# Three general groups of people, in relation to their approach to knowledge **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 5, 2005, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082 "2005-07-05T00:47:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/21 "2005-07-05T16:51:21Z")
> [@The King of Soup](#): > > My God, gang, **Fuel** ’s right! > > Then you have the third group, functioning at a _much_ higher level. They can take or leave knowledge and reason (and all five senses too) because they’re all intuitive geniuses. Not much is known about these guys because (a) they are universally misunderstood and (b) they’re too busy self-actualizing to mix with the rabble, but it can be inferred that at some point they received a poor grade on a high-school science test. > > It can be hard to recognize these enlightened souls because from the outside they look exactly like the know-nothings in Group One, injected with a large dose of liquid Ayn Rand. Only when one dares to identify himself or herself as one of this elite can we know for sure. Wake up and smell the reality of my post: Being in the 3rd group is not exclusive, it is a _choice_ to position yourself to live life to its fullest. It is a choice and an attitude. What’s all this talk about high school and first year college stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/22 "2005-07-05T16:55:06Z")
> [@j\_sum1](#): > > Ummm, d’ya want to couch that in some sort of context? You didn’t pick up on the allusion to this message board as one of the contexts? It was pretty obvious… Is there a “consideration disease” on this board? Or did you just want to use the word couch so that I would have to look it up? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/23 "2005-07-05T17:08:35Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > There are actually only two groups of people: > > 1. folks who try to categorise everyone > 2. everyone else. Quote the portion of my post in which it is evident that I attempted to categorize _everyone_? You know what, I will spare you the time of re-reading the post (because I know Dopers hate reading things thoroughly) and I’ll just simply inform you that there is no such portion of my post. O, I see, you weren’t trying to add value to the thread, you were simply trying to be clever. Well, cute post. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/24 "2005-07-05T17:14:35Z")
> [@Fuel](#): > > What’s all this talk about high school and first year college stuff? Let me put it mildly and say that your comments are characteristic of many 18 year old boys who have recently spent a little too much time reading _The Fountainhead_ and _Atlas Shrugged_. They are nowhere near as original as you think they are. Quite the contrary, they are so common as to be stereotypical for that demographic. Lord help us all when **Fuel** gets his hands on _Free to Choose_. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/25 "2005-07-05T17:27:53Z")
After reading the OP and subsequent posts I am left to ponder several things: 1.) Why did I wait untill 4:00 AM to go to sleep last night (this morning), 2.) What is **Fuel** actually trying to accomplish with this, and 3.) Why MPSIMS? ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/26 "2005-07-05T20:02:43Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > 1.) Why did I wait untill 4:00 AM to go to sleep last night (this morning), > 2.) What is **Fuel** actually trying to accomplish with this, and > 3.) Why MPSIMS? I was having similar thoughts, except that I got up at 3:30 AM. Went to sleep round 11:30PM, so I’m doing _real_ well right now. I think that Fuel is trying to make a deep and meaningful point about how he thinks and how he thinks the rest of the world should think. At least I think that’s what he’s thinking. The problem is that us dopers just aren’t understanding what he’s thinking because we don’t think the way that he thinks and we are making jokes and jerking knees instead of thinking about how he is thinking. Sorry, too much thinking and my brain stalled. Look **Fuel** , I think I speak for most of the dopers here when I say that I think that I am comfortable thinking the thoughts that I thought I was thinking. Whooda thunk it? ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/27 "2005-07-05T20:12:57Z")
> [@Fuel](#): > > Wake up and smell the reality of my post… I tried, but it was early and I hadn’t eaten yet. > [@Fuel](#): > > Being in the 3rd group is not exclusive, it is a _choice_ to position yourself to live life to its fullest. It is a choice and an attitude. Well, yeah. I mean, if it had anything to do with study and practice and rigorous training, all that icky Group Two stuff, it wouldn’t be nearly as big an accomplishment, would it? I’d like to join, I really would. For one thing, you guys seem to have eliminated the problem of congnitive dissonance. I’d also really enjoy having the kind of intellectual agility involved in starting a thread titled “Three General Groups of People…” and still being able to deny categorizing everyone. Unfortunately, I’m still at the lower developmental stage where I _am_ impressed with accomplished men and women, especially those who got that way through hard work, study and actual achievement. I suppose I should feel sad for them, because they had to do it the hard way rather than merely pronouncing themselves enlightened, but somehow that just makes me respect them more. > [@Fuel](#): > > What’s all this talk about high school and first year college stuff? Don’t worry about it – just Group Two stuff. Still, some people seem to get something out of it. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/28 "2005-07-05T20:42:30Z")
But which is worse, ignorance or apathy? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/29 "2005-07-06T02:29:49Z")
> [@laina\_f](#): > > But which is worse, ignorance or apathy? Ooh! Ooh! I know! And I care very much about the issue!! Or was that the wrong answer? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/30 "2005-07-06T04:08:48Z")
> [@laina\_f](#): > > But which is worse, ignorance or apathy? Don’t know, don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/31 "2005-07-06T04:21:54Z")
> [@Fuel](#): > > Paragraphs Shmarigraphs… the people in the third group just take a picture of the paragraph into their minds, and then go lay on their bed and read it while looking at the ceiling. They’re just that good… :smack: Oh! You mean they’re autistic. Now I undderstand. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/32 "2005-07-06T04:23:38Z")
… and the really brilliant people ad an extra “d”. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/33 "2005-07-06T04:57:13Z")
> [@Fuel](#): > > Paragraphs Shmarigraphs… Here’s a well established fact: People who want their posts read are smart enough to use paragraphs. Individuals that are in The Group That Ain’t So Smart[sup]**TM[/sup]** type: “Paragraphs Shmarigraphs”. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/34 "2005-07-06T06:58:46Z")
> [@](#): > > As far as everyone else, who knows, maybe they know more than me, but then why don’t I see evidence of this? Perhaps an ego got in your way? Perhaps you are not bright enough to recognize what you see? LD? When come back, bring coherence. ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/35 "2005-07-06T07:42:46Z")
> [@Hello Again](#): > > Lord help us all when **Fuel** gets his hands on _Free to Choose_. There are some things I disagree with Friedman about, but I’d hardly put it at the level of this nonsen— er, free thinking. As an aside, have we had a thread about this book? I don’t frequent GD (as often as not it’s just a more polite Pit), so I could’ve easily missed it. –Catalyst, type-_π_ thinker ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/36 "2005-07-06T07:54:30Z")
Yeah, you group 3 guys think you’re so smart, but you won’t be so smug when you’ve been milled into sausages and fed to the group 1 losers, will you? And I saw a split infinitive up there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/37 "2005-07-06T08:09:55Z")
> [@Fuel](#): > > Quote the portion of my post in which it is evident that I attempted to categorize _everyone_? Right… so it wasn’t even _implied_? :dubious: No matter; is it possible then that perhaps these three groups you have observed are not in fact representative of any significant portion of humanity? > [@](#): > > You know what, I will spare you the time of re-reading the post (because I know Dopers hate reading things thoroughly) and I’ll just simply inform you that there is no such portion of my post. Thank you for sparing me that effort - you have no idea how relieved I am about this - the formatting made my eyes bleed the first time around. > [@](#): > > O, I see, you weren’t trying to add value to the thread. No, I would never dream of attempting such a thing; one cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/38 "2005-07-06T08:17:31Z")
Shhh, **Brain Wreck**. Don’t hassle the Group Threes. I heard they have special powers. Like, they know extra meanings for certain everyday words that aren’t in any dictionary. Also, they can read while lying down and looking up. That one just _kills_ me with jealousy. I get the worst crick in my neck when I try that. That’s why I have to do most of my reading on the couch. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/39 "2005-07-06T14:40:09Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Ooh! Ooh! I know! And I care very much about the issue!! And I suppose you think this puts you in Group 3? _Au contraire, mon frere._ If you’d actually grasped the concepts so clearly spelled out in the O.P., you’d realize that you are blatantly exhibiting the exact characteristics of a Group 2. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082/40 "2005-07-06T18:44:56Z")
Or as Will Rogers said: > [@](#): > > There are three kinds of men. The ones who learn from readin’. The ones who learn from observation. And the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-general-groups-of-people-in-relation-to-their-approach-to-knowledge/311082.md?page=3)