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Pumpkinslinger Super Member
Joined: Sep 22, 2007 Posts: 5002 Location: NC foothills
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 9:59 pm Post subject: Passionate Idiots |
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Passionate idiots
I ran into an old acquaintance recently at a gun show. This gentleman is someone I respect for his knowledge and willingness to help me learn things. We started talking about some internet discussions we’d seen about shooting and reloading ammo, and about the value of some of the “information” we’d seen posted in various forums. He pointed out that sometimes we are afflicted by “passionate idiots”.
I immediately loved the term. He was talking about those people who are honestly trying to be helpful but haven’t really done their homework to see if what they’d heard and believed was true. Sometimes they simply don’t understand what they’re actually seeing and attribute the wrong cause to the effect. They are honest and passionate about their beliefs but they are simply wrong.
I can give an example from my job. I am a technician who works on printing presses, etc. that run large rolls of paper/plastic/foil. Allow me a quick and dirty explanation of how these things work. The roll of material is placed on an “Unwind”, runs through the main machine and then is rolled back up by the “Rewind”. The Unwind and Rewind help control the tension on the material as it passes through the machine. While the main part of the machine sets the speed of the material the Unwind holds back a little while the Rewind pulls a little to make the material run straight.
In this case an operator called us out to a machine because the material was breaking. He claimed that the Rewind was “running away”, causing the material to break. At first glance that made some sense, until I thought about how the machine actually works. The Rewind is trying to pull a set amount of tension on the material as it leaves the main machine. It does this by automatically adjusting its speed relative to the main machine. When the material broke it caused the Rewind to start running faster to try to maintain the required tension. The Rewind couldn’t create any tension with nothing to pull against so it “ran away”. The actual cause of the problem was located on the main machine. It took us quite a while to convince the operator that the Rewind wasn’t the problem.
Obviously this “passionate idiot” problem applies to many aspects of our lives. Politics is a prime example. The next time you have a discussion with someone and you think they are wrong don’t attack their honesty or passion, just try to show them the correct information. It probably won’t be easy to change their mind but it’s a worthy effort. And always keep in mind, it may be you who is the “passionate idiot”.
_________________ Mike
"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle |
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Elvis Super Member
Joined: Jul 27, 2008 Posts: 9261 Location: south island New Zealand
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 11:23 pm Post subject: Re: Passionate Idiots |
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sounds the same as my old 35mm camera used to work.
and yes I see your point.
_________________ You shot it You pluck it !
Them who eats the most duck eats the most feathers! |
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gelandangan Super Member
Joined: May 07, 2006 Posts: 6401 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 12:37 am Post subject: Re: Passionate Idiots |
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I reckon often I am one of those passionate idiot ..
Opened my mouth faster than I can think.
_________________ A straight line is the shortest distance between two points.
A smile is the shortest distance between two people.
Do - Not try!
gelandangan.weebly.com/ |
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Suzanne Super Member
Joined: Jun 27, 2009 Posts: 3323 Location: Eugene, Oregon
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 7:10 am Post subject: Re: Passionate Idiots |
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I've found forums not to be a good source for information, but they are good for finding opinions. My father taught all us kids to argue (debate) and one thing about arguing is there can always be another side to the story, so (knowing that) it's easier to accept defeat when you're wrong. If you stick with certain forums that you're comfortable with, you get to know who is and who isn't the guy that knows reliably what he's talking about, you can still end up getting bad information. Opinions are fiction until you research both sides and you can find your own truth on a subject.
Politics is a whole nuther squash to me, it's like some people are born various colors and no matter how hard you try and make them another color they just don't change colors. A half black person is going to be a black person in the right circumstances, depends on who he wants to influence. Know who I mean? I've tried hard to change the minds of political left wingers and it only bolsters their resolve against me. I think we were born with or taught from an early age to be a certain way (politically aligned) and we just know better than the other guy (from experience). Problem is, they feel that way too and they would, just as soon, want you to change your mind. To me it's almost like we're different species.
Religion can be just as frustrating. You won't win an argument with a hard core bible thumper. Faith is so ingrained and so personal....I won't even go into it anymore.
Anyway in defense of passion and idiocy at least you can think about it as an opinion rather than fact and use it as a tool, like Chambered's line "ask enough people and you'll get the answer you want" (something like that).
Hi Chambered!!
Suz
_________________ May the moon keep you centered,
May the sun keep you dancing,
And the stars shed light on your dreams. |
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Bushmaster Super Member
Joined: Jun 12, 2005 Posts: 11395 Location: Ava, Missouri
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 7:23 am Post subject: Re: Passionate Idiots |
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I never have that problem because I'm always right. So there!! O K??
_________________ I have one nerve left and yer standin' on it...
DEMOCRACY Two wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for lunch...
LIBERTY A well armed sheep contesting the outcome of the vote... |
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lesterg3 Super Member
Joined: Nov 30, 2008 Posts: 1328 Location: Dixie
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 12:01 pm Post subject: Re: Passionate Idiots |
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Hard core Bible thumper here, also very, very opinionated, but as with Bushy I am seldom incorrect, but that's because I rarely speak of items or situations that I do not have complete knowledge of, nor will I give advice, or recommend a restaurant.
Now since I do not believe that I have complete knowledge of anything I find that I listen much more than I talk, and that I am always learning. I am either learning something useful or learning that the talker is a passionate idiot. Who is the most passionate idiot I know - Obama of course, the poster child for the Passionate Idiot Society, not to mention Eugenics, and or abortion.
_________________ "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine. "--Thomas Jefferson
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government. -- Thomas Jefferson
"Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms."--James Madison
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson.
NRA Life Member
Vietnam War Vet 68-69 |
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chambered221 Super Member
Joined: Aug 17, 2007 Posts: 3455 Location: Lost for good !!!
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radar Super Member
Joined: Oct 01, 2008 Posts: 1109 Location: North Island New Zealand
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MacD Super Member
Joined: Apr 08, 2011 Posts: 1052 Location: Canada
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:09 am Post subject: Re: Passionate Idiots |
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I started to make a long winded reply but realized I must be an "Idiot" since I have passionately been wrong a number of times in my life. Who wants to read the ramblings of an "Idiot" who may be wrong when those who know they are right abound?
_________________ La a'Blair s'math n Cairdean
(Friends are good on the day of battle) |
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dhc4ever Super Member
Joined: May 26, 2011 Posts: 2944 Location: Ipswich, Queensland Australia
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 1:36 pm Post subject: Re: Passionate Idiots |
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You nailed it with that one Mac.
_________________ Pete
Dont do anything you wont like explaining to the paramedics.............. |
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Vince Site Admin
Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 15725 Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA
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