People are so dumb
Don Wall, Editorial
Published on
Mar 07, 2008
I have come to the conclusion that people are really, really stupid.
We don't know anything. We go through life blissfully unaware of the dangers we encounter in every-day life.
Oh, and fat, poor listeners, lazy, oblivious.
This is the only conclusion that can be reached after reviewing "surveys" that have come my way with the intention of promoting "awareness" of various shortcomings we older folks have.
To be fair, from my seat as an editor, it's an effective tool. Survey says people are not planning for retirement so, horrified, we encourage them to start planning. Not eating veggies or taking supplements, falling on icy sidewalks, ignoring our spouses? We've got to do better. And if it means calling up a financial planner or buying more over-the-counter drugs, then the survey sponsor has done its job.
When a financial company like Fidelity Investments reports that less than half of retirees are aware that there is a good chance they'll live into their 90s, they are hoping you'll Google Fidelity and give them a call to re-figure your investment plan.
That's the way the marketing ball bounces. But I sure feel clueless sometimes. More cases in point:
The Heart and Stroke Foundation reported in February that only four per cent of Ontario men and 16 per cent of Ontario women knew that heart disease and stroke are the most serious health concerns for Canadian women. All the others? No clue.
I mentioned fat and lazy. Statistics Canada just reported that Canadians aged 55 and over had the lowest participation rate in sports at 17 per cent, down from 25 per cent in 1992. Pass the chips, honey.
Another survey released this year by Manulife shows just how out to lunch men are compared to women. Or how much women worry. Sixty-two per cent of women surveyed said they worry about the likelihood that they or their partner might need to go into a nursing home or require care at home in the future. More than half of the men, though, were thinking about the Stanley Cup playoffs. Only 49 per cent of men shared the same concern.
Speaking of dysfunction: Fidelity also reported that many long-standing couples hardly talk at all. A survey of pre-retirees found that in more than 30 per cent of couples, husbands and wives gave different answers when asked what age they will retire. It wasn't reported but I bet "Pardon," "Dunno" or "Come again?" were among frequent responses reported in marital conversations.
Even when people are communicating, they may be all talk and no action. Another survey of pre-retirees found that 63 per cent said they had begun to prepare for retirement but most of this was restricted to reading up on the subject and discussion with family and friends. When will they get something down on paper? "I'll get to it when I get to it" might have been a popular answer here.
It is time to put a stop to this self-incrimination that is so damaging to our collective self-esteem. The next time someone calls and sets you up for failure by asking something like, "When was the last time you checked the batteries in your smoke alarm?" - don't surrender by answering, "It was six years ago, are you happy?!" Maybe we all ought to just clam up. As the saying goes, better to not say anything and have others guess that you are a fool than open your mouth and prove it.