# Ever been shocked at what some people don't know? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 10, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416 "2012-03-10T22:36:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 36
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/701 "2012-05-03T07:54:25Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > I submit to you the experiment I performed for the benefit of my classmates who believed that: > > open a tampon. > > Look at its size. Poke it. Flex it. > > If you think that’s big enough and hard enough to rip a hymen, you need to get better acquainted with hard-ons. I thought that back in 8th grade or so. I thought, from the health teacher’s description, that the hymen covered the vaginal opening 100%, which makes 0% sense in retrospect. So I didn’t get how a virgin could use a tampon. I just kept that shit to myself though, of course. ETA: I know the 100% or imperforate does exist as an anomaly. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/702 "2012-05-03T08:07:34Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > I submit to you the experiment I performed for the benefit of my classmates who believed that: > > open a tampon. > > Look at its size. Poke it. Flex it. > > If you think that’s big enough and hard enough to rip a hymen, you need to get better acquainted with hard-ons. Um it has to come out too, and then it is swollen up to 10X bigger, unlike hard ons where the sequence is reversed. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/703 "2012-05-03T08:30:37Z")
10x bigger? My god, what tampons do you use? And they’re still nowhere near hard enough. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/704 "2012-05-03T10:13:42Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I can almost understand the weird logic of the other two but the ponytail thing is shocking. I would love to hear the reasoning on that one. Maybe because they think some of the weight would hang off to the side and not on the scale? Males not being able to pee sitting down seems a far more odd one to me. What exactly do they think prevents this? I mean, they do know where the penis is, right? And that it’s not always hard? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/705 "2012-05-03T11:45:05Z")
**Nava** , that may work in Spain, but in the US, tampons most often come in applicators made of thick cardboard or plastic. Those applicators are certainly capable of breaking through the hymen if it’s imperforate or the applicator just hits a solid part of it. More often the tampon applicator will slide into one of the holes most of us have in our hymens as young women, without tearing a new hole in it, but it’s possible. It doesn’t take a whole lot of pressure to snap the tissue, for most women. The hymen is even weaker in the “coming out” direction of travel, and at least one major brand of tampons opens into a rectangle when released from its applicator, and those bottom corners can catch the hymen coming out and rip it. Now, I don’t believe that makes one “not a virgin”, of course. But if I lived in a culture where some scowling mother-in-law was going to feel for my hymen on my wedding night and reveal my harlotry to the wedding party if it wasn’t intact, you can bet your sweet bippy I wouldn’t use American style tampons before my wedding night! ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/706 "2012-05-03T11:49:41Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Males not being able to pee sitting down seems a far more odd one to me. What exactly do they think prevents this? I mean, they do know where the penis is, right? And that it’s not always hard? For me, it’s definitely more difficult; the angle of the plumbing or something. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/707 "2012-05-03T15:26:23Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Now, I don’t believe that makes one “not a virgin”, of course. But if I lived in a culture where some scowling mother-in-law was going to feel for my hymen on my wedding night and reveal my harlotry to the wedding party if it wasn’t intact, you can bet your sweet bippy I wouldn’t use American style tampons before my wedding night! One would hope that you wouldn’t marry into such a family in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/708 "2012-05-03T17:29:18Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > One would hope that you wouldn’t marry into such a family in the first place. The way my life actually turned out? Of course not! But had I been born somewhere else… ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/709 "2012-05-03T17:44:36Z")
I’ve posted this here before, but my mother is one of those. She wouldn’t allow me to wear tampons all through high school. (Mind you, I was also taking ballet lessons 3-4 x week. That’s right: skintight leotard, pale pink tights … and maxi pads.) ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/710 "2012-05-03T19:16:12Z")
I was in grad school (public admin) and was discussing gov’t policy with a fellow student. I starting talking about gov’t grants for R and D and she stopped me to ask what R and D was. I thought she was joking at first, but then calmly explained it was short for research and development. Really? ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/711 "2012-05-03T20:06:12Z")
This is more of a retail thing I guess, but I recently had a customer purchase an animal cage, use it for two weeks, then decide he didn’t like it anymore and decide to return it. He was shocked that I wouldn’t take it back and refund his full purchase price after an animal had lived in it for two weeks. ---
**Author:** ![smokey78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@smokey78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smokey78)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/712 "2012-05-03T23:09:43Z")
The culture gap, age cap, income gap, education gap is just going to be wider and wider. I’m reminded of Elizabeth Hasselback from the View who is mid-30s and didn’t know who Ric Ocasek is. Or maybe she is not into pop music? ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/713 "2012-05-03T23:27:40Z")
> [@smokey78](#): > > I’m reminded of Elizabeth Hasselback from the View who is mid-30s and didn’t know who Ric Ocasek is. Or maybe she is not into pop music? I’ll give anybody a pass on pop music. Since rap and hip hop took over, I can look at a top 40 list and recognize maybe half a dozen names, and not be able to even hum any of them. In the late 60’s, I could flick the radio on and off for half a second and tell you the title and artist of the song playing. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/714 "2012-05-03T23:30:57Z")
> [@smokey78](#): > > The culture gap, age cap, income gap, education gap is just going to be wider and wider. > > I’m reminded of Elizabeth Hasselback from the View who is mid-30s and didn’t know who Ric Ocasek is. Or maybe she is not into pop music? I’m 34 and like the Cars! (I’m an 80s fan generally) ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/715 "2012-05-03T23:42:42Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > I submit to you the experiment I performed for the benefit of my classmates who believed that: > > open a tampon. > > Look at its size. Poke it. Flex it. > > If you think that’s big enough and hard enough to rip a hymen, you need to get better acquainted with hard-ons. I’m VERY familiar with hard-ons, thank you! It’s hymens with which I have no familiarity at all.\* I had thought that they were tissue-paper delicate, and would be ripped apart by any insertion, such as a finger, a pencil, etc. This isn’t the sort of ignorance that can be dispelled by a priori philosophical reasoning. \*Also, I’ve seen hard-plastic tampon insertion devices that are harder than an erect penis…although a bit smaller than the average erection. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/716 "2012-05-04T14:11:05Z")
I had to troubleshoot a computer program issue with a secretary. She calls and says she cannot exit a certainmenu page she’s entered. The manual says to to enter ‘E’ to exit. Sounds simple. She says it doesn’t work. I ask her if she’s entering a capital E. She says yes, but the program is still displaying the same page. I’m stumped. Maybe her shift key is broken. I again ask you’re sure you’re entering capital E. Yes. You sure you’re not letting the shift key go too soon? Capital E? There’s a pause. “Oh, you mean big letters? It’s working now.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/717 "2012-05-07T09:13:36Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I’m VERY familiar with hard-ons, thank you! It’s hymens with which I have no familiarity at all.\* I had thought that they were tissue-paper delicate, and would be ripped apart by any insertion, such as a finger, a pencil, etc. > > This isn’t the sort of ignorance that can be dispelled by a priori philosophical reasoning. > > \*Also, I’ve seen hard-plastic tampon insertion devices that are harder than an erect penis…although a bit smaller than the average erection. My own hymen took some serious work to get broken by a hard-on; my grandmother’s needed a bunched-up hand. Most women are easier virgins, but… ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/718 "2012-05-13T16:04:43Z")
The other day I stopped at a take & bake place. There were a few people in there so the cashier was putting names on the orders. The cashier asked Samantha, who was in front of me how to spell it and it took a couple of repeats for her to get it. I was thinking, at least she won’t have to ask how to spell _my_ name. When I got home I looked at my receipt which said JAIN. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/719 "2012-05-13T16:07:27Z")
> [@AllShookDown](#): > > The other day I stopped at a take & bake place. There were a few people in there so the cashier was putting names on the orders. The cashier asked Samantha, who was in front of me how to spell it and it took a couple of repeats for her to get it. I was thinking, at least she won’t have to ask how to spell _my_ name. When I got home I looked at my receipt which said JAIN. Finding the most innovative way to phonetically spell a name seems to be a fad these days. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/720 "2012-05-13T16:34:36Z")
> [@smokey78](#): > > The culture gap, age cap, income gap, education gap is just going to be wider and wider. > > I’m reminded of Elizabeth Hasselback from the View who is mid-30s and didn’t know who Ric Ocasek is. Or maybe she is not into pop music? Time to face the music. We’re old. Hasselback was born in 1977. The Cars released their first album in 1978 and they were fading out by the early eighties. They broke up in 1982, 1985, and 1988 (it took them a couple attempts to get it right). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416.md?page=35) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416.md?page=37)