# Um. Maybe I'm Ignorant. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 1, 2013, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183 "2013-05-01T11:12:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Degreedbottlebrunette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a587f6/32.png) [@Degreedbottlebrunette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Degreedbottlebrunette)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/1 "2013-05-01T11:12:02Z")
I have looked at the threads and I think I might have an answer for all of them. However, I might open myself up to scrutiny by responding, and I’m really just here to get smarter. LOL. Four degrees got me nowhere. My question is, if I am truly ignorant about an issue, should I post a question or simply hide the fact that I might not be as intelligent as I make people believe I am? Don’t kick me out. I’m serious. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/2 "2013-05-01T11:33:34Z")
I wouldn’t worry. Nobody here is really as intelligent as they think they are. You’ll fit right in. That was snarky … let’s try again. Most of us are hear to learn and there are few of us smart enough to lord it over everybody else. Don’t be afraid it post your questions … they’re probably not as ignorant as you think they are. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/3 "2013-05-01T11:55:27Z")
Wait… By “an answer for all of them”, do you mean a different answer for each, or one single answer for all of them at once? Because if it’s the latter, I hate to break it to you, but life’s more complicated than that. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/4 "2013-05-01T12:02:03Z")
If you are talking about threads in General Questions, and you think you know the answers to some (all? really?), answer a few. See what happens. It’s just a message board. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/5 "2013-05-01T13:00:42Z")
If you’re truly knowlegable about a subject and it’s not just your opinion, sure, post an answer. If someone else feels it warrants a modification or clarification, they’ll let you know. If you have a general question you want an answer to, by all means post it. If it’s obvious you’re reading the replies and communicating back where appropriate it’ll be received even better and people will be more earnest in their efforts. The vast majority of folks here are informed and considerate and trying to learn more themselves so there’s no reason to hide anything. It’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/6 "2013-05-01T13:03:16Z")
If you get it right, they learn something. If you get it wrong, and somebody corrects you, you learn something. All to the good. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/7 "2013-05-01T13:25:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Wait… By “an answer for all of them”, do you mean a different answer for each, or one single answer for all of them at once? Because if it’s the latter, I hate to break it to you, but life’s more complicated than that. 42 ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/8 "2013-05-01T13:37:49Z")
And there’s the Bene Gesserit litany: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. And I will post on the Straight Dope. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/9 "2013-05-01T13:39:09Z")
I think this is more of a MPSIMS question, so I’m moving it there. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/10 "2013-05-01T15:03:56Z")
If you’re genuinely curious and wanting to learn, ask away. You’ll find nothing but friendly help in response. If you’re ignorant of a subject, and come here to vehemently and violently defend that ignorance to the death rather than allow one single solitary unwelcome fact enter your head, then you’ll have a bit more of an uphill struggle. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/11 "2013-05-01T15:20:41Z")
If you are ignorant on a subject and don’t post, how do you propose to learn more about it? Curiosity and play are the two greatest strengths we have and if you don’t exercise them they atrophy. If you aren’t willing to have your answers stand up to scrutiny how will you know that they are valid? No one likes looking dumb, but the only stupid question is the one unasked. Now, what would a chair look like if our knees bent the other way, like an ostrich?😃 ---
**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:** [May 1, 2013, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/12 "2013-05-01T15:29:58Z")
Afraid of appearing less than a perfect genius is a limiting way to go through life. Seriously, why would you want to hide that you don’t know everything, no one knows everything. If you think you are hiding your ignorance, I assure you that your attempts are both transpatent and pathetic to others. Its not a good personality characteristic. Tl;dr - stop caring if other people think you’re smart. it’s as shallow as caring if other people think you’re pretty, or rich. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/13 "2013-05-01T15:35:09Z")
Four degrees? I would thing getting the third degree would be off putting. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/14 "2013-05-01T15:39:34Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > Most of us are \*\*hear \*\*to learn and there are few of us smart enough to lord it over everybody else. Don’t be afraid it post your questions … they’re probably not as ignorant as you think they are. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/15 "2013-05-01T15:45:06Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Four degrees? I would thing getting the third degree would be off putting. I thing that too. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/16 "2013-05-01T15:47:44Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > And there’s the Bene Gesserit litany: > I must not fear. > Fear is the mind-killer. > Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. > I will face my fear. > I will permit it to pass over me and through me. > And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. > Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. > Only I will remain. > And I will post on the Straight Dope. Cite? Regards, Shodan PS - 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/17 "2013-05-01T17:09:51Z")
Ask your questions! As long as you aren’t an ass about it nobody will judge you. > [@Eutychus](#): > > Most of us are hear to learn and there are few of us smart enough to lord it over everybody else. Don’t be afraid it post your questions … they’re probably not as ignorant as you think they are. Ironically, **Eutychus** is one of those wise enough to do the lording, but never does. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/18 "2013-05-01T17:46:27Z")
if you have an answer for every question posted on this board the have at it. when you are done with that feel free to ask any question you like. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/19 "2013-05-01T18:03:54Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > I think this is more of a MPSIMS question, so I’m moving it there. > > Good luck. See?! You’re not as smart as you think bucko! ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183/20 "2013-05-01T18:11:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If you get it right, they learn something. > If you get it wrong, and somebody corrects you, you learn something. > All to the good. Pretty much this. As long as you don’t take it too personal and are open minded, you’ll be fine. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-maybe-im-ignorant/657183.md?page=2)