I picked #1 because a) it requires minimum verbal effort to deliver (and NO kind of effort should be expended on the terminally stupid), and b) it includes the all-important "go away" directive. In case The Stupid is contagious.
whilst (2) is technically the best way to say "I'm sorry, you are not smart enough to have this conversation", i have actually used (1).
more often, though, i/we tend to weed out thickies by
resorting to making shit up until their brains [braines?] actually break,
descend into random fandom quotes (the best of these continues the previous conversation, only via references, metaphors, etc),
turn as ask the foolish observer/participant what they understand the central paradox of [theorist/author/cartoon character]'s work to be, and how well [favourite flavour/colour/cinematographer]'s thesis actually resolves it ...
I detest drama, and so I would go with "This conversation isn't going anywhere, and I'm not interested in frustrating both of us and continuing it." Let them figure out the why all on their own rather than starting an arguement which benefits nobody.
I'd probably just stare, say, "Uh huh," and excuse myself as i walk away. Alternatively, i'd turn it around and say, "I'm sorry, i'm not stupid enough to have this conversation with you." That would be politer without really blunting the impact one bit.
For my part, I'd like to go with: I regret that the relative synaptic complexities of the participants in this exchange of memetic nodes is sufficiently asymmetric that a satisfactory resolution possesses a probability congruent with the likelihood of a total inversion of a non-quantum gravitational singularity. I would further propose that a similar destination is appropriate for the other party.
This is all, of course, in the hopes that their eyes will glaze over, and they will depart before I finish.
Wrong. It isn't like people choose to be dumb. Some people make no effort to improve their intelligence or understanding of the world, but others have pretty much hit their ceiling. It could be genetic, it could be an injury, but no amount of reading or playing Brain Age will help them understand certain concepts. All love and respect due, but to be honest, stupid people hating posts like this, IMHO, are akin to gay bashing. Ridiculing and demeaning people based on something that is mostly outside their control.
Furthermore, I don't think it's obvious to even to smart people how to become smarter than they are (as distinct from better informed). And if you don't know how to be smarter, it isn't reasonable to expect people who are less intelligent than you are to know how to be smarter.
I like to use something similar, only with props if they are available. Something like "it's cute that you are talking. Here is a ball. Why don't you go bounce it?"
I find "How 'bout that local sports team?" to be acceptably inoffensive. Though I sense that you aren't really going for that. "Well, thanks for your opinion" also goes a long way.
Whereas often, people just prefer to be stupid. When someone deliberately makes no attempt to comprehend what's being said to them, and instead clings to their own preconceptions, they are being stupid, by choice. When someone makes best efforts to understand, but cannot, and accepts that they do not, (rather than dismissing the argument itself), this is a separate matter.
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 04:57 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 04:59 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 05:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 05:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 05:28 am (UTC)silence! i concur!
Date: 2009-02-26 05:51 am (UTC)more often, though, i/we tend to weed out thickies by
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 05:52 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 05:52 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 06:44 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 06:56 am (UTC)But hey, that wouldn't surprise anyone who knows me.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 07:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 08:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 10:42 am (UTC)I regret that the relative synaptic complexities of the participants in this exchange of memetic nodes is sufficiently asymmetric that a satisfactory resolution possesses a probability congruent with the likelihood of a total inversion of a non-quantum gravitational singularity. I would further propose that a similar destination is appropriate for the other party.
This is all, of course, in the hopes that their eyes will glaze over, and they will depart before I finish.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 10:57 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 11:43 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 12:26 pm (UTC)i may have been influenced by mystery men ...
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 12:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 12:56 pm (UTC)Like for my Aunt I will politely change the topic to the power of moon crystals and their proper use.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 01:35 pm (UTC)All love and respect due, but to be honest, stupid people hating posts like this, IMHO, are akin to gay bashing. Ridiculing and demeaning people based on something that is mostly outside their control.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 01:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 02:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 02:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 02:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 02:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-26 02:50 pm (UTC)