How do you deal with blatant ignorance from friends?

Here in this forum we tend to vent with impunity at ignorance, intolerance, racism and bigotry...but IRL it seems I find myself getting gobsmacked with it more and more from people I call my friends. A slip here, a slip there, and I am always caught off guard.





Today a friend blurted out the classic ';Catholics aren't Christians'; in response to something that was said and my eloquent and educated response after snapping my head up was ';uh, yeah they are';.





Nothing else was said.





I'm just wondering how people deal with friends who spout off stupidity, or if maybe I'm the only one who has friends who make me think ';Where did I find these people?';How do you deal with blatant ignorance from friends?
I take a certain level of stupidity because I can't expect everyone to live up to my standards. However there are certain intolerances I can not take from friends. That is why it is good to have people in your life to vent with, maybe people on here if you are lucky. If everyone was as smart and awesome as me I would have too much competition. But yeah, I have Republican friends, fantatic christian friends and others but one time speaking out of hatred and I'm out.How do you deal with blatant ignorance from friends?
The thing with intolerances is they rarely just come out of nowhere. There are always hints. The hints that make you not jump into a relationship. Then when they come out you aren't fully invested in it. But don't tell me you hate homosexuals or liberals because you will break my heart Dania

Report Abuse

Yeah, sometimes people just don't think before they say and do stuff, but not everybodys perfect. Maybe if you get really hurt by one of their comments you could ask em why they said it after just a one on one talk. I get pissed off with my friends sometimes and i think why did you do that? I just don't know what is going through their heads! But most of the time they are awesome =)
I don't have ignorant friends. No one is considered a friend until I know they are smart.





Relatives, on the other hand...I have an in-law who insists that scorpions are not animals and that the one time I accidentally bumped into her plant (because she wouldn't let me out the door) is an ongoing problem...I just don't talk to them.
';How do you deal with blatant ignorance from friends?';


I don't have friends who show ignorance on a regular basis.


IF retardedness is ever voiced I meet it with a raised eye-brow and...


';You're kidding, right?';


I do NOT suffer fools.





I wonder if you're using the term 'friends' too loosely.


~
I went to school with people like that, this is how I got through it.





A. Stare at nothing interesting for about 10 minutes.


B. Stare at the other gender's nice parts (or the same gender if that's someones cup of tea)


C. Get caught and yell 'I wasn't staring!!!'


D. Get an anxiety attack and sleep through the whole day.





Ok there is a slight possibility that you'll get molested, but it's worth the risk.
I have this same problem with someone I'm close with, and nothing makes me more annoyed. He makes simple-minded assumptions and makes rude and offensive statements. I just make sure he knows that it's not funny and I don't tolerate it. Ignoring it is never a good option.
Everyone has friends that annoy them sometimes in small tiny ways; just accept that it could just be a bad day for them, or maybe they were just having a dumb moment or something. Just learn to ignore them if they say something stupid/that annoys you.
I like to tar and feather people, but some people think that is a little extreme. I think taller-ance is for short people. And Bigots are that way for a reason.
I snap back at people quite frequently now thanks to Yahoo Answers.





I'm also a bit better equipped in religious and other debates, thanks to a few choice contacts.
I avoid these so called friends as that is a debatable term...i avoid people...that makes for a good solution although the furry variety silent types i really don't mind.
I think Goddess, that there are friends..and then there are Friends.





If you get my meaning..
I stop returning their calls and if they keep calling I PEE ON THEIR LAWN
Having flatulant friends is no joke. You can't go anywhere with them, they are always drawing attention to themselves with ghastly fart references, asking you to pull thier finger, and the stench is awful if you need to be in an enclosed space for any amount of time. The fact they are with you, often gets you erroniously blamed for stinking the place up!


And they think all this is reason to laugh! They actually think farts are funny!


You don't need friends like this. You will begin to notice people saying stuff about you behind your back. Giggling as you walk past, getting Paranoid, ( or is it paranoia? are they really talking about you, or is it your stinky friend?) Thats why you need new, more fragrant friends.
You have to remember Goddess, that not everyone is as smart as you. I'd be willing to bet that you very rarely answer a question posted on this forum before you've thought your answer through. You seem to be very tactical and thus that gives you an advantage. A lot of people on here, spout off with the first thing that comes to mind because they lack discipline and self control. You don't or at least that's how I perceive you.