Can People use Their Brains These Days?

[Joshua the Writer]

I am getting tired of people asking stupid questions. When I came out as bisexual, he asked how I know that I'm bisexual. Well, I didn't answer that, considering it was a stupid (and slightly annoying and mildly offensive) question to ask. Probably should have just used his think brain in that situation. I know I am bisexual the same way he knows he is straight.

Another example is sometimes when I talk to knew friends about my favorite game series, Monster Hunter. I tell them that it is a game series by Capcom, figuring the rest would be explained by the title. But, nope, I get the occasional "so what is this game about." I obviously resist the being sassy and saying, "well, honey, it's called Monster Hunter. What do you think it is about? Owning a puppy and taking care of it as it grows up?"

Gosh. Some people wouldn't be able to pour water out of a jug even if the instructions are printed in big, bold letters on it.

Sorry for the mini rant. Just a pet peeve of mine.

 

[Misery]

The simplest answer to your question is: "No".

Now that being said, sometimes things arent so cut and dry.

Gaming for instance. With how bloody bizarre games can get... and with how deceptive they can be... a mere name isnt enough to tell someone what it's really about.

"Monster Hunter" is a third-person action boss-rush game, but purely based on that name, it also COULD be:

A first person hunting experience, where you're tracking spoor and all those other things (like Evolve did, except without the multiplayer nonsense).

A squad-based tactical RTS with an overhead view, where you control a full team of heroes out to stop some rampaging horror.

A very tense game about a team of investigators trying to hunt down and destroy various eldritch horrors of a Lovecraftian nature. Survival horror sort of thing, maybe, where you dont have the strength to fight directly and thus have to use more sneaky means to finish the "hunt", and you're exploring, I dunno, creepy old mansions or something to find the things.

Also, you joke about "raising a puppy" there, but... what if that WAS the game concept? Maybe a game where, instead of doing the hunting, you raise and tame something to hunt FOR you? Like you send them on hunts after various targets and so on. I think this concept has actually been done before. The "Monster Hunter" in the title would be the creature that you are raising.

I could probably keep this up for a few pages, but you get the idea. Even if the name itself seems like an obvious descriptor, it COULD really mean pretty much anything. To you it seems that much more silly that others dont know what it's like entirely BECAUSE you already do know what it's like.

And it gets even more confusing when you bring non-gamers into the mix. They ask silly questions because they have no frame of reference. Keep in mind, exposed to things you are not familiar with, there's a very high chance you'd ask the same sort of question: one that seems sensible to you, but sounds just absurd to the person who is already in the know. I know I sure sound like that if I were to ask a question about cars, for instance. Dont know the first thing about cars.


Anyway, just some stuff to think about. There, I'm done now.

 

[Fino]

Perhaps they think it's possible there's more to the game than just "monster hunter." I've heard of the game and didn't realize you turn it on, hunt monsters, and that's it. Just hunt until you're bored, I guess.

And the thing about sexuality, I believe they're implying you need to have experienced sexual encounters before you really know for sure. This seems to be a common belief.

 

[Misery]

Perhaps they think it's possible there's more to the game than just "monster hunter." I've heard of the game and didn't realize you turn it on, hunt monsters, and that's it. Just hunt until you're bored, I guess.

And the thing about sexuality, I believe they're implying you need to have experienced sexual encounters before you really know for sure. This seems to be a common belief.

Aye, there is indeed more to the game. It's a huge and complicated thing though the boss fights are the biggest part of it, they sure arent all there is. And even those fights have real complexity to them. The series has been super popular for a looooooong time now, and for good reason. I dont normally bother with big AAA games, but that series is pretty much THE exception (though it's been a long while, but I might grab the Steam version at some point).

Thus, indeed, the title alone doesnt REALLY explain how the game works... just the absolute most basic concept, sort of.

 

[Streetwise]

I am getting tired of people asking stupid questions. When I came out as bisexual, he asked how I know that I'm bisexual. Well, I didn't answer that, considering it was a stupid (and slightly annoying and mildly offensive) question to ask. Probably should have just used his think brain in that situation. I know I am bisexual the same way he knows he is straight.

Another example is sometimes when I talk to knew friends about my favorite game series, Monster Hunter. I tell them that it is a game series by Capcom, figuring the rest would be explained by the title. But, nope, I get the occasional "so what is this game about." I obviously resist the being sassy and saying, "well, honey, it's called Monster Hunter. What do you think it is about? Owning a puppy and taking care of it as it grows up?"

Gosh. Some people wouldn't be able to pour water out of a jug even if the instructions are printed in big, bold letters on it.

Sorry for the mini rant. Just a pet peeve of mine.

Do you want me to agree with you or to give you another answer?

 

[Trophonius]

Another example is sometimes when I talk to knew friends about my favorite game series, Monster Hunter. I tell them that it is a game series by Capcom, figuring the rest would be explained by the title. But, nope, I get the occasional "so what is this game about." I obviously resist the being sassy and saying, "well, honey, it's called Monster Hunter. What do you think it is about? Owning a puppy and taking care of it as it grows up?"

"What is the game about?" Sounds like a natural question to keep the conversation going. Even if it's called Monster Hunter, the title by itself isn't very explanatory in regards of the game; it's a generic title and many kinds of games could be constructed with that premise (just think about how many games you know about hunting monsters...). A satisfactory explanation could be a description that uniquely determines this game.
Your answer in this case would be considered fairly impolite.

 

[Thinx]

Yes I empathise with your frustration about the assumption that everyone is heterosexual, and would add that, when u say you know you are bisexual the same way he knows he is straight, you may give him too much credit. He's been brought up to think he (and everyone else) is straight, and may just be assuming it's true, whereas you have noticed that for you, it isn't.

On the wider question of brain use or not, I think people with high autistic traits or Aspergers may often be less subject to aspects of social conditioning not least because we just don't notice some of it, and we possibly use our brains more right from the start in order to puzzle our way through in a confusing environment. Hence we often favour and develop thinking strategies and are good at thinking.

 

[Progster]

Another example is sometimes when I talk to knew friends about my favorite game series, Monster Hunter. I tell them that it is a game series by Capcom, figuring the rest would be explained by the title. But, nope, I get the occasional "so what is this game about." I obviously resist the being sassy and saying, "well, honey, it's called Monster Hunter. What do you think it is about? Owning a puppy and taking care of it as it grows up?"

Being a non-gamer, this is the sort of question I'm likely to ask, not because I don't get that a game called 'Monster Hunter' is going to be about hunting monsters, but because I need more information to imagine exactly what the game involves, the concept of the game. As @Misery points out, there are a number of different concepts that the game might have around hunting monsters, and the title really doesn't say much. I would wonder if one was to hunt monsters to collect for an imaginary monster zoo, for example (like that idea) or hunt them to kill them (don't like that idea quite so much). That would be a bit like hearing the title of a movie, then making assumptions about what the movie is about.

 

[Baeraad]

"What is the game about?" Sounds like a natural question to keep the conversation going. Even if it's called Monster Hunter, the title by itself isn't very explanatory in regards of the game; it's a generic title and many kinds of games could be constructed with that premise (just think about how many games you know about hunting monsters...). A satisfactory explanation could be a description that uniquely determines this game.
Your answer in this case would be considered fairly impolite.

This.

Mind you, I'm frequently stumped when people ask me what, e.g., a book is about. I feel like the only way to properly represent a book would be to sit down for a few hours and read it out loud to the person who asked. A book is about every single thing that it contains. If it was possible to accurately represent it with a few sentences, why would the author have bothered writing hundreds of pages in the first place?

 

[Streetwise]

This.

Mind you, I'm frequently stumped when people ask me what, e.g., a book is about. I feel like the only way to properly represent a book would be to sit down for a few hours and read it out loud to the person who asked. A book is about every single thing that it contains. If it was possible to accurately represent it with a few sentences, why would the author have bothered writing hundreds of pages in the first place?

I wonder if they mean why ?do you like it ?I’ve watched chat shows about reading books and they often ask that question!Maybe also would it interest me presuming you know what they’re interested in and I can’t be bothered to find out myself

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

"so what is this game about." I obviously resist the being sassy and saying, "well, honey, it's called Monster Hunter. What do you think it is about? Owning a puppy and taking care of it as it grows up?"

This is a natural question to continue the discussion on a topic that you have brought up, it's called making conversation. It's good that you resist the urge to be rude in response.

Anyway I sympathise with your frustration over being asked how you know you are bisexual, I'm sure it would be a question i got a lot if I felt the need to go around telling people I'm asexual (I don't so it's not an issue). But keep in mind that many heterosexual people, especially in conservative cultures, have never had any reason to think about their sexuality or how other people may experience sexuality differently, and so a certain lack of understanding may be expected.

To answer the title question, yes people can use their brains. That doesn't mean they will use their brains in the ways you want them to.

 

[Baeraad]

I wonder if they mean why ?do you like it ?I’ve watched chat shows about reading books and they often ask that question!Maybe also would it interest me presuming you know what they’re interested in and I can’t be bothered to find out myself

I assume that, as per above, they are trying to make conversation and take an interest. I just find the question difficult to answer - I mean, where do you start?

 

[Streetwise]

I assume that, as per above, they are trying to make conversation and take an interest. I just find the question difficult to answer - I mean, where do you start?

It will probably depend on the person if they seem open minded one answer if they seem very narrowminded another answer

 

[Major Tom]

Mostly, people just say things without thinking their questions through I've found. That's why I don't tell anyone anything personal in real life. As far as sexuality goes I firmly believe that it's natural and not a choice, but most brainwashed people can't wrap their heads around that fact.

 

[WildCat]

Being guilty as charged (yes, I've done that before) I'm not in a good position to complain. Sure, there are people who should know better and that makes for a good argument, but telling someone with some sort of impairment as an example...well, you deserve any backlash you're entitled to. There's banter and then there's being a prick, so cross the line at your own risk.

At least there's a reason behind it, and figuring out how to handle questions you deem stupid along with the emotions bundled with that is part of the battle.

 

[Streetwise]

I assume that, as per above, they are trying to make conversation and take an interest. I just find the question difficult to answer - I mean, where do you start?

for instance I’ve just been in the war zone that is Facebook Narrowminded does not describe Facebook !Not thinking you are superior is a good start !keep with that attitude and you won’t live very long,I think the classic One is to say I’ve suddenly developed a headache!

 

[Bronzelincolns]

I'm convinced there is legislation against such a thing.

 

[Fino]

I assume that, as per above, they are trying to make conversation and take an interest. I just find the question difficult to answer - I mean, where do you start?

Read synopsis' written on books and websites and you'll get an idea for the level of detail involved in a question like that.

 

[Fino]

To answer the title question, yes people can use their brains. That doesn't mean they will use their brains in the ways you want them to.

This is so good. Everybody thinks everybody else is stupid and this is a huge part of why.

 

[BraidedPony]

I often ask questions so that I can understand something. Many times I have been afraid to speak up because I don't like being made to feel stupid.
The choice is..take a chance and ask a question and look stupid/naive or be quiet and look smart but feel more isolated.