# Can't you think of anything else???? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 9, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316 "2004-02-09T20:05:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![maggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@maggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/1 "2004-02-09T20:05:41Z")
to say other than “Whatever”. When i ask you something…don’t just look at me, shrug and say “whatever”. Where did that come from and when is it going back? ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/2 "2004-02-09T20:41:55Z")
I’m with you on this one. I recently discovered I had gotten in the habit of saying this to myself. And I decided it’s a very dangerous habit to get into. “Whatever” is basically a dismissal and a refusal to even consider what has been presented. It’s rude and it’s an extremely lazy way of thinking. I owe it to myself and the speaker to at least consider what’s been said and reject it on it’s own merits… ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/3 "2004-02-09T21:18:02Z")
It could be worse. My little brother always uses “so” or “why don’t you?”, even when these phrases make no sense in the context. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/4 "2004-02-09T22:01:14Z")
How about just: “Meh.”? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/5 "2004-02-09T22:29:33Z")
My brother went through a particularly obnoxious phase, and answered everything with “I doubt it.” He came “this close” (holds fingers up about a 1/4 inch apart) to death. I swear. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/6 "2004-02-09T22:56:44Z")
Cuz this is MY UNITED STATES OF WHATEVER!!! ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/7 "2004-02-09T23:53:10Z")
We went 5 posts without someone responding just “Whatever.” Is that some kind of record? Or maybe it’s just because that’s a character too few to be posted by itself? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/8 "2004-02-10T00:34:15Z")
Ah, they’re 1920’s style “Death Rays.” _[sub]That felt gooood_[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/9 "2004-02-10T00:40:26Z")
It’s just so much simpler than “I really don’t care and I don’t want to talk about it anymore” ---
**Author:** ![Cyrokk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Cyrokk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyrokk)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/10 "2004-02-10T00:44:55Z")
I prefer to say “Hi, I don’t care, thanks.” ---
**Author:** ![7\_up\_yours](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/7/919ad9/32.png) [@7\_up\_yours](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/7_up_yours)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/11 "2004-02-10T02:32:25Z")
It drives me nuts too. I actually have a friend who doesn’t quite understand what it means and uses it out of context. It’s friggin’ nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Andros\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Andros\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andros_X)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/12 "2004-02-10T07:17:29Z")
Eh, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/13 "2004-02-10T11:10:56Z")
> [@Ilsa\_Lund](#): > > Ah, they’re 1920’s style “Death Rays.” > _[sub]That felt gooood_[/sub] Isn’t there a pit thread _this very minute_ about you just posting this sort of shit ? Why do you do it ? …And yes, I remember the fuckin’ hilarious thread about the “death rays”… ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/14 "2004-02-10T12:24:57Z")
Very little infuriates me more than that response. Many people don’t want to have intelligent debates or hear logical, factual arguments against their beliefs. These people seem to have this time honored response of “Whatever” Maybe I’m a bit bitter because it was my ex-wife’s favorite response. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/15 "2004-02-10T13:21:26Z")
Talk to the hand. Must be the dumbest phrase ever. ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/16 "2004-02-10T19:38:28Z")
> [@Odinoneeye](#): > > Many people don’t want to have intelligent debates or hear logical, factual arguments against their beliefs. 100% corrrect. Especially **unsolicited** debates or arguments, most of which are not intelligent, locgical, or factual. In other words, “Whatever …” ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/17 "2004-02-10T19:44:01Z")
> [@Achilles](#): > > Isn’t there a pit thread _this very minute_ about you just posting this sort of shit ? > > Why do you do it ? > > …And yes, I remember the fuckin’ hilarious thread about the “death rays”… So, would you rather he said, “I burning You dog?” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/18 "2004-02-10T19:48:50Z")
> [@Balle\_M](#): > > 100% corrrect. Especially **unsolicited** debates or arguments, most of which are not intelligent, locgical, or factual. > > In other words, “Whatever …” Or even spelled correctly…“logical” ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-you-think-of-anything-else/228316/19 "2004-02-10T19:59:49Z")
> [@7 up yours](#): > > It drives me nuts too. I actually have a friend who doesn’t quite understand what it means and uses it out of context. It’s friggin’ nuts. Could you explain or describe how he/she uses out of context? And/or guess at what you think he/she believe it means. I’m having a hard time picturing it. I used to know someone that had “it depends” and “it doesn’t matter” kind of conflated. So if you asked a question like: “Do you think I should wear a jacket or just a tie?” You might get: “It matters.” (Intended meaning: “Well, it depends…”) But, how on earth does your friend misuse “whatever?”