I don't agree that we can just attribute this to stupid people out there. There are so many isinformed intelligent peopl;e who would be more than interested to learn the correct information. We all just need to continue to educate at all opportunities. Attributing these commentts always to stupidity just closes us off from a dialogue which can be a postive learning experience for all
I forgot to add that she was saying she knew all this because she is boarderline diabetic, so she knows eveything there is to know about diabetes.
If she wouldn't have said that, then it probably would not have angrured me as much.
*Taylor*
i once went out on a day trip with a few friends and this old lady walks up 2 me and tells me to go nd sit because im a diabetic i cnt walk around with my friendz .... ok maybe this lady is way toooo caring bt we were sittin nd there were ppl all ova the place and she practically screamz askin me if i took my insulin.. duh ofcourse i took it im nt 3 anymore... am i tooo hard on her?
Gina, thank you for clarifying the fact that illiteracy (I think everyone knows this already) is not an indicator of intelligence. Some of the most brilliant people I have ever taught or worked with had just learned to read at 40 years old.
That being said, you do have to admit that some people are just plain stupid... :-P
I do think some commentary is not the fault of ignorance...it is incapability, innately embedded in some, to just freaking not get it.
On the whole, though, I think that most human beings are pretty smart and just are more receptive to experience than explanation, if that makes sense...
This is a case of intillectual lazyness paired with acute ignorance. Those two things give the person an air of stupidity, BUT only to those who truly are in the know such as yourself Taylor. Many adults with limited knowlege on a subject will often times substitute fact with perceived fact or sometimes just plain fiction. I suspect she had been spouting this mis information for years to those who are even less informed than herself (aka most of the general public). Therefore no one was available\ able to challenge her erroneous perceptions of what diabetes is and what diabetics can and can't do.
As the expert (and you are an expert) that you are, you should welcome the opportunity to educate the un-under informed when you know better. It may be difficult to sway an adult to change their thinking but remember you are an authority on the subject and if the adult does not want to listen or learn, then they will at that point truly earn the title of stupid.
"... if you want to live high, live high
and if you want to live low, live low
cause there's a million ways to go..."
Reading this made me so angry.
People think they know everything. I know my family thought they knew all about it, whne in reality they knew NOTHING! Instead of listening they just believe what they already think. So I just tell them they have no idea what their talking about so either get educated or shut up!
I used to get mad about this kind of stuff too, but then I realized you just gotta be open minded about the whole situation. I think it is easier for me to see it that way because I have battled anorexia and bulimia for about 3 years as well. You know how many people joke around about that? The other day someone was on facebook and their status said, "I'm going anorexic". At first this pissed me off but then I thought, there is no way for this girl to know what anorexia is really all about. All she probably thinks is skinny. With diabetes it really does suck for us type ones because look how many commercials and ads you see for type 2, but do you ever see them for type one. The diabetes that we did NOTHING to contribute to. Just take it as an oppurtunity to teach someone. Yes, you can be mad, but we could have it so much worse.
Margiein cluding JDRF
ESPECIALLY JDRF!
'Especially JDRF' what?
Alyssa 'Especially JDRF' what?
It should be one of their priorities.
Ah. Thank you :)
I agree that it can be frustrating when people give their "informed opinions," but also that it is true that people just know what they're heard. I try to make sure that my friends and family aren't ignorant on the subject of diabetes. I try to spread the word, but it is very difficult sometimes.
People who don't understand aren't stupid. They simply don't know. It's like knowledge on any subject. I don't know about some other diseases or afflictions, the only difference is that BECAUSE I'm diabetic and have felt the first hand effects of people's ill-informed comments, I chose not to make comments on what I don't know.
It all comes back to spreading awareness and information. Everyone just has to do their part :)
When someone makes a comment like that, either ignore it or (politely) set them straight.
This is interesting. B/c I just don't even acknowledge it anymore. Most of the time when I am around people who dont understand, I don't do anything to offend them. But this has just been recently. When I was first diagnosed I didn't give a wink or a whistle what anyone thought about type I.
I still don't educate folks. I don't even get into it. I give the folk who have posted about sharing with the stupid credit. I still don't care all that much to educate the ignorant fools out there.
Ha! Exactly...I sometimes say something, but I often feel exactly like Jon Yaroch. I have only so much energy, and I try to conserve what I have. I have to really watch how I come across sometimes, so I take the point of view that if I am really angry, I should just not say anything. Sometimes how something is said can do as much damage as what is said.