# New Co-worker **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 5, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103 "2019-04-05T19:48:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/41 "2019-04-08T05:40:06Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I’ve been a Mensa member since 1985 and have attended many gatherings of many types, and have NEVER heard anyone engage in any kind of dick-measuring WRT their IQ scores. The closest I’ve seen to this is people talking about which score on which test got them into the organization, and it was usually not a standard IQ test. Neither have I, but it’s very much a newbie move. Very often people attending their first meeting are curious about other people’s scores. And in the case of Spain (most of Europe in fact), 99.99999% of members have taken whatever standard IQ test is offered by Mensa itself; a lot of the stuff accepted in the US doesn’t have a local equivalent. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2019, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/42 "2019-04-08T11:45:39Z")
I have some quotes you can use: “Does this have something to do with work?” “I’m sorry, I’m here to work, not chat.” “If you continue interrupting my work, I will have to report you to my manager.” Remember, you don’t have to work “with” him, you have to work “near” him. ---
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/43 "2019-04-08T14:52:44Z")
I’m generally the person that people feel comfortable with bitching about everything in their life/work/whatever. Until once I was in a conversation with our accountant when this type of annoying coworker interrupted with some stupidty which I can’t remember. The accountant said “You seem to be under the impression that I’m your friend and that I care. Let me assure you that I don’t care about you or your problems.” The guy laughed and left. It’s been my go-to phrase ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/44 "2019-04-08T15:34:02Z")
> [@robby](#): > > “We’ll argue some more another time,” he promised. “But you’ll never convince me I’m wrong!” “You’ll never convince me I’m wrong either, so I think we should just stick to work-related conversations from now on.” If he continues to attempt to engage in conversation not related to work, it’s important that you reliably shut those conversations down. Eventually he may get the message. But even if he never gets it, you will have at least shut each conversation down instead of having to argue with an idiot for prolonged periods. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/45 "2019-04-08T16:27:54Z")
I’ll repeat… > [@Chimera](#): > > Assuming you’re not cut from the same political cloth, just make it clear to him - by explicitly saying so - that your politics are very different from his and you’d prefer not to have political arguments at work. ---
**Author:** ![Swampwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Swampwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swampwolf)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/46 "2019-04-08T16:43:19Z")
You could always put your finger to your lips in a shushing motion, and point to your computer monitor, your phone, or the ceiling and give him a knowing look. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/47 "2019-04-08T16:59:07Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Isn’t the particular type of problem really the IQ test itself? I mean, aren’t the Mensa members really just exceptionally good at taking the IQ test? That’s why I don’t bother. I’ve been taking similar junk since I was six and know the ins and outs of a multiple choice test. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/48 "2019-04-08T17:15:21Z")
Tell him you’d love to talk to him about Amway. If he’s half as smart as he claims to be, he’ll hit the road. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/49 "2019-04-08T17:20:42Z")
Engineering prof: Every year we get a Physics major taking one of our classes who thinks it’s easy to design a stable living structure or sewer system. Physics Professor: And every year we get an Engineering student taking one of our classes who knows for certain that Einstein was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/50 "2019-04-08T17:32:43Z")
Jees! The Stanford-Binet may only go up to 170, but when I took it I finished early, so I went back and answered every question a second time. Ended up with an IQ of 340! Honest. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/51 "2019-04-08T17:48:36Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Tell him you’d love to talk to him about Amway. If he’s half as smart as he claims to be, he’ll hit the road. How about this? [https://www.churchoftherock.ca/blog/when-right-is-wrong-and-wrong-is-right/cartoon-lets-talk-about-jesus/](https://www.churchoftherock.ca/blog/when-right-is-wrong-and-wrong-is-right/cartoon-lets-talk-about-jesus/) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/52 "2019-04-08T17:58:02Z")
It can be a mistake to try to justify yourself to someone who wants to force you to engage. With someone like this I’d be tempted to say, “I’m not talking with you about this,” and refuse to provide any explanation. You don’t owe it to the guy to explain why you don’t want to discuss his crackpot ideas. He may think it’s rude, but that’s his problem. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/53 "2019-04-08T18:40:36Z")
There is an article in [The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/erisology-the-science-of-arguing-about-everything/586534/) by some people who might want to study him. Perhaps there is an Ig-Nobel Award in the making here and you might share the glory. Apart from that I can only recommend patience. Ignore him as much as possible. And at least he got one thing right. Nikola Tesla was a genius. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/54 "2019-04-08T21:02:24Z")
We had a guy like that at work. He was certain the moon landings were faked, among other things. You couldn’t teach him a thing. But that worked out okay. He decided he didn’t want to work at our company any more after pissing a few people off, and heard that we gave generous severance packages. So he just stopped working, and waited for them to give him his big severance so he could go elsewhere. We warned him it didn’t work that way, but like I said, he was incapable of learning. They fired him for cause, and he got nothing. Probably had a hell of a time finding another engineering job, too. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/55 "2019-04-08T22:06:23Z")
I’ve always thought it would be fun to find a situation [in which to use Captain Haverill’s two-line put-down from _NYPD Blue_](https://youtu.be/Gczu8mQ6_Y0?t=1428). ---
**Author:** ![GuyTanzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@GuyTanzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuyTanzer)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/56 "2019-04-09T12:01:10Z")
“If you can’t change your mind, it’s because you don’t have one.” – me “You know, Scientology can help you with that. Have you heard the Good News about L. Ron Hubbard?” “The crystal hanging around my neck says it’s time for you to leave now.” As for Tesla: all his patents are in the public domain and available online. If his wireless power transmission stuff is so good, why didn’t the Soviets simply steal the patents and use them in the 1920s when they were trying to electrify the largest country in the world? Somehow, I don’t think it was out of Stalin’s well known love of the rule of law and respect for the capitalist system and its patent laws. Tesla’s earlier work was brilliant but by 1910-1915 he was out of it, ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/57 "2019-04-09T12:18:12Z")
Your new neighbor is insane and there’s pretty much nothing you can do about it. I’m sorry, but that’s all I have. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/58 "2019-04-09T12:37:27Z")
> [@GuyTanzer](#): > > “If you can’t change your mind, it’s because you don’t have one.” – me You are my new internet hero. Happy to buy the t-shirt if you want to put one on Cafe Press or Zazzle or one of those site. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/59 "2019-04-09T13:00:54Z")
My younger brother can be the worst person to talk to. I used to try to be polite, but discovered it doesn’t work. “I can’t talk now.” Repeat as needed. Never change the words, never smile. ---
**Author:** ![GuyTanzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@GuyTanzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuyTanzer)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103/60 "2019-04-09T21:26:37Z")
“I don’t maintain diplomatic relations with Bullshitania, so I don’t recognize you as ambassador.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-co-worker/832103.md?page=4)