"You're an Idiot!"

"You're an Idiot!"
(Written 5/7/11 by ChristopherK2 for the Uglier Marylanders Blog)

I was under somewhat of a handicap when I joined AOL: I had only known "normal" people up until that time.

Sure, there was the occasional oddball, juvenile delinquent, or stoner. But even they fell within a fairly loose definition of normal. And when I first joined the chat room, it was full of normal people. There were a few people who got somewhat pissy with newbies, (probably because of possession issues) and with each other. But it was almost entirely mature, educated, interesting adults.

Then AOL went to the flat rate, sent out a bazillion CDs, and millions of kids were given computers for Christmas. Suddenly AOL and the room were flooded with kids. That wasn't too bad because I had already been a stepdad. So, I at least understood them although I didn't consider the vast majority of them adults. Several of them were actually quite interesting.

But the real change began with the Mensa Cult and SexySplder. I had never been around anyone like them or the "kronies." And they brought out the latent stupidity in many others. I was astounded and a bit confused by what developed. For reasons I still don't understand, I became intent on understanding these people. I wasted a lot of time trying to figure them out... what particular emotional/psychological issues did they have? Why??? What could I do?

Eventually, I was having a chat with an old buddy, ShadowFace, who knew several of them better than I did. So I asked him. And his answer set me on a new path. He said, simply, "Don't know. Don't care."

Thus, I decided to just lump all of the mentally/socially/psychologically impaired roomies under one heading, then Perm Ignore them (back when that was possible with PowerTools). I thought for a moment and settled on "Idiot" as the label.

So... what's the medical explanation for why a nearly 50-year-old guy spends 5-10 hours a day in an AOL chat room playing a "mind fuck" game? "Don't know. Don't care. He's an Idiot."

Why does another guy who lives 1,000 miles away spend a few hours a day cussing up a storm and viciously attacking people... err... SNs... he doesn't like? "Don't know. Don't care. He's an Idiot."

Why do some people here spew nasty racial, homophobic, anti-Semitic, and misogynistic slurs? "Don't know. Don't care. They're Idiots."

So, when you see me ignoring the insults, lies, etc., in the room--especially those directed at me--just imagine me mentally pointing my finger at the accuser and silently mouthing "You're an Idiot." I've been a LOT calmer and saved oodles of time since I adopted that philosophy.

And I wish a lot more people would do the same.