End of rant.
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Originally Posted by RIDE-RED 250r
