# My roommate is ignorant **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 20, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688 "2002-11-20T03:17:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/81 "2002-11-21T02:26:40Z")
I’m with **Cervaise**. _ **He didn’t know what a fucking animal is!!!** _ Holy shit! If that ain’t ignorant would one of you kind, nice people explain to me what the hell is? Politely, of course. I think the OP was more than nice. He actually explained it to his roommate. I suppose I’d get the Super Bitch Crown, because I would have stared at him, shook my head while muttering “No one could be that stupid” to myself. I want a Super Bitch Crown for Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/82 "2002-11-21T02:38:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Esprix \* > \*\*My question is, whenever I asked my mother how to spell a word, she’d say, “Look it up in the dictionary.” > > 😕 > > If I could look it up, then I’d know how to spell it, BITCH! > > Fighting ignorance - indeed! :mad: > > Esprix \*\* Your mom must be related to my mom. She did that to me too! Grrr…I can’t SPELL it-how can I look it up if I don’t know how it’s SPELLED!!! D’uh! ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/83 "2002-11-21T02:43:59Z")
Haha…mine, too!!! There should be a therapy group for this. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/84 "2002-11-21T03:22:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*Grrr…I can’t SPELL it-how can I look it up if I don’t know how it’s SPELLED!!! > > D’uh! \*\* Well, the idea is, make a guess as to how you think it’s spelled, then check to see if you are correct. Then, if you’ve guessed incorrectly, you can try another spelling, and then… Am I being whooshed here? ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/85 "2002-11-21T03:32:57Z")
Neurotik I understand fully that you’re not the horrible person I thought you were, and I never said you were horrible either. I just found it odd that you came back and answered all of us angrily _AFTER_ you realized that you’d posted wrong, get it? I’m just clearing up the fact that I wouldn’t have flamed you at all if I’d known that he was your good pal…but I DIDN’T, ok. No biggie. Let’s all get past it and have some eggnog. I’m just surprised that you’re surprised that we reacted the way we did. Fine. Done. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/86 "2002-11-21T03:38:01Z")
Well, see, I’m not surprised. And that response post wasn’t SUPPOSED to sound angry. In fact, I’ve never been angry this whole post. But whatever. Eggnog sounds good. And gingerbread men. ---
**Author:** ![snermy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@snermy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snermy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/87 "2002-11-21T04:44:21Z")
> [@](#): > > - by Cervaise \* > \*\* > Being able to group whales and spiders and parrots and tapeworms and leopards and weasels and lobsters _here_, and geraniums and water and gravel and staplers and jumpropes and pottery and motorcycles and coffee and ATM cards and rocket fuel and shag carpet and the Parthenon and gondolas _not here_ – that’s just _basic._ \*\* [grumble] Really, who can keep all that sorted? The carpet’s been here since I moved in, the weasels are absolutely NO substitute for my stapler (and at least when you find the stapler somewhere unexpected it isn’t attacking your ankles), and you know, those tapeworms WILL migrate unless you watch them every minute…[/grumble] ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/88 "2002-11-21T12:33:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > **But an overview of the animal kingdom? Being able to group whales and spiders and parrots and tapeworms and leopards and weasels and lobsters _here_, and geraniums and water and gravel and staplers and jumpropes and pottery and motorcycles and coffee and ATM cards and rocket fuel and shag carpet and the Parthenon and gondolas _not here_ – that’s just _basic._** I don’t believe his problem was telling a living organism from a non-living or artificial object. I believe it was getting confused by the definition of the word ‘animal’. He was probably confused because mammals, birds, fish, insects, arachnids, crustaceans, etc, are all different subsections of living creatures - but didn’t realise that every living creature is considered an ‘animal’. In fact, I’m not even sure if insects are considered animals, or are separately known as insects. And the fact that I’m not certain matches his own uncertainty. Not necessarily shocking ignorance, so much as a mild confusion of terms and definitions. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/89 "2002-11-21T16:17:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GuanoLad \* > \*\* > In fact, I’m not even sure if insects are considered animals, or are separately known as insects. > > \*\* _::Biggirl reaches for her Midol and detached scrotums tiara::_ Words fail me. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/90 "2002-11-21T16:30:58Z")
Animal is one of the 5 (or 6) [kingdoms](http://www.101science.com/Taxonomy.htm) of taxonomy. 1. Plants 2. Fungi 3. Animals 4. Protoctista 5. Bacteria I’ve seen a reference to a 6th, but i’m not really all that interested. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/91 "2002-11-22T00:47:00Z")
Biggirl, I don’t see you actually clearing up any misconceptions here, just a lot of eye rolling. Is this a case of “Well, if you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.”??? ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/92 "2002-11-22T01:28:09Z")
I always thought it was Protista. Huh…I wonder about the alternate spelling. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/93 "2002-11-22T01:32:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GuanoLad \* > \*\*Biggirl, I don’t see you actually clearing up any misconceptions here, just a lot of eye rolling. Is this a case of “Well, if you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.”??? \*\* That’s because I’m a big, eye-rolling bitch. ---
**Author:** ![CthulhuSpawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@CthulhuSpawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CthulhuSpawn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/94 "2002-11-22T01:33:11Z")
Insects, fishes, octopuses, whales, horseshoe crabs, jellyfish, barnacles, birds, spiders, sea cucumbers, little wiggly worms and so forth are all animals. I do believe that everyone should have a basic knowledge of what is an animal, plant, or fungus. I also don’t really understand what the difficulty is - is an insect or whale that much like a plant or mushroom? No, they are, to my mind at least, quite clearly more like other animals. Now, I normally try to be polite and gentle in my corrections, but there was one time I wasn’t. I was at Carlsbad Caverns in the spring. At this time of year one can sit at the entrance at dusk and watch the bats fly out. It’s a great show. Anyway, there was a little boy in front of me who was entranced by the bats and exclaimed “Momma! They look just like birds!” To which the mother replied, in a very smug tone: “Bats _ **is** _ birds.” Well, I just broke out laughing and earned myself a dirty look. I couldn’t help it: the factual error, the grammatical error, and the “I-know-it-all” tone of voice were just too much for me. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/95 "2002-11-22T02:14:21Z")
Yeah, everyone know that bats are _bugs_. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/96 "2002-11-22T02:14:24Z")
But are flying foxes bats? Are bats rodents? Are spiders and crabs related? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/97 "2002-11-22T02:31:55Z")
Yes, yes, and yes! Pretty cool, huh? My wife is repulsed at the thought of eating insects, but she loves lobster, which is just a big ol’ underwater bug. Speaking of underwater, a _sponge_ is an animal, too. But that’s kind of advanced. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/98 "2002-11-22T02:33:01Z")
Flying foxes are bats. Really big bats. Bats are not rodents. Spiders and crabs are related in that they are both members of the phylum arthoropoda (along with insects, shrimp, scorpions, ticks, barnacles, lobsters, centipedes…pretty much anything with an exoskeleton, jointed limbs and segmented bodies). ---
**Author:** ![CthulhuSpawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@CthulhuSpawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CthulhuSpawn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/99 "2002-11-22T02:41:46Z")
A question concerning in which _kingdom_ something resides is a far, far different question that those concerning various classifications under the kingdom level. I really would hope that someone would group insects, bats, whales, and squid as something fundamentally different than a pine tree or morel. But it seems a common issue. (BTW, yes, no, and yes, they are in the same phylum, arthropoda) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688/100 "2002-11-22T02:58:11Z")
Yeah, okay: Yes, yes-ish (_–dodging furiously–_), and yes-ish. :o [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-roommate-is-ignorant/137688.md?page=6)