# Things that you can't fathom people not understanding **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 7, 2013, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360 "2013-06-07T05:50:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/181 "2013-06-14T13:38:09Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Riding the wrong way is one of the 3 stupidest things you can do in a bike. OK, I give up, what are the other two that you’re thinking about? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/182 "2013-06-14T14:08:54Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > OK, I give up, what are the other two that you’re thinking about? I would imagine that one of them is ride without a helmet…unsure of what the third thing he/she’s thinking of is. For thread contribution: I can’t understand how some people don’t understand that a national, single-payer healthcare system is the best solution. All the data says it provides BETTER care, is cheaper “going in” (i.e., tax burden,) AND “going out” (i.e., out of pocket expenses, if any, at the hospital/clinic,) and the citizens are happier with it than what we have in the US. Yet normal, rational people get so “up in arms” over…what, exactly? I can understand why people involved in the insurance industry are against it, that’s their livelihood, and that’s certainly something to consider. And some politicians, too, if they get money from them/are from a state with large ties to them. But Joe Schmo walking down the street, working a minimum wage job with no health benefits is for some reason AGAINST getting Universal Health Care? I just don’t understand what their thought process is. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/183 "2013-06-14T15:15:54Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I would imagine that one of them is ride without a helmet…unsure of what the third thing he/she’s thinking of is. > > For thread contribution: > I can’t understand how some people don’t understand that a national, single-payer healthcare system is the best solution. All the data says it provides BETTER care, is cheaper “going in” (i.e., tax burden,) AND “going out” (i.e., out of pocket expenses, if any, at the hospital/clinic,) and the citizens are happier with it than what we have in the US. > > Yet normal, rational people get so “up in arms” over…what, exactly? > > I can understand why people involved in the insurance industry are against it, that’s their livelihood, and that’s certainly something to consider. And some politicians, too, if they get money from them/are from a state with large ties to them. > > But Joe Schmo walking down the street, working a minimum wage job with no health benefits is for some reason AGAINST getting Universal Health Care? I just don’t understand what their thought process is. People don’t like the idea of subsidizing other people’s bad life decisions. They think their taxes will be spent on abortions, sex changes, etc. Its irrational, but some people just dont want to share (even if sharing means their ‘share’ will be cheaper and better). Some people think some folks ‘deserve’ health care because they ‘earned it’ :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/184 "2013-06-14T15:32:06Z")
Also, the aforementioned politicians have repeated “socialism is BAD” so often by now that it has become a knee-jerk reaction, with no thought given to possible explanations WHY it might be bad… and therefore no real examination or realization that said explanations might be paltry or nonsensical. The thought process simply stops there. There’s this level of blind trust in those pundits who screech the most hysterically. It’s like the middle class Americans who get all agitated about increasing taxes on the very rich. They don’t actually make enough for it to affect them, but they believe the lie that _someday_ they will be that rich, and that it will be an unreasonable burden when they _are_ that rich. None of that is true, but they’ve been fed that lie, and they basically live to believe that they can/will become filthy rich too. That’s where they’ve pinned their hopes and dreams, rather than finding meaning in a life that may be “only” comfortable in money and material goods, but rich in intangibles like friends, art, culture, spirituality, or anything else that has non-monetary meaning. It’s a tragedy that the lies are swallowed so easily… but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/185 "2013-06-14T15:43:09Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > OK, I give up, what are the other two that you’re thinking about? Ride without a helmet and ride on the sidewalk. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/186 "2013-06-14T15:47:38Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > Also, the aforementioned politicians have repeated “socialism is BAD” so often by now that it has become a knee-jerk reaction, with no thought given to possible explanations WHY it might be bad… and therefore no real examination or realization that said explanations might be paltry or nonsensical. The thought process simply stops there. There’s this level of blind trust in those pundits who screech the most hysterically. > > It’s like the middle class Americans who get all agitated about increasing taxes on the very rich. They don’t actually make enough for it to affect them, but they believe the lie that _someday_ they will be that rich, and that it will be an unreasonable burden when they _are_ that rich. None of that is true, but they’ve been fed that lie, and they basically live to believe that they can/will become filthy rich too. That’s where they’ve pinned their hopes and dreams, rather than finding meaning in a life that may be “only” comfortable in money and material goods, but rich in intangibles like friends, art, culture, spirituality, or anything else that has non-monetary meaning. > > It’s a tragedy that the lies are swallowed so easily… but there you go. I’m all right Jack Keep your hands off my stack ---
**Author:** ![pdunderhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4bbf92/32.png) [@pdunderhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pdunderhill)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/187 "2013-06-14T16:26:25Z")
Hello good people, RTFI, ‘Read the frigging instructions’. The people who designed a particular device wrote a manual for a reason, so they may have been poorly translated but with few exceptions they will let you know what the original designer intended. Secondly, when problem solving, look for the bleeding obvious first. Occam’s razor as a metaphor has survived precisely because of it’s utility. Lastly, and I hope evidently, approach all in a friendly and open way. Seems obvious but… Peter ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/188 "2013-06-14T17:40:49Z")
> [@JBDivmstr](#): > > If you have to ride _ **in the street** _ (and there’s not a dedicated lane for bicycles) how is riding, _ **facing traffic** _, a bad idea? 😕 > Way back when I _ **did** _ ride a bicycle on city streets, that’s how _ **I** _ rode. > And it saved me from getting run down/sideswiped, more than once. 😉 I ride my bike an hour and a half a day, on a combination of semi-rural and inner London streets. (I find the city streets MUCH less initimidating, by the way. Traffic is moving much slower.) I have never once seen anyone riding on the street against the flow of traffic. It would be utter suicide. If you want to be seen, wear a high-vis jacket, have an LED flashing light going even in the daytime, and make eye contact with drivers whenever possible. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/189 "2013-06-14T17:45:59Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > People don’t like the idea of subsidizing other people’s bad life decisions. They think their taxes will be spent on abortions, sex changes, etc. Its irrational, but some people just dont want to share (even if sharing means their ‘share’ will be cheaper and better). Some people think some folks ‘deserve’ health care because they ‘earned it’ :rolleyes: A big reason I’ve heard from geezers and crazy right-wingers of my acquaintance is that they’re going to have their health care rationed, and that they’re going to lose a lot of choice in what doctor they see, when they see them, and what care they get. It’s basically a fear that they’re either going to have to go to some huge, impersonal clinic, or that they’re not going to be treated for something because it costs the government too much money. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/190 "2013-06-14T17:58:43Z")
> [@bump](#): > > A big reason I’ve heard from geezers and crazy right-wingers of my acquaintance is that they’re going to have their health care rationed, and that they’re going to lose a lot of choice in what doctor they see, when they see them, and what care they get. > > It’s basically a fear that they’re either going to have to go to some huge, impersonal clinic, or that they’re not going to be treated for something because it costs the government too much money. Oh, well, good thing there’s none of that crap in private insurance, right? I mean, I’m free to choose any doctor I want (if their in-network.) And my health-care isn’t rationed at all (other than all these things that aren’t covered and/or need pre-approval for,) and I’ll never have to worry about things being rejected because they cost too much money (other than that whole yearly and lifetime limit thing.) Edit: Which is sort of my point…all the “fears” these idiots have about UHC are _already happening_ with private insurance, and at a far worse scale than ever would happen with UHC. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/191 "2013-06-14T18:59:35Z")
I’ll admit to my own blockages… I’ve always been great at math, and had no trouble with any of my math, EE, or physics classes (through graduate-level EE). However, I’ve repeatedly tried and failed going much of anywhere in computer programming because of… **Recursion**. You know that Simpsons scene with Homer and the FBI guys? That’s me repeatedly with professors, TAs, study groups, you name it. I academically get and understand the concept while looking at the definition, but to implement it in any manner? Whooosh, blank slate. Those programmers that can actually use it in practice are nothing short of extra-planar-vein-throbbing-bulbous-headed-super-aliens to me. Agent: Tell you what, sir. From now on, you’ll be, uh, Homer Thompson at Terror Lake. Let’s just practice a bit, hmm? When I say,“Hello, Mr. Thompson,” you’ll say, “Hi.” Homer: Check. Agent: Hello, Mr. Thompson. Homer: (stares blankly) Agent: Remember now, your name is Homer Thompson. Homer: I gotcha. Agent: Hello, Mr. Thompson. Homer: (stares blankly) (A long time later) Agent: (sighs in frustration) Now, when I say, “Hello, Mr. Thompson,” and press down on your foot, you smile and nod. Homer: No problem. Agent: Hello, Mr. Thompson! (stomps on Homer’s foot a few times) Homer: (stares blankly) (to other agent) I think he’s talking to YOU. ---
**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:** [June 14, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/192 "2013-06-14T19:56:59Z")
Recursion’s easy, provided you understand recursion. ---
**Author:** ![Molotok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Molotok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molotok)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/193 "2013-06-14T20:04:46Z")
Mind blown. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/194 "2013-06-14T22:50:07Z")
I can’t fathom why people here in So Cal think there can’t be a drought because we had some rain a while back. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/195 "2013-06-15T02:39:51Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Edit: Which is sort of my point…all the “fears” these idiots have about UHC are _already happening_ with private insurance, and at a far worse scale than ever would happen with UHC. Exactly. “I don’t want to pay for that other guy’s health care.” Newsflash, you ALREADY ARE. If someone who can’t afford insurance breaks their leg, how exactly do you think that $10K medical bill is getting paid? It doesn’t just disappear from the books if someone can’t pay it. The cost gets recouped by giving ALL healthcare a higher price tag across the board. That’s why 2 tabs of ibuprofen cost $100 in the hospital. Factored into that cost are the actual cost of the drug, plus the cost of the nurse who gave them to you, plus the cost of keeping the lights on and the water running, AND the cost of unpaid medical bills that the hospital accumulates every year. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/196 "2013-06-15T03:03:26Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I question this advice. [The label side _is_ the data side](http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cd1.htm), and I’ve been told that a scratch (as opposed to a mark or smudge) on the label side can be more destructive (or nonrepairable) than one on the shiny side. an the label side be the data side? I can put a paper label on the label side, and it still reads just fine. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/197 "2013-06-15T03:13:42Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > an the label side be the data side? I can put a paper label on the label side, and it still reads just fine. This was explained in another post. The data is burned into the disc in a layer that is closer to the label. However, the data is read from the bottom. Personally, I still think of the bottom as being the data side because that’s the side you access the data from. To the user, the internal structure of the disc is irrelevant. It’s like saying the picture on a CRT is in the back of the tube even though you watch the screen on the front. ---
**Author:** ![Desolation\_Island](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Desolation\_Island](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desolation_Island)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/198 "2013-06-15T03:48:33Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > Okay, I’ve got one. > > what is Up with random Capitalization in sentences. I Mean, usually I will Be online (not Here of Course) and I will encounter Posts by people who seemingly Randomly capitalize Words. And it’s Not Consistent. Sometimes it’s verbs, Nouns, adjectives, Articles. it has the Effect of making you Look batshit Insane. The rules for capitalization are fairly Standard in English, and Even if you don’t know them you’d Look far more intelligent going for the all lowercase e.e. cummings style. > > Hitting shift randomly through your typing has got to put a cramp in your typing speed. Why do people do this? These aren’t illiterate people - and capitalization is something we teach in first and second grade (trust me, I’m a former teacher). I can attest that I occasionally do this when writing, and it usually gets corrected as I re-read what I write before submission. I don’t intend to do it, and I don’t do it as often as in your self-demonstrating post. I tend to do it to words that emphasize key ideas, or where I think words should be emphasized were I to be speaking them out. Makes sense to me, not so much to anyone reading it. So I fix it up as I go through. tl;dr: there’s a circuit in my brain that goes: Capitalization = IMPORTANT THING. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/199 "2013-06-15T04:20:37Z")
I’ve know a couple of people who think that if there are two outcomes the chances of them happening are really 50-50, regardless of what statistics say. For example: “you are either going to die from cancer or not, so the odds are \*really \*50-50”. I don’t even know where to start. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360/200 "2013-06-15T04:31:01Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’m all right Jack > Keep your hands off my stack This is completely missing **Kaio** ’s point, which is that _their_ stack is actually not under threat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-cant-fathom-people-not-understanding/660360.md?page=11)