STUPIDITY IS A MYTH

I've noticed this habit people have of saying their stupid or dumb. Like, it's funny and relatable the first couple times. You mess up and say, “I'm a dumbass.” But I didn't think people actually meant it. 

I was training a new co-worker. Older man. And he kept saying that he was so stupid and kept apologizing when he forgot things. It made me realize that people actually worry about being perceived as incompetent or “stupid”. As somebody on the spectrum who also has a learning disability, I find it kinda ablest to make these kind of mistakes and then label them as “stupid.”

Everyone learns differently and at their own pace. We should be teaching people to be patient and compassionate towards others who learn differently. Not shaming each other into trying to perform at the same level. 

Additionally, a lot of the older generation were raised at a time that mental illnesses and disabilities were ignored and hidden due to stigma. A lot of them have gone their whole lives with ADHD or learning disabilities without knowing it. 

It just bugs me that people don't look deeper into each other's behavior. Someone makes a mistake that you just can't fathom doing; maybe that's just what made sense to them, maybe their brain just works differently. 

But it's not just about different neurotypes learning styles. I used to get really upset about the rise of the maga movement and label them all as, “stupid.” I disagree with everything they represent and I can't understand blindly following a man like Donald Trump and what he stands for. But labeling them as dumb, idiots, and stupid isn't right, because it's not true. The truth is that they're undereducated and have been brainwashed into a cult (But I certainly don't want this to be an excuse of behavior).

Again, there are so so so many reasons for people’s behavior and saying we're “stupid” is just dishonest and unkind. So if you're someone who thinks you or someone else is stupid, please be more kind and open-minded towards yourself, and others.