No, and it’s not because I’m some genius who has never done anything foolish. I don’t like willfully ignorant types.
And in addition, I’m a loner who doesn’t suffer much of anyone lightly.
Yes. We seem to be drawn together, us fools.
Or would that be *we *fools?
Depends.
My personal philosophy has evolved over time. I now believe in treating all beliefs (Religion, Politics, Ideology, Economics) as nothing more than Opinion, and generally respecting everyone’s right to their own opinion. The line is drawn when their “opinion” involves interfering in other people’s rights to have their opinions or live their own lives.
BUT. There are still things I’m just not willing to suffer, just because they’re too damned stupid or ignorant, or because they’re annoying as all get out. For a few examples; I don’t own a single Apple product, but I have no patience with the anti-Apple fanatics. Don’t like it, don’t fucking buy it, shut the fuck up about it. I have no patience with people who have no clue about economics, but are very vocal about how they think things should work. (Like the ideas of confiscating wealth, or creating jobs through eliminating the minimum wage, or angry scorn at the idea that companies exist to make a profit.)
And then beyond that, I’m a damned fool more often than I’d like to be, so I try to remember my own folly when dealing with that of others. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work out.
Two different sorts of fools: the ignorant and the prejudiced
The ignorant who want to know better are worth taking all the time and patience you can muster.
The prejudiced already have their minds set in stone. You can say your piece if it makes you feel better, but they won’t likely hear it.
As soon as you have eliminated the possibility you have the former, and it is indeed the latter you are dealing with, go away. Staying around will just raise your blood pressure.
I don’t know, it depends on what you mean by suffer them lightly. Do you mean can I grin and bear them? Sure, people I’m mad at because they’re being stupid usually don’t seem to realize it, and I’ve been told that I’m “patient” before, something that took me until I was in my mid-20s to realize means that you don’t shake people who deserve it.
But if to suffering them lightly is meant to mean you really don’t mind, then not at all. I’m a good enough actress and in control of my temper enough not to react negatively towards subordinates (and the occasional superior!) that are working my last nerve by being needy/intelectually lazy/clueless 99% of the time, but you better believe I’ll vent about them when they’re safely out of hearing.
I suffer them with resignation.
I teach teenagers, so suffering them to a certain point is part of my job description.
My opinion is that everyone is a fool in some situations, and that human beings tend to do to others what they do to them, at least when it comes to negative stuff. So being mean to fools would always come back to bite me.
That said, I’ve lightened up on that considerably since I’ve been here. I try my best to take a stand against foolishness, but not to hurt the fools themselves. Plus, I’m okay with voicing stronger opinions in the Pit, with the caveat that I assume most people know that such opinions are fueled by temporary anger.
And don’t take it personally: like I said, anyone can be a fool in some situations. I feel like an idiot for my foray into the blues thread, and am still trying to figure out how to respond in a thread towards someone else who is acting foolish.
So, whether you wanted it or not, there’s the part of me I’ve been wanting to divulge, and this seemed as appropriate a time as any. Ciau.
I’m a damn fool and I want to be the first one to admit it. Thanks for allowing me to be myself. I also enjoy fellow fools who also don’t take themselves too seriously along with the people on here that do take themselves too seriously. It’s pure comedy and it takes all kinds to make the world go round. Thanks for making my day dopers!
I wish I could catch up but I gotta go make the donuts. 
Likewise. That doesn’t mean that I won’t tell someone they’re wrong when they’re definitely wrong, however; I just don’t do it in a gratuitously nasty and smug manner.
Yes. I’m generally a very patient person. Also I work in Human Resources, so it’s kind of necessary.
My sister specifically uses the phrase, “you don’t suffer fools lightly” to describe me. She’s being charitable as most folks just say, “You’re an ass.”
Yes, and no. According to the rest of my workplace, I am a total hardass regarding fools, so that’s a no.
According to the difference between what I’m thinking when I deal with fools and what actually comes out of my mouth, I’m Mother Teresa.
I suppose that should really be amended to “No, but I could be much, much worse.”
I have always heard it as ‘suffer fools gladly’. ‘Gladly’ would be a bit of a stretch for me, but ‘lightly’, yeah, I suffer fools lightly.
Generally, no.
Maybe it’s because I’m a pretty smart guy. Maybe it’s because I’m an intolerant ass, but man, do I despise stupidity. Even thought I know they can’t help it, they bug the hell out of me.
Sadly, I’m in IT support, and the smartest person I talk to on any given day is only capable of attaching a file to an email with my help.
I weep for the future.
Only the old ones.
All those years my mother, the frustrated teacher, spent “socializing” me (i.e., teaching me to shut up) come handy at work. A lot.
But I don’t do it gladly, I do it for the paycheck. The best jobs I’ve had, and the ones where we got better results, were those in which I could say things like “what you’re asking me to do goes against your own interests; if you want to shoot yourself be my guest, but please do it in a way that doesn’t involve making me clean up the mess.”
Apparently, I’ve never suffered fools lightly. When I was 4, mom took me to some kind of preparatory evaluation for kindergarten. The lady talking to me was checking something like if I responded to my name, was not deaf or some such. So she asked me, “Hypno-Toad, what is your name?” Mom says that I looked at that woman like she was the biggest idiot I’d ever met and refused to answer. The woman pressed the point and I entrenched. So I came close to being classified as a “Special” student since I wouldn’t answer this poorly phrased question. My sig line seems a little more understandable now.
Yes, but maybe because I worked as a bartender years ago and got used to it. I’d listen to idiots all day and nod and smile to make tips.
I guess I still do in a way. I try not to allow other people to dictate how I feel so I try not to allow fools to annoy me. Plus you don’t get bonus points in life for being right so why bother.