The term “zero tolerance” is thrown about quite a bit these days. You hear it in school anti-bullying platforms, corporate quality control procedures, and more intimately, with regards to gender, sexual orientation, and race-based discrimination. But what about discrimination against folks that are just plumb dumb? Is that allowed? Let me clarify that by “dumb”, I’m referring to a segment of society that acts as if somehow the possession of even an iota of common sense makes no sense at all. These are folks with access and information at their fingertips. The last time I checked, you didn’t have to be Harvard-educated to have some damn sense about you. Great day!
Through a series of events over the last few days, I’ve come to discover that there are even lower levels of tolerance than zero. It seems that I have a below-sub-zero tolerance for stupidity. That’s not redundant, if you’re wondering. I want to make sure that you get “it” – my level of intolerance – that is. (I’m holding up the peace sign, as made famous by Martin Lawrence, moving it from the front of my eyes to yours, to signify the connection that I’m trying to establish with you as we move this conversation forward. You feel me?) When crossed, my threshold for air between the ears creates an unnerving sensation in my body, and brings out the absolute worse in me. The display just makes me want to reach across the counter and snatch somebody stupid! So much for anti-bullying! 😮
Yesterday I was thankful for good healthcare, and today, I am just p.o’d at the folks that stand in the way of my actually getting this care, and the host of enabling systems and accompanying cast of characters – from the “I can’t think for myself/that’s not in my job description/can I do anything else for you today?” chick at the pharmacy counter, to the parent committee chair who simply regurgitates a presented problem, adding absolutely no value of her own, while refusing to even consider the recommendations that are given. After all, considering a recommendation might actually require one to think, as well as act, and who has time for all that work? So then I’m left to wonder if this is stupidity or sheer laziness. I don’t know…I’m just saying.
It’s as if these characters are on auto-pilot, paid not to think. Perhaps they think they would be rendered incapacitated by a creative or independent thought. I can’t imagine what would happen were they required to manually calculate change at a cash register. Heaven forbid! I’m not asking for them to fly me to the moon, but could you just go a little deeper…please…try me. How am I supposed to maintain my composure and sense of decorum when I’m confronted with this foolishness? I’m clueless. So in the meantime, after numerous attempts at civility with pharmacists, receptionists, apprentices, and “customer service” representatives, I find myself boomeranging up and down two major streets, in between pharmacies, and then going home to wait on these dumb “professionals” to call me when they’re good and ready with something as vital as medicine for a sick child. Daggone shame! This just doesn’t seem right, especially when so many folks are unemployed.
Thanks for listening! You’ve been great! 😮 Now it’s your turn to quip about the subject. Come on, indulge me with your personal encounter of “Stupid in Motion”, and together we can probably come up with something for counteracting. Better yet, share with me why you think this phenomenon is sweeping the nation at such an alarming rate.
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