thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 1, 2013 11:51:41 GMT -5
But you don't know how to get the information you need?
I've never been great at world political events. It doesn't interest me. But, I would like to be somewhat a non-idiot when the subject comes up. Today, I realized that I have never even heard of Dagestan. And when I looked it up - I realized that until today, I thought Georgia (the country) was somewhere totally different.
This isn't the first time I've thought I needed to know a little more about the whole mid-east make-up and what's going on over there. But if I try to get information about it, it gets overwhelming - FAST.
Anyone know a good place to start learning the basics about that soup-sandwich of an area? Sort of a "Dummies Guide to the fill-in-the-blank-estans" of the world?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2013 11:53:51 GMT -5
There are so many books out there that give a summary of mid east history. I have seen a few promoted on The Daily Show that look like they would be a great read.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on May 1, 2013 11:54:02 GMT -5
No, I don't feed uneducated. Like I don't feed wild animals. It just enables them. ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/tongue2.png)
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hoops902
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Post by hoops902 on May 1, 2013 11:54:08 GMT -5
I feed the uneducated, just because you're not smart doesn't mean you shouldn't be allowed to eat.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on May 1, 2013 11:54:12 GMT -5
<p>wiki. </p>
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on May 1, 2013 11:54:55 GMT -5
No. I don't read much news because it's too depressing and I'm too sensitive since having a daughter. If I need to know something I google it. I feel like I have all the information in the universe one click away and that's close enough for me.
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Formerly SK
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Post by Formerly SK on May 1, 2013 12:05:53 GMT -5
I used to want to be educated about that stuff, but I've come to realize it's all one gigantic clusterfuck and me knowing about it doesn't help me in any way. And pretty much anyone who voices an opinion on the subject doesn't impress me unless they have majored in it in college or something. Reading a book or two (or just scanning a website or two) does not even begin to educate someone on the intricacies of that area. Hell, you probably need to read 10 books just to get past the various author bias in them (I say this as I've read probably 4-5 books on the middle east and it takes awhile to see the bias).
Nowadays it seems when people "get informed" on something it just means they search for data that already supports their world view so they and then debate how their world view is superior. It has nothing to do with actual truth or solutions. It gets old talking with people like this so I just don't do it anymore.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on May 1, 2013 12:06:26 GMT -5
Constantly! Probably the most frequent offender is in dealing with office politics/relationships. Most of my coworkers have been practicing law in this (large, but insular) county for 20-30 years. My boss is an ex-journalist so knows where all the bodies are buried. My job would be so much easier if there was some way to know that X has hated Y since the budget crisis of 1988, so don't invite them both to this meeting, or that Z wrote a dissertation on this topic in the late 90s so I should just ask him rather than spend 3 hours trying to find a source. If only Facebook had existed in the 1980s-1990s, I could probably get whatever info I needed from there. Alas, I have to actually talk to people ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png)
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 1, 2013 12:10:54 GMT -5
Nowadays it seems when people "get informed" on something it just means they search for data that already supports their world view so they and then debate how their world view is superior. It has nothing to do with actual truth or solutions. It gets old talking with people like this so I just don't do it anymore. I don't think I necessarily have an opinion - except that I don't really condone people who blow up other people, nor people who abuse their own (like women, etc.) I don't really want to get in a debate with anyone. I just don't want to feel like everyone at the table is speaking some language, and I'm sitting there playing with my food because I only know American.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on May 1, 2013 12:19:21 GMT -5
I find that information to be the most useful at work. I can wiki where Kerozhdtowgsztyzstan is, but I can't wiki who slept with who's wife and who used to be coke snorting buddies.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on May 1, 2013 12:35:21 GMT -5
I just don't want to feel like everyone at the table is speaking some language, and I'm sitting there playing with my food because I only know American.
Just do what they do on P&M, pretend you know what you're talking about. And make sure to share highly biased sources as evidence. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png) Unless you are sitting there with someone whose profession it is to know these things odds are good the people at the table don't really know what they're talking about either. They just want to sound like they're educated and informed.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 1, 2013 12:38:04 GMT -5
I hang around with very smart, educated people. Judges, doctors, lawyers, politicians, etc. My husband always told me how surprised people are when they find out that I make as much money as he does. I've always chalked that up to them being ignorant about my value to a company - but now I'm wondering if it is because I appear to be an idiot in social situations. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/undecided.png)
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swamp
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Post by swamp on May 1, 2013 12:39:40 GMT -5
I find lawyers in general to be blow hard idiots who don't know what they're talking about. They just think they do.
ETA: I also find many "educated professionals" to be seriously lacking in humor. You're funny. They don't get it.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on May 1, 2013 12:44:10 GMT -5
I find lawyers in general to be blow hard idiots who don't know what they're talking about. They just think they do.
Ditto for doctors and scientists. Education in one area doesn't mean I am automatically informed/educated in another. A lot of people tend to assume that's the case though. People can be shockingly stupid despite knowing how to perform brain surgery.
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on May 1, 2013 12:45:46 GMT -5
I find lawyers in general to be blow hard idiots who don't know what they're talking about. They just think they do. ETA: I also find many "educated professionals" to be seriously lacking in humor. You're funny. They don't get it. You should invite them here. They'd fit right in. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png)
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 1, 2013 12:51:14 GMT -5
I know I wasn't the only person that was thinking "Who is Osama Bin Laden?" on September 12th, 2001 - but I was the only person I heard say it. Luckily, I said it with a bunch of people standing there, and just about everyone shrugged, and then one guy said "I don't know - some terrorist. He's in charge of some group that hates us or something." One other guy came to the rescue with a little more information. LOL - good cover everyone else. Glad I called you all out!
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swamp
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Post by swamp on May 1, 2013 12:52:51 GMT -5
I had never heard of him before 9/12/01 either.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2013 12:54:54 GMT -5
Just because someone has a degree does not make them inherently more intelligent. Diligent, yes. They completed a task that I did not, but it doesn't mean that they're any smarter than I am. ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/idunno.gif)
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 1, 2013 13:00:57 GMT -5
I purposely used "uneducated" - because I know there is a different between smart and knowledgeable. I know that there are a lot of people out there who are very smart and educated in some areas, but not others. And I have a very narrow field where I can hold my own. But, I can't even ask questions about global politics, unless you say something very specific and I can say "Who?"
There are actually very few people who understand what the hell is going on over there. That region has been at war since Darwin's fish grew legs and walked out of the ocean.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on May 1, 2013 13:02:49 GMT -5
Ask me about '80's pop culture and I'm there for you. Ask me about Chechnya and I'll give you a blank stare.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on May 1, 2013 13:08:47 GMT -5
Ask me about the latest episode of True Blood and I'm all over it. Ask me about Darfur and all I can tell you is it is in Africa and George Clooney likes to talk about it.
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on May 1, 2013 13:14:46 GMT -5
I felt like that and still do to some extent, I guess, when I first came to US - there were SO many things that were just way over my head. But either bc I was so young or whatever, I never had any problems saying "oh, I have no clue what you are talking about" and somehow that attitude stayed with me.
Right now - I talk to SAHM whose main topics of conversation are poop, sleeping, eating and poop. I am very versed in all of those things.
I will say, though, that our school system where I am from, gave you a chance to become much more well-rounded individual than US one. Of course, most kids didn't care and still didn't learn much, but it was there if they wanted to
BTW, Thyme, Dagestan and Georgia were all part of former Soviet Union and therefore, were non-religious places up until recently. So, I don't know if I would add them to "middle east" mess just yet.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2013 13:45:33 GMT -5
I used to be really up on US and world politics... I just loved it. My secret fantasy (okay, well one of them) was to be a political analyst on CNN. I also took it upon myself to go to the local library and take out a biography on Nixon. I read about half of it at that time and it was actually very interesting. I've slacked a LOT in that department though (mainly because 99% of the time the TV is turned to Disney Jr, BabyFirst TV, or Sprout now). Thanks for reminding me that I need to turn to Google News at least once a day.
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Formerly SK
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Post by Formerly SK on May 1, 2013 14:03:08 GMT -5
I've easily read 20+ books on Nixon/watergate and consider myself reasonably informed on the subject. But if the topic came up at a gathering of people I don't know that I would engage in it all that much. Either a person says something I know is wrong and we debate the issue with no conclusion because he doesn't trust my knowledge (and vice versa), or I just let it go because why engage someone who is only debating to hear himself talk (or do the usual "it's all X's fault"). I usually just don't engage...but maybe I know too many blowhards instead of people who are genuinely curious about an issue. ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/idunno.gif)
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 1, 2013 14:07:04 GMT -5
I blocked all that out - but haven't replaced it with anything. So, another conversation I can't really have.
(Although I was at a party a few weeks ago where we nominated, and then sang and/or streamed the worst songs from the 80's, and 70's. Hilarious!)
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on May 1, 2013 14:15:15 GMT -5
In general, yes, I feel uneducated. I know there is a great deal I do not know. But that may be a sign of intelligence because the more you know more you know you don't know.
Anyway, regarding forign history, that is definitely one area where I know very little. I have a grasp on the basics of Western History, but know next to nothing about anyone else's history.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2013 15:06:02 GMT -5
I feel uneducated. There is too much to know. I read all the time and I still get confused.
Awesome book idea.
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Formerly SK
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Post by Formerly SK on May 1, 2013 15:22:39 GMT -5
![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/yeahthat.gif) The more I learn the more I realize I don't know. But, I don't feel badly about that (I don't feel "uneducated") as there is just too much out there to learn and I have other priorities besides knowing the political beliefs of some leader of a country I've never been to. The problem IMO is thinking everyone else does know all that info. They don't - they just do a better job of sounding like they do.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2013 15:43:30 GMT -5
There are so many books out there that give a summary of mid east history. I have seen a few promoted on The Daily Show that look like they would be a great read. I suck at world history. God bless wikipedia and the Daily Show. They give me a place to start from. I used to have a subscription to Newsweek - they did a pretty good job of including some historical context in their articles, rather than just diving in assuming you knew what was going on. They accept that all you knew about Tripoli before the Arab Spring was that one line in the Marine's Hymn.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2013 15:52:36 GMT -5
I googled Dagestan. So, it is a part of Russia with about 3 million residents.
It's basically their Arkansas. I feel like if I was from Arkansas and travelling internationally, I would say "I'm from the U.S." or possibly "I'm from Arkansas, which is in the southern part of the U.S."
Hell, I thought about moving there once and I still know basically nothing about Arkansas.
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