# Is there a word or phrase meaning "to be dismissive of a skill that you do not possess" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 6, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844 "2021-07-06T19:43:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![leswax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@leswax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leswax)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/41 "2021-07-07T02:30:58Z")
The comparison made me like “skillshitting” as an answer for the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/42 "2021-07-07T03:55:44Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Seems like you are dismissive of the skill of having a wide vocabulary… Then how about “biggish dickish”? My final offer. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/43 "2021-07-07T08:45:17Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > “Sour grapes” is when you can’t have them, and not what the OP describes. “Oh, I don’t _eat_ red meat” is a different fable entirely, and more to the point. I think it depends on whether you believe the speaker is being completely honest. If they are expressing a genuine preference for ready meals, then it’s not exactly sour grapes - it might be insular thinking, or it might be a genuine and completely earnest preference for ready-prepared foods. If they are simply asserting that to avoid admitting that they failed to (or think they would fail to) attain the skill of home cooking, then it is sour grapes. It doesn’t matter if the grapes are attainable or not - only that the fox said they were sour after giving up trying. ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/44 "2021-07-07T09:23:23Z")
There is, of course, always the very real possibility that there is no specific word or phrase in the English language for this phenomenon. Not that it’s not worth trying to find one, but this concept might just need to be described in its own sentence rather than forcing another existing term to cover it. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/45 "2021-07-07T10:35:04Z")
Many here are suggesting that the person knows it takes skill but is envious or is being a dick. But I don’t think so. I think in most cases the person is completely ignorant of the skill involved and assumes it must be trivial. Witness how rare it is for people to be dismissive of a skill that they themselves have studied for a while. > [@Roger\_That](#): > > There is, of course, always the very real possibility that there is no specific word or phrase in the English language for this phenomenon. Yep this. Just like all those “What fallacy is…” threads (although I think I once started one of those). ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/46 "2021-07-07T11:13:20Z")
As a slight detour, if not hi-jack, there’s ‘strategic incompetence’ - back when I worked as an electronics repair tech, I very specifically did NOT learn how to bugger cable-TV boxes for free movies, so that my friends would stop asking. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/47 "2021-07-07T12:33:55Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > As the title, really. I feel there should be something, but I can’t thing what. Not a phrase, but in the Engineering / IT world, this Dilbert cartoon is famous for illustrating this 🙂 [https://dilbert.com/strip/1994-10-17](https://dilbert.com/strip/1994-10-17) “Whatever I don’t understand must be simple.” – Dilbert’s Pointy Haired Boss ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/48 "2021-07-07T12:55:38Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I think it depends on whether you believe the speaker is being completely honest. If they are expressing a genuine preference for ready meals, then it’s not exactly sour grapes - it might be insular thinking, or it might be a genuine and completely earnest preference for ready-prepared foods. > > If they are simply asserting that to avoid admitting that they failed to (or think they would fail to) attain the skill of home cooking, then it is sour grapes. It doesn’t matter if the grapes are attainable or not - only that the fox said they were sour after giving up trying. And there’s a third possibility, which is what some of us are trying, apparently not always successfully, to describe in this thread: again, that the speaker is sure (usually inaccurately) that the skill is very easy to acquire, is sure (very often also inaccurately) that they could accomplish it with no problem, but does not think that it’s worth doing. They have come to this conclusion without ever trying to learn the skill; it’s not a matter of having tried and failed. > [@Roger\_That](#): > > There is, of course, always the very real possibility that there is no specific word or phrase in the English language for this phenomenon. This is true. There are a number of concepts that English has no word for; and some of them seem difficult to explain clearly in English. (I suspect the same general phenomenon is true of other languages, though the concepts/missing words vary between languages.) > [@am77494](#): > > Not a phrase, but in the Engineering / IT world, this Dilbert cartoon is famous for illustrating this “I started by reasoning that anything I don’t understand is easy to do.” Yes, that’s pretty much it, exactly. – well, maybe not exactly: people will often apply this principle to disrespected work, but not to work that’s highly respected and well paid. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/49 "2021-07-07T13:18:11Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > And there’s a third possibility, which is what some of us are trying, apparently not always successfully, to describe in this thread: again, that the speaker is sure (usually inaccurately) that the skill is very easy to acquire, is sure (very often also inaccurately) that they could accomplish it with no problem, but does not think that it’s worth doing. They have come to this conclusion without ever trying to learn the skill; it’s not a matter of having tried and failed. That does border on the Dunning-Kruger effect - especially if it’s a case of “I’m sure it must be easier than everybody says” ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/50 "2021-07-07T13:19:12Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > [@Roger\_That](#): > > > > There is, of course, always the very real possibility that there is no specific word or phrase in the English language for this phenomenon. > > This is true. There are a number of concepts that English has no word for; and some of them seem difficult to explain clearly in English. (I suspect the same general phenomenon is true of other languages, though the concepts/missing words vary between languages.) I’m starting to lean this way myself (and BTW, many thanks to everyone for having a go). If this is the case and a new word is needed > [@leswax](#): > > The comparison made me like “skillshitting” as an answer for the OP. - I think this is the leader in the clubhouse. j ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/51 "2021-07-07T14:27:46Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Then how about “biggish dickish”? He has a wife, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/52 "2021-07-07T14:47:42Z")
> [@Roger\_That](#): > > There is, of course, always the very real possibility that there is no specific word or phrase in the English language for this phenomenon. I think this is correct, since if there were, we would have found it by now. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/53 "2021-07-07T15:45:16Z")
> [@am77494](#): > > “Whatever I don’t understand must be simple.” – Dilbert’s Pointy Haired Boss This often shows up in academia, toward administrative skills. Professors (and, I presume, other professionals with advanced degrees) often assume that the skillset held by the people “beneath” them on the org chart have trivial skills and are fungible. They would never stoop to doing such tasks, as they, like those who perform the tasks, are beneath them. Then the opposite shows up, with similar effects: some professionals condescendingly praise those skills as arcane and mystical, as if they couldn’t possibly learn how to unclog the copy machine or brew the coffee. or submit the check requisition form. This praise conveniently excuses them from ever stooping to perform such tasks. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/54 "2021-07-07T19:44:33Z")
“Pull a Sheldon Cooper?" ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/55 "2021-07-07T20:50:25Z")
It happens the other way, too, though. I have family who basically have nothing but scorn for a man who can’t work with his hands, and it wouldn’t matter if he was a doctor rocket scientist: if you let someone else change your oil, they will be contemptuous. ---
**Author:** ![Delayed\_Reflex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/delayed_reflex/32/3172_2.png) [@Delayed\_Reflex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delayed_Reflex)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/56 "2021-07-07T22:06:56Z")
> [@leswax](#): > > The comparison made me like “skillshitting” as an answer for the OP. This seems to capture it pretty well! Doesn’t necessarily capture the motivation but there could be several different reasons for skillshitting that people have fleshed out nicely in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2021, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/57 "2021-07-08T01:30:45Z")
I like both floccinaucinihilipilification and skillshitting. To me it’s different to sour grapes - that implies the person wants the skill they’re claiming is worthless. But I have met people who are like the OP’s example, just not into cooking - or eating, beyond the basic needs - so disparage it as a skill. And I know tons of nerds who genuinely think that sports skills are worthless, but it’s genuinely not because they wish they were good at sports. FWIW, floccinaucinihilipilification was a word that came up a few times on the British quiz show Countdown when I was a kid, so it’s a fairly well-known word among a certain demographic here. The resident lexicographer, Susi Dent (who is still in that job), pronounced the first cc with an x/ks sound, and the next c as a voiceless s. The “nau” part was like the word “gnaw,” but shorter, not like the word “now.” The rest would be phonetically read out however your accent usually pronounces those phonemes. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/58 "2021-07-08T02:17:26Z")
I think Sheldon’s brand of dismissiveness is what TV Tropes calls [Hard on Soft Science](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HardOnSoftScience). ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2021, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/59 "2021-07-08T08:56:23Z")
Isn’t it just ordinary narrow-mindedness? “I don’t care about something, therefore it’s stupid.” ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2021, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844/60 "2021-07-08T09:30:06Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > How about > > flo - see - nau When I see something like “Flocci…” I say “flok - chee - …” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-or-phrase-meaning-to-be-dismissive-of-a-skill-that-you-do-not-possess/945844.md?page=4)