# It frightens me that people don't know these things **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 25, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207 "2003-06-25T03:02:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/41 "2003-06-25T14:41:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny B. Goode \* > \*\*… thinks that the word is “nuculear”. \*\* I know the word is nuclear, but I sometimes say it as nuculear. It’s a little hard for me to say nuclear so unless I really concentrate on the word, it comes out as nuculear. Cellular is another one I have to concentrate on. It comes out as “cell-lu-lar” if I don’t concentrate on saying it correctly. And I really appreciate the way everyone (including my wife!) feels the need to point out that I must be a dullard for not knowing how to say the word correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/42 "2003-06-25T14:43:04Z")
Pentecost is not a Jewish feast. _Shavuot_ is a Jewish festival. It celebrates the giving of the Torah. The Christian festival of Pentecost is something different, I think, based on an event that happened to occur on Shavuot. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/43 "2003-06-25T14:45:29Z")
I had a roomate (born in 1965) who, circa 1986, had never heard of Richard Nixon, Watergate or Julian Lennon’s father. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/44 "2003-06-25T14:47:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lachesis \* > \*\*um, i’m Catholic too. and your Pentacostal friend is correct, not you. > > Pentacost is indeed the feast day celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit, which occurred 50 days after EASTER (which originally happened to have fallen shortly after the end of Passover, about 2000 years ago). in fact, the reason that the Holy Spirit was able to find the disciples all together there at one time is because they were hiding out _ **for fear of the Jews** _. (direct quote from the Gospels, as i recall). Jews of that time would never have heard of any such observance – for that matter, neither would present-day ones who don’t interest themselves in Christian observances. Pentacost is considered pretty much on the order of the “birthday” of the whole Christian movement. \*\* Sorry, **lachesis** , but Pentecost was originally a Jewish feast, to be held 50 days after Passover, to celebrate the harvest. It was set down in the book of Leviticus as a feast day, although the name Pentecost was not used until later (by the Jews, not the Christians). If you read the second chapter of Acts, you will see that the apostles were gathered together to celebrate the day of Pentecost when the spirit fell upon them and they spoke in tongues and performed other mighty works. You are correct in that this is a significant event in the history of Christianity, but the day of Pentecost had been observed for many years before Christ came along. From my [Bible Dictionary](http://scriptures.lds.org/bdf/feasts) > [@](#): > > Fifty days (Lev. 23: 16) after the Feast of the Passover, the Feast of Pentecost was kept. During those 50 days the harvest of corn was being gathered in. It is called (Ex. 23: 16) “the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours” and (Deut. 16: 10) “the feast of weeks.” The feast lasted a single day, which was a day of holy convocation (Lev. 23: 21); and the characteristic rite was the new meal offering, that is, two loaves of leavened bread made of fine flour of new wheat. Special animal sacrifices were also made (Lev. 23: 18) and freewill offerings (Deut. 16: 10). The festival was prolonged in later times, and huge numbers of Jews attended it. Of this the narrative in Acts 2 is sufficient proof. It had the same evil reputation as the Feast of the Passover for tumults and massacres. We have no record of the celebration of this feast in the Old Testament. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/45 "2003-06-25T14:50:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evil Captor \* > \*\*I once was talking with two administrative assistants who had been using computers to do word processing for several years. When in the course of our conversation I mentioned the “Save As” button, they asked me, “Yeah, I’ve never used it. What’s it for?” > > I mean, there’s a REASON so many people voted for Bush. \*\* And nearly as many voted for Gore. Obviously stupidity causes Democratism. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/46 "2003-06-25T14:50:13Z")
I think the key here is things people by all means SHOULD know, but don’t, which is what keeps this from being a simple trivia collection. Posts that have hit that mark would be Pentecostals who don’t know what Pentecost is all about (it’s kinda like a Baptist who doesn’t know what baptism is). People who have worked for years with computers who don’t know the fundamental file management commands. And EVERYBODY ought to know the moon is visible in daylight under some conditions - all ya gotta do is LOOK at some point or other. I’ve seen it very clearly a number of times in daylight. I dunno abuot the squid and octopus beaks – I’ve known abuot it forever, but it may be a bit obscure for most folks. ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/47 "2003-06-25T14:52:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Apollyon \* > \*\*A while back, when _Titanic_ came out, a co-worker and I were discussing the historical events (rather than the movie _per se_) within the hearing of the then 18 or 19 year old receptionist. Her comment? > > “It sinks?!” > > :eek: \*\* Think that’s bad? I know someone who was offended that I had “spoiled” the movie for her by mentioning that Titanic sunk. :eek: Just last week I enlightened my sister by telling her that pickles actually come from cucumbers. Apparently, she thought pickles grew on a pickle bush or something. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/48 "2003-06-25T14:57:30Z")
I’m with you, **Evil Captor**. Because otherwise, some of you ( **Zenster** most assuredly) would think I’m a big fucking moron! ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/49 "2003-06-25T14:58:08Z")
I knew a guy who believed a woman who said that they didn’t need to use any birth control when she had her period because a woman couldn’t get pregnant while menstruating. This is not only totally false, but dangerous misinformation. We’re talking about a 35 year old man here, not some teenager. In general, the female reproductive system is a mystery to many men and some women. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/50 "2003-06-25T14:59:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lachesis \* > **Pentacost is indeed the feast day celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit, which occurred 50 days after EASTER (which originally happened to have fallen shortly after the end of Passover, about 2000 years ago).** Go to your priest and ask him what the Latin word for “Easter” is. Then ask him what this word came from. Ask him if some version of this word or some version of “Easter” is used by more Catholics, worldwide. Tell your priest that Pentecost is not a Jewish festival at all. Tell your priest that “Easter” has no connection to Passover other than a mere coincidence. Listen to him as he explains your error.\*\* [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/51 "2003-06-25T15:00:14Z")
Wait a minute… Dogs have beaks? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/52 "2003-06-25T15:03:10Z")
Interesting to see what some people think other people “should” know. While I am well acquainted with Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, is this really something everyone “needs” to know? I’m certainly not going to pass that sort of judgement. But this leads me to a slight hijack: The difference between ignorance and stupidity. We should _never_ make fun of someone due to ignorance. After all, with the exception of Cecil Adams, we are all ignorant on some subject and always will be. It is impossible to know everything. So when we run across someone who doesn’t know something, seek to enlighten them. If someone refuses to accept new information and doubts your facts (and you are sure of your facts), then you are dealing with stupidity (i.e., “militant ignorance”), as in the case of the “Christian” in the OP. Personally, when I discover a case of stupidity, rather than simply ignorance, I just try to change the subject or ignore the person altogether. It isn’t worth the effort to pursue the subject further. But that’s just me … ---
**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:** [June 25, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/53 "2003-06-25T15:05:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lachesis \* > \*\*um, i’m Catholic too. and your Pentacostal friend is correct, not you. > > Pentacost is indeed the feast day celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit, which occurred 50 days after EASTER (which originally happened to have fallen shortly after the end of Passover, about 2000 years ago). > \*\* \*\*The OP is correct. \*\* There were three big Jewsih feasts: Passover, the feast of the Pentecost, and the feast of the Tabernacles. The Jewish Feast of the Pentecost commemorated the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. The Descent of the Holy Spirit did happen on that day when Jews were visiting Jerusalem for commemerative event stuff and were heading off to the temple to celebrate the day that the Law was passed to Moses. The Apostles were in Jerusalem for the (already exisiting) feast and to wait for instructions from above, when the Holy Spirit descended and gave them the ability to speak and understand the many different dialects of the world (of that time.) ---
**Author:** ![Southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@Southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southpaw)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/54 "2003-06-25T15:08:58Z")
Heh **Greywolf73** , same thing with my friend’s brother-in-law, and this guy is in his 60’s! Something else everyone should know is the capital of the state/province they live in. A coworker thought the capital of Illinois was Chicago. She was a native Illinoisian and didn’t know about Springfield. For the longest time a friend of mine insisted there were 52 states in the Union. He was counting Puerto Rico (which is a territory) and, of all things, British Columbia (which is Canadian). ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/55 "2003-06-25T15:10:58Z")
Wasn’t it here on this board that several people thought that women urinated either through their vagina or through - this I REALLY don’t get - their clitoris? Half my office was stunned to learn that one can print not only by using the Print icon, but by using Control-P or File, Print. Several people were also amazed to learn that instead of printing out a 1,000 page list of files and trying to find the one they need, they can open the document in Word and do a search for a specific file name. And these are people who had been using computers for years. I know people who think “shutting down” the computer means turning off the power strip, open applications be damned. I know people who have no idea what “login name” means, even though they log in every day. My mother and sister recently told me that they wondered if Bill Clinton should run again for President. I said he can’t, since he has already served the maximum, to which they replied that the rule is they can’t be elected more than twice _in a row_. No amount of convincing on my part would change their minds. My sister has an IQ near the genius level, by the way. ---
**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:** [June 25, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/56 "2003-06-25T15:11:08Z")
I swear the **Fat Bald Guy’s** post wasn’t there a minute ago… ---
**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:** [June 25, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/57 "2003-06-25T15:18:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyla \* > \*\*Pentecost is not a Jewish feast. _Shavuot_ is a Jewish festival. It celebrates the giving of the Torah. The Christian festival of Pentecost is something different, I think, based on an event that happened to occur on Shavuot. \*\* Pssst! Shavuot _is_ Pentecost – just different languages ie/ “Pesach” = “Passover” . It’s also known as the “Feast of Weeks.” Pentecost is, IIRC, the Greek name for the same holiday. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/58 "2003-06-25T15:33:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Thea Logica \* > There’s a woman in my massage therapy class who didn’t know before yesterday that octopi and squid have beaks. I thought everyone knew that. I thought everyone knew that the plural of octopus is octopuses - or, highly technically, octopoda. “Octopi” is a Latin construction of a plural, but the word _octopus_ is from the Greek: _octo_, eight, and _pus_, feet. It should therefore form its plural in the Greek way: octopoda. However, it is correct to refer to multiple species of the creature as octopoda and multiple creatures as octopuses. As I say, I thought everyone knew that. However, I now see that what started out as pseudo-erudition has grown popular enough that Merriam-Webster has added ‘octopi’ as an acceptable plural to ‘octopus.’ It’s a living language. - Rick ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/59 "2003-06-25T15:45:11Z")
Is that true about forming plurals from Latin words that were derived from Greek words, **Bricker**? My understanding is that that was never a hard-and-fast rule. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_B.Goode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Johnny\_B.Goode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_B.Goode)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/60 "2003-06-25T15:45:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Neurotik \* > \*\*Big deal. So did Jimmy Carter and he’s probably a bit more of an authority on things nuclear than you are. \*\* Yeah, I was gonna say that amazes me too. Whether or not he is more of an authority on things nuclear than I am (and he very much is) is completely irrelevant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207.md?page=4)