“That, there, boys is an idiot-finder,” said the male houseparent of the all-male cottage in which I was a resident at a children’s home while in adolescence. Having walked through a field behind our residence, we’d come upon an electric fence.
One of the boys who resided in the cottage asked, “What would happen if I peed on it?” To that, the houseparent replied, “Well, I guess an idiot would be found.” Can you imagine a zzzaaaappppp from that event? (There’s more on this form of imagination in a bit.)
According to one source, “In 19th- and early 20th-century medicine and psychology, an ‘idiot’ was a person with a very profound intellectual disability, being diagnosed with ‘idiocy.” This is akin to a modern intellectual and developmental disability, formerly known as mental retardation.
However, that dated and now perceivably offensive term is lesser known. In common parlance, “idiot” merely alludes to a foolish or stupid person. Whereas ignorance implies a lack of knowledge, as everyone is ignorant to a degree, stupidity connotes the quality of one who is given to unintelligent decisions or acts.
For instance, the boy with whom I shared a cottage already knew what would happen if he peed on an electric fence. If urine made contact with an electrical charge, the electric current could flow up the current of urine and result in a shocking experience.
Thus, the boy wasn’t at all ignorant about the matter. This is likely why he smiled when asking the question. Fittingly, the houseparent answered the question that was steeped in stupidity with a nonsensical, though comical, reply. He ostensibly inferred, “Piss on an electric fence at your own risk, idiot.”
Later in life, when serving in the Marine Corps, the military police (MP) personnel with whom I served would often play pranks on junior Marines to test their level of ignorance and stupidity. Here’s how the joke usually went:
Private first class (PFC) Shmuckatelli, go tell the gunnery sergeant (gunny) that we’re out of ID 10-t forms. “Aye, aye, corporal,” the junior Marine would reply. “Gunny, we’re out of ID 10-t forms,” says the PFC. “Get the fuck outta here, idiot, and stop wastin’ my damn time,” yells the gunny.
The gag was that an ID 10-t form didn’t exist. The Marine inquiring about an ID 10-t was ignorant (lacking knowledge) of the fact that when alphanumerically transformed, ID 10-t spelled “IDIOT.”
Therefore, if another Marine who was senior to the junior military member tried to prank the PFC again, a crude test of stupidity was at hand. Would the junior Marine fall for the same trick twice? If so, that MP was considered an idiot.
Even later in life, when serving in the field of nuclear security, a similar test was used among security police officers (SPOs). A seasoned SPO would say to a junior SPO with no military service, “Hey, go ask dispatch for the key to the hummer [Humvee].”
The gag was that there were no keys for a Humvee. You merely turn the ignition switch to the ‘run’ position, wait for the glow plug light to turn off, indicating the engine is ready, and then turn the switch to ‘start,’ releasing it immediately after the engine starts.
Whether it regard to peeing on an electric fence, searching for an ID 10-t form, or inquiring about a key to a hummer, there are many different boorish methods of finding an idiot. Of course, this may sound like an odd admission from a psychotherapist. Allow me to clarify.
I’m a rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) practitioner. Within REBT literature is the concept of global evaluations, also referred to as negative ratings. These occur in relation to oneself, others, and life in general.
As an example, if I irrationally believed that I’m a bad person, you’re an evil individual, and that life is worthless, each of these negative ratings would qualify for global evaluation status. Unhelpful evaluations such as these are limiting, because they lack balanced input to the contrary.
For instance, while it may be true that I behave in a bad manner, I’m not an entirely bad person. Likewise, presuming that I agreed with the concept of evil, it may be accurate to suggest that you act in an evil manner. However, you as an individual aren’t an entirely evil person.
Furthermore, if may seem at times as though life has little worth, though it isn’t valid to declare than life in its entirety is without worth. This, imbalanced global evaluations lack nuance, as disputed herein.
Given this understanding, it’s important to know that the crass idiot-finder assessments I’ve described in this post aren’t psychometrically valid or reliable. This is similar to the relatively popular breakfast question, about which I’ve stated in a blogpost of the same name:
As indicated by the aforementioned source, the breakfast question is a simplistic – although invalid – assessment tool. The aim is to determine whether or not another person is capable of higher-order thinking, using a hypothetical question to assess for intelligence.
Despite their lack of academic, theoretic, or philosophic value, assessments of this sort are often used to garner some degree of perceived knowledge about people and things. As an example, a person who repeatedly falls for the same gag may not be someone upon whom an MP places much trust.
One problem with clumsy idiot-finder assessments is that people tend to mistake the individual with the level of intelligence, judgement, or behavior of the person being assessed. As such, a problem arises in regard to labeling, of which I stated in a blogpost of the same name:
I comprehend what occurs when using the cognitive distortion or thinking error of labeling. This is when an extreme form of all-or-nothing thinking is used.
Rather than thinking or saying “I fucked up,” a person says, “I’m a fuckup.” We label ourselves or others as entirely good, bad, right, wrong, righteous, evil, nice, mean, and so on and so forth.
Labelling of this sort is largely irrational, because we aren’t equal to what we do. And yes, I realize I just labeled.
The caveat on which I ended that post relates to the matter of coarse assessment measures. Although an individual may not be entirety stupid, the person can exhibit some traits, qualities, or markers of stupidity.
For instance, if the boy with whom I lived in the children’s home would’ve went ahead and peed on an electric fence, his judgment and behavior would indicate stupidity. However, he as an individual may not be altogether stupid. Are you tracking? Does this make sense to you?
In consideration of this modified framing, an idiot-finder is merely a non-clinical and unpolished method of determining who will or won’t think or behave in an idiotic manner. I say “think,” because bear in mind that ignorance suggests a lack of knowledge while stupidity insinuates that some thought was accessed – even that of an idiotic nature.
In closing, there’s one final idiot-finder about which I wish to inform you. Following Donald Trump’s electoral victory over Kamala Harris, a surprising number of United States (U.S.) women have behaved like petulant children by pledging to engage in a manipulative practices. According to one source:
In the hours and days since it became clear that Donald Trump would be re-elected president of the United States, there’s been a surge of interest in the US for 4B.
Young liberal women across TikTok and Instagram are discussing and sharing information about the South Korean feminist movement, in which straight women refuse to marry, have children, date or have sex with men.
These women say they are enraged and fed up after a majority of their male counterparts voted for a candidate who was found liable for sexual abuse and whose appointment of three conservative Supreme Court justices led to the overturning of national abortion rights protections.
In response, they say they’re swearing off men — and they’re encouraging others around the country to join them.
If I were any less sensible, I’d make a cheap joke about “4B” representing 4 (for) (B)itches, as this victimhood idiot-finder assessment tool is likely useful for bitches who weren’t getting laid in the first place. However, I’m taking the high road herein. (Obviously.)
I fully support hardcore, radical, moderate, and even passively indulgent feminists when weeding themselves from the genepool. You go, sisters! (Really go for it, if you’d like!) The true idiot-finder of this 4B movement isn’t even about the females who’ve apparently sworn off males.
Rather, any boy or man who opts to placate these girls and women – kowtowing to questionably controlling behavior – may as well go ahead and ask the gunny nearest you for more ID 10-t forms. In fact, you may want to make sure that you request the revised copy, ID 10-t form, version 4B.
Of course, the current blogpost doesn’t apply to all males or all females. Rather, I’m openly mocking feminism as an ideology and practice. As my late stepmom used to say, “I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout you, lest it’s you.” And at that, no one is their beliefs or behavior.
If you suggest otherwise, “Well, I guess an idiot would be found.” Zzzaaaappppp!!!!
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
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