I feel as if there is an intellectual barrier here.

[NormannTheDoorman]

Preventing me from joining in on the majority of the discussions.


This may be moved to Oubliette but okay.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

Can you describe it? What are you encountering?

 

[King_Be_Us]

Why do you feel this way?

 

[Hadoblado]

If you don't understand, you lurk or you ask questions.

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

Can you describe it? What are you encountering?

I come across all these discussions on topics that interest me but when I read some of the posts or the OP itself I kind of back down. To me it seems like I've only scratched the surface of such topics and I need to do more reading before I can join in on the discussion. Perhaps I should ask more questions here.

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

If you don't understand, you lurk or you ask questions.

I've been lurking for too long.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

I come across all these discussions on topics that interest me but when I read some of the posts or the OP itself I kind of back down. To me it seems like I've only scratched the surface of such topics and I need to do more reading before I can join in on the discussion. Perhaps I should ask more questions here.

Why not just ask questions in the threads? If you want to learn, then learning is more important than what people on the internet might think of you for asking questions. Embarrassment is over-rated.

Plus you might actually test their understanding when they explain it to you. Personally I love nothing more than when someone who has a legitimate interest asks questions, and hate nothing more than when someone assumes they know something holistically and others are auto-wrong. I doubt I'm alone in this regard.

I've been lurking for too long.

^

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

Why not just ask questions in the threads? If you want to learn, then learning is more important than what people on the internet might think of you for asking questions. Embarrassment is over-rated.

You have a point. I do have some anonymity here.

 

[SpaceYeti]

A large chunk of the problem is that some people will delve into any question and label it "deep". You'll come across huge debates about bikini-clad women in beer ads, as a generalized example (you might not find exactly this discussion, it's an allegory). Putting boobs in ads increases sales or, at the very least, draws the attention of most men to the ad in the first place. It's not rocket science, it's not confusing, and we're not immune to it even in our acclaimed genius. Boobs are pretty, and that's pretty much all there is to it, regardless how self-indulgent our egos are. We're not above society just because we like to say big words so that we look smart. We're part of society. The barrier is attitude and general, pseudo-intellectual drivel.

Not that there's no quality discussion here, just don't be part of the problem, is all. Asking questions should bring no embarrassment. Everybody here (and everywhere) is ignorant of most things, and that will remain true forever. Not knowing one item, of many, uncountable bits of data, is nothing to be ashamed of... for no matter how smart any individual is, they do not know most things.

 

[Pyropyro]

Preventing me from joining in on the majority of the discussions.

I think you're overthinking things too much. Just relax and ask/contribute away.

 

[Ribald]

OP you are 16 years old, I understand how you feel but it's something that truly does grow with time. That's probably 3/4 of it. Another factor is people being at times excessively wordy and trying to sound smart to impress people when really they could boil their posts down and their tone as well.

There's nothing particularly genius here. I don't see any threads that require high mathematics understanding or advanced courses in any field. Wikipedia for a few hours is enough to get you fully caught up on any thread.

 

[Spirit]

Norman,

You cannot expect to know everything and have a graduate level understanding of all concepts in the universe. Questions and experiences will give you the answers to some of what you are looking for.

Do not let these peoples wordy explanations intimidate you. Ask them to re clarify or give different examples.

 

[Valentas]

Hey, just ask questions. I recently got a gig in software testing. I was so overwhelmed during first day that I thought I'm stupid. But I have a nice person who teaches me the ropes and he assumes a lot of stuff. What I do is dissect his assumptions to smaller parts and then ask him to show how it's done. I felt stronger in my capabilities on Friday and hope to succeed even more tomorrow. I just ask questions and then try to learn. The same applied to mathematics course. I did not understand permutations cycle notation and similar stuff but asked to show me everything step by step and managed to understand it. If you won't ask questions, then you will lose understanding because if you ask questions, you have to think, otherwise you cannot formulate a question to ask. Also, deal with the idea that you cannot know everything. Because it is logical to make such conclusion. It's from personality junkie post: achieving greatness one of main intp goals. You want greatness in understading fast but it will come with time as others pointed out. Stop worrying over this. I think just reading the discussions on this board places you well ahead of the pack compared to others.

 

[bemused]

Dude just watch a bunch of YouTube lectures and mimic the verbiage of the professors and post a bunch of links to articles you don't read or think about- you'll fit right in.

I honestly don't pick up on that many sincere intellectuals on here.

I don't read all the posts-but there are posters on here that are clearly very intelligent(theapplepi guy, jennywocky, cognizant etc). Id never argue with them on anything substantial. They also don't exhibit any overt arrogance in their posting style.

Then there a few folks on here with specialized knowledge on a topic. I wouldn't argue with them unless I could match their knowledge or outwit them.

don't be intimidated. If you're 16, you appear to be much smarter than most of your peers, and frankly most people in my age group.

 

[Cherry Cola]

No overt arrogance and Cognisant in the same meaning, seriously? Not that I particularly mind arrogance so long as it doesn't hinder other things, or am not arrogant myself, but seriously dude.

In any case the barrier is probably less intellectual than it is social, just jump into discussions until that works.

 

[bemused]

Well I haven't seen all their posts, but if i liked their posts or something I will overlook any 'faults'.

I'm full of contradictions.

You are DEAD ON about it being more social than intellectual. Good eye man

 

[Jennywocky]

I come across all these discussions on topics that interest me but when I read some of the posts or the OP itself I kind of back down. To me it seems like I've only scratched the surface of such topics and I need to do more reading before I can join in on the discussion. Perhaps I should ask more questions here.

Yup. Ask questions, and then direct your further questions towards the people who seem responsive to your requests for more information.

Face it, no one is an expert on every topic... even if they have a 419 IQ.

 

[Ribald]

Actually having a 419 IQ would make you an expert on every topic.

 

[Base groove]

Actually having a 419 IQ would make you an expert on every topic.

Actually this is a non sequitur.