We assume too much

[Leftiris]

This is something we all do, but it seems as time goes on we are living in a world where we assume way too much.

I see this in our discussions on social media all the time. Two people talking, one says something the other doesn't agree with, and so the assumption battle begins. And so many times, just because two people have a different opinion on something they automatically assume the other is crazy, or stupid, or whatever. Are we all doctors? Psychics? Why do we think we are qualified to judge another human being so quickly and harshly, simply because they believe in something you don't? This is not intelligence. There's a 99.9% chance you're wrong in your assumption, and yet I will see people fight to the death that theyre right, when in fact they are dead wrong.

Im sure you've all had someone, if not many many people assume things about you that were way off. I certainly have. And it's always so concerning how wrong people can be, and yet be so convinced they know what they're talking about.

But they're wrong. And these same people will go around telling other people this assumption.....and then they'll believe it. Some times for life!

I cannot even begin to write out the words that can describe how idiotic we all can actually be.


I know I've done it, and am guilty here.


We need to stop. We're just not as smart as we think we are.

If we were.....none of us would be in the mess we are all in.

We really need to stop assuming so much. It does not exude intelligence.

That it is all. Carry on.

[Maxmars]

Perhaps you are just assuming that we assume too much? (Sorry, just being playful here.)

I can empathize with your sentiment, as I have felt the frustration frequently.  It's like we are all internally programmed to carry out our internal judgments with a total disregard for any humility, or self-reflection.  We definitely are all guilty of bias and presumption, only as a matter of the reality that discussion presents that hazard automatically (akin to free speech)... and it is especially damaging when we forget that "defending" an idea doesn't really require "attacking" another idea.

I'm sorry that you have faced this and are upset (see? I'm assuming here.)  But your point isn't lost if that wasn't the reason for your thread.  

It rings true regardless... we do assume too much, too frequently, and we often forgo the dignity of the person with whom we disagree.

Now... if this was about "me," I think you're wrong... wrong, wrong, wrong! (Playfully.. not serious.)

My best to you always,

MM

[Leftiris]

Perhaps you are just assuming that we assume too much? (Sorry, just being playful here.)

I can empathize with your sentiment, as I have felt the frustration frequently.  It's like we are all internally programmed to carry out our internal judgments with a total disregard for any humility, or self-reflection.  We definitely are all guilty of bias and presumption, only as a matter of the reality that discussion presents that hazard automatically (akin to free speech)... and it is especially damaging when we forget that "defending" an idea doesn't really require "attacking" another idea.

I'm sorry that you have faced this and are upset (see? I'm assuming here.)  But your point isn't lost if that wasn't the reason for your thread.  

It rings true regardless... we do assume too much, too frequently, and we often forgo the dignity of the person with whom we disagree.

Now... if this was about "me," I think you're wrong... wrong, wrong, wrong! (Playfully.. not serious.)

My best to you always,

MM

Haha see.

I'm just an observer. I've always been a quiet one who sits and listens and watches everyone. So it was just an observation, that lead to the thought.

I tend to always sound "upset" when I'm writing on the internet. I always approach it with walls up and guarded. It's literally just because I'm a shi**y writer that just so happensto like sharing ideas. I read my stuff sometimes and think, damn, I sound like a d***. Ha Truth is, I'm really not. I've just never had a strong internet presence because I haven't spent a whole lot of my time on it for socializing. It's just not my style. I'm an in person person, and a stellar speaker. I just can't write for s***.



What I found so concerning is not that we assume, so much. It's that we always assume the worst of the other person.

I wonder how many times I've "disliked" someone online, but would actually be best friends with if we had met in person or even just really got along with.

And yeah, it's happened to me so much, I know it happens to others just as much.

I took a step back today and saw this going down, and just realized, most of what we think about other people is wrong. We're just plain ol mean to each other sometimes. And assumptions can be extremely destructive. I've seen lives destroyed over an assumption that wasn't true.

Thanks, MM. Back at ya.

[VulcanWerks]

A couple of factors I see playing into this:

1) Most people are really close to the Y axis on the dunning Kruger chart - and don’t even know what that means.
2) We live in a society that speaks ongoing of “right and wrong”
3) People can’t say “I don’t know” and not feel like an idiot
4) data-driven people are a rare breed
5) in the absence of data-driven decision making you get hyper emotional people
6) tribalism

We’re all guilty of all of these things periodically but many people exhibit many of these traits ongoing.

I used to think it had to do with youth but sadly it doesn’t appear to always fade with age.

[Leftiris]

Plato and Socrates had a similar thought, and they came to mind.

"I know that I know nothing" Plato

Socrates: 'I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.

This saying is also connected or conflated with the answer to a question Socrates (according to Xenophon) or Chaerephon (according to Plato) is said to have posed to the Pythia, the Oracle of Delphi, in which the oracle stated something to the effect of "Socrates is the wisest person in Athens."[3] Socrates, believing the oracle but also completely convinced that he knew nothing, was said to have concluded that nobody knew anything, and that he was only wiser than others because he was the only person who recognized his own ignorance.

I always liked the old saying, "When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me."