# Are the Teeming Masses really THIS stupid? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 29, 2000, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166 "2000-11-29T08:34:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/1 "2000-11-29T08:34:33Z")
Tonight, my wife received two boxes of candles from a popular mail-order company to be used as gifts this season. On the side of the boxes was this warning. I am typing this verbatim. > [@](#): > > [sub]**“Failure to follow these instructions can result in burn injuries and / or property damage. Remove all packing material. Keep wick trimmed to 1/4 inch before lighting / burning. Leave no wick trimming on candle and keep free of foreign objects ( matches, broken wick, etc. can act as wick in wax pool and should be removed). Do not pinch off burned tip of wick. Make sure wick is centered in the candle as wax melts. Trim wick if flame becomes too high. Use only in temperature-safe, heat resisitant container and keep away from flammable materials / combustibles / drafts / children & pets. Keep burning candle away from body, clothes,and combustble materials Do not burn when unattended. Drafts, close candle groupings, and off-center wicks can melt candle edges and allow hot wax to spill. Do not move burning or hot candles. Allow candle to cool prior to moving. To prevent heat damage, discontinue use when 1” of wax candle remains. To extinguish, carefully blow out flame to prevent eye injury. Do not snuff. Smoke from candles may cause nausea/vomiting, respiratory problems,or drowsiness. Allow candle to cool before relighting. Do not ingest wax. Keep candles out of reach of children and pets at all times. Make sure candle is upright with no tilt, prior to ignition. Follow all directions supplied with candles."**[/sub] Damn. Has this society reached the depths of intellect that would require such a warning on candles? Anyone that would do some of this stuff with a burning candle would probably not read the fine print, lengthly instructions in the first place. After reading about all that could go wrong, I am now afraid to send these wax sticks of death to my family / friends. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/2 "2000-11-29T09:05:01Z")
> [@](#): > > To extinguish, carefully blow out flame to prevent eye injury This is put in because someone, somewhere, tried to put out a candle with their eye socket. Probably sued and won too. ---
**Author:** ![Emperor\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Emperor\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emperor_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/3 "2000-11-29T09:07:25Z")
What you mean I shouldn’t duct tape several candles to the family dog, and let him run around the room while being chased by the neighborhood children, as I go off to the mall? Jeez, next you’ll be saying that I can’t carve a turkey with a chainsaw. ---
**Author:** ![Baraqiyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@Baraqiyal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baraqiyal)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/4 "2000-11-29T09:20:34Z")
My favorite line: “Do not ingest wax.” Well, that blows my dinner plans. ---
**Author:** ![Ayesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Ayesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ayesha)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/5 "2000-11-29T10:08:08Z")
Well, I liked “Make sure candle is upright with no tilt, prior to ignition”. This may have saved my life ! I had planned to start burning all my candles tipped over on their sides. Now what will I use to light that huge pile of newspaper in the garage, next to the full gas cans ? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/6 "2000-11-29T10:20:35Z")
I’m going to have to send my brass candle-snuffer back to the manufacturer! And it had just been polished too! ---
**Author:** ![Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazing_Tiki_God)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/7 "2000-11-29T10:23:50Z")
Geezal. If one word could sum it up that would be it. And I thought it was getting bad when they started putting labels on Dr. Pepper bottles. The one where it says something along the lines of ATTENTION opening this bottle of carbonated perfection can cause the lid to blow off going through the ceiling injuring everyone in it’s path for miles (ok maybe not quite that bad)… I mean come on are people out there that slow? Okay well I know a few people that need the warning labels on things. For instance my brother. Hmm the genius decided to put about a good fluid ounce or so of near boiling melting wax on his hand. Thankfully there is a thing called genetic mutation. I just wonder which one of us got the mutation… ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/8 "2000-11-29T10:40:58Z")
Warning Labels are no longer there to be read and heeded, they are only there so that they won’t be sued by idiots who do something blatantly moronic and try to blame the product manufacturer. “I was chowin’ down on this here rubber cement, cos like it came in a tube jus’ like toothpaste, and I likes me some toothpaste - but then it started burnin’ me throat! I wants 2 million dollars in compensation, cos there weren’t no warnin’ label tellin’ me not to eat that stuff.” It happens. And the poor manufacturers are guilty until proven innocent. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/9 "2000-11-29T11:07:24Z")
Yes, I figured liability was why they included such “duh!” instructions on the candles. Now to hijack my own thread. Has anyone else run across silly, condescending, or outright “duh!” instructions or warning labels on anything of late? ---
**Author:** ![Morrison\_s\_Lament](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Morrison\_s\_Lament](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrison_s_Lament)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/10 "2000-11-29T11:34:15Z")
On the label phenomenon: Iceland, my old home, imports a heck of a lot of fireworks every new years eve. It’s like a seriously impressive 4th of july in a big city. Most of these fireworks seem to come from China or Taiwain, but some were European. A couple of years back I started inspecting the fireworks themselves for safety instructions, other than those enforced and printed by the government uppon import. I found out that while they seemes to contain extensive instructions in whatever language the fireworks came from, they had only chose to translate ONE line from the whole text!: “Do not eat.” That was this stunningly important piece of information that any wannabe rocketeer must know! NOTHING ELSE IS IMPORTANT! I’ve lived in China for a while now and have yet to come across another reference to westerners appetites for deep fried explosives in a bun. — G. R. ``` ---courtesty of Mr. Eger Skakhaüs ``` ---
**Author:** ![Dak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c89c15/32.png) [@Dak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dak)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/11 "2000-11-29T11:47:46Z")
Nothing particiulaly special but I have always enjoyed the instructions on tooth picks and shampoo bottles, Lather rinse and repeat if necessary? please. ---
**Author:** ![LMacG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@LMacG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LMacG)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/12 "2000-11-29T13:30:50Z")
You know those sunshades that you put in your windshield to keep out the nasty hot sun? Mine says “do not drive with sunscreen in place.” I keep forgetting about that! ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/13 "2000-11-29T13:34:49Z")
I noticed that Butterball is now informing you that you have to remove the plastic wrapping prior to putting it into the oven. ---
**Author:** ![Juniper200](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@Juniper200](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juniper200)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/14 "2000-11-29T13:39:08Z")
**particlewill** , I didn’t even have to read your post. Based on the subject line alone, I was able to confidently answer, “yes.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![broccoli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@broccoli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/broccoli)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/15 "2000-11-29T14:30:50Z")
What I really love to see is the imprinted (stamped?) directions on the tops of aluminum cans on how to open them… Complete with little pictures! punk snot dead, broccoli! ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/16 "2000-11-29T14:32:54Z")
I’m more outraged than amused by these warnings. It’s an outright interference with the process of natural selection. ---
**Author:** ![Palmyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@Palmyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palmyra)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/17 "2000-11-29T14:37:23Z")
[hijack] **The Mighty Tiki God** , DUDE! you’ve got an Eddie Izzard quote! i love that performance… i’m slowly converting my friends… [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Palmyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@Palmyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palmyra)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/18 "2000-11-29T14:40:03Z")
and i know how stupid saying “dude” sounds… ---
**Author:** ![Rosebud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rosebud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rosebud)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/19 "2000-11-29T14:41:14Z")
I like the one printed on the “sleeve” used to microwave my veggie wrap sandwiches: “Caution! Filling will be HOT!” Oh, so is that what microwaves do? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166/20 "2000-11-29T16:18:27Z")
I currently have 3 favorites, two “duh” and one “huh?” The first one is the way that every cereal or cracker box you ever saw has the same two “duh” instructions, or variations thereof: “Lift Here to Open” and “Tuck to Reclose”. Now, I am forty-something years old, and I have been opening and closing cereal and cracker boxes literally ALL my life, so let’s say it’s been at least 35 or 40 years that these things have been around. How long does it take for a Society to learn how to operate something? How long was it before they stopped putting “Push Here” buttons on TV sets? Or “Insert Key Here” labels on car ignitions? Answer: they never did. So, how much collective smarts do we need as a society to figure out how to operate a cracker box? Is it possible there are still some Seniors out there, who grew up in an era before packaged foods, who still don’t know how to get the Frosted Flakes open? The second one is the way virtually every frozen food package or can of something will say, somewhere, “Refrigerate or discard any unused portion.” No kidding? You mean I shouldn’t just let it lay out on the counter all week until somebody feels like eating it? The third one is the label of the Healthy Choice 99% Fat-Free Soups, which says, in part, “This meal is not a cure for heart disease…” Huh? Oh, shoot, and here I thought I was gonna clear up Grampa’s ticker trouble by feedin’ him the right kind of soup… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-teeming-masses-really-this-stupid/43166.md?page=2)