# Teach Me How Not To Be Stupid, Please **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 3, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-how-not-to-be-stupid-please/636624 "2012-10-03T21:13:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-how-not-to-be-stupid-please/636624/21 "2012-10-05T16:52:17Z")
Some of you guys need someone to teach you to read OPs. Let’s try to stick to the main topics outlined in the OP. Nothing too advanced like trying to emulate the smartest person I know or anything like that. _breathes_ ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-how-not-to-be-stupid-please/636624/22 "2012-10-05T18:50:56Z")
I figured that, considering [Coursera](https://www.coursera.org/) now have classes ranging from [Listening to World Music](https://www.coursera.org/course/worldmusic) and [Principles of Obesity Economics](https://www.coursera.org/course/obesityecon) to Network Analysis in Systems Biology and [Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Computation](https://www.coursera.org/course/qcomp), surely they must have Gum Chewing 101. Sadly no. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-how-not-to-be-stupid-please/636624/23 "2012-10-06T02:21:52Z")
Cut yourself some slack. Everyone does something completely ditzy sometimes. I have a gift for falling down and sticking my foot in my mouth (though not at the same time). I like to think I’m reasonably intelligent, but I prove myself wrong time and again. Sometimes I’m surprised I can get my own pants on in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-how-not-to-be-stupid-please/636624/24 "2012-10-06T03:31:28Z")
> [@ticker](#): > > I figured that, considering [Coursera](https://www.coursera.org/) now have classes ranging from [Listening to World Music](https://www.coursera.org/course/worldmusic) and [Principles of Obesity Economics](https://www.coursera.org/course/obesityecon) to Network Analysis in Systems Biology and [Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Computation](https://www.coursera.org/course/qcomp), surely they must have Gum Chewing 101. Sadly no. Looks like an untapped gold mine to me! ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-how-not-to-be-stupid-please/636624/25 "2012-10-06T03:46:51Z")
1. Do not use Microsoft instructions for Microsoft products. It took me forever to find out how to write the criteria in a [function]If function. 2. Find a good question board for your level of questions; I have never have, but everyone assures me there are plenty out there. 3. You can always ask me. Excel is my favorite computer game. But I don’t do pivot tables or CSE functions. For everything else, look serious, nod slowly, and, if pushed, shrug and quote a German philosopher. (Everyone knows a little French; no-one knows German, and it is a very intimidating language.) ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-how-not-to-be-stupid-please/636624/26 "2012-10-06T04:28:07Z")
Know yourself. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-how-not-to-be-stupid-please/636624/27 "2012-10-06T06:05:35Z")
_Baby steps, Ellie, baby steps_[RIGHT]- Ted Arroway (Contact)[/RIGHT] Not knowing stuff is very much not the same thing as being stupid. I believe that proper education in fact amounts to discovering the extent of how there is yet to learn. As far as the gum goes, shit-can it. You can find more productive ways to build strong jaw muscles. Besides, it attracts bees: does it not seem preferable to have the bees upon your body rather than in your mouth? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-how-not-to-be-stupid-please/636624/28 "2012-10-06T06:40:03Z")
OP: Stop referring to yourself as “stupid.” Self-fulfilling prophecy, you know. If you think you’re stupid, then you will be. Now, I need help standing up without getting so dizzy I have to hold onto things. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teach-me-how-not-to-be-stupid-please/636624.md?page=1)