Why would you call someone stupid?

Because they are. Other clever ways of calling them stupid. Idiot, moron, shit for brains.

Back in the day we use to say, Damn, you don’t shit from shinola!

IMO calling someone “stupid” is on the same level of cuss words and demonstrates a clear lack of communication skills and a certain lack of intelligence on their own part. Calling someone or something stupid conveys a lack of full understanding or appreciation of the person or matter at hand and implies a level of aloofness on the accusers part. None of which I am particularly fond of and creates teachable moments each time my kids make the error in using that word.

This is one word I cannot remove from my vocabulary. I can’t. I’m not sure whether it’s a California thing, or if it is just a quirk shared between my siblings and I, but we use the word all the time. Thing is, I don’t use “stupid” as a remark on someone’s intelligence… it’s more akin to “silly”. If my brother forgets something he just said ten minutes ago, I’ll call him stupid. It’s not referencing any lack of brain cells, but an acknowledgment of how ridiculous he can be. The word stupid, as I use it, is usually reserved for those I am close to as I use it with nothing but affection.

I don’t use it multiple times in the same sentence (as those college students did), but I use it often and probably won’t change that.

An alternative for the “s” word I have always enjoyed is the word “thick” as in “how thick can you possibly be?”

If they bought an iPhone.

Just kidding, but not really.

@Cruiser Totally agree with you on your answer :)))

To avoid calling them something worse.

Uhm… because they’re stupid, duh…

I think there are worse words out there to call someone.

I prefer cupid stunt, when the need arises.

I have used “asshat” on more than one occasion.

@ucme How about futher mocker?

@erichw1504 Very civil of you, would you like to meet an old friend of mine Mary Hinge?

I don’t use it to insult the intelligence of a person. I find that to be a bit arrogant. imo

If I use the word, I use it as @muppetish explains, in place of silly.

Is your objection to the insult, or the lack of variety in word choice? If it’s the second, why does stupid bother you and not all other words?

I don’t like to call anyone anything negative to their face. I think name calling is awful.

I totally agree with @JLeslie and @jonsblond Any name calling is just pure wrong.

I have been called much worse. While I generally wouldn’t call anyone stupid, I don’t find it the most offensive term in the world.

Call a spade a spade. If someone says/does something stupid, call them on it.
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And in response to “IMO calling someone “stupid” is on the same level of cuss words and demonstrates a clear lack of communication skills and a certain lack of intelligence on their own part,” I’d like to direct you here.

@MacBean That’s an amazing clip, and a perfect example of why I love Stephen Fry.

I think the word carries a lot of weight with certain people.

My neighbor’s little girl (age 9) did something really irresponsible to my property. I didn’t yell at her or want her punished, but I just said “I don’t want you in any trouble, but what you did was really stupid”.

I think she felt the exact amount of remorse/guilt I wanted her to feel, without it being too much or too little.

@Kraigmo So instead of sending her to timeout, your response was to screw with her emotionally?

@papayalily , she’s not a helpless baby. She’s fine. I didn’t screw with her one bit. I communicated with her, and my words were literal and appropriate. I treated her with respect.

“Timeout” is a fad. It may have its place, but it’s no better than what I did.

@Kraigmo Stupid is an opinion, not a fact. And no, insulting someone isn’t treating them respect.

@papayalily you think by the very nature of using the word “stupid”, that what I said is insulting.

I think that’s just social-political correctness. No damage was done. Not even psychologically. Children are fragile but not that fragile, unless we coddle them to be.

@Kraigmo Well, then in that case, I think what you did to that girl was stupid. But that’s not an insult, I’m just being literal and appropriate.

@papayalily , further proof that the word “stupid” comes in handy. It SHOULD be used; It has a real meaning.

@Kraigmo I’m pretty sure my point was that you mistreated the little girl, not that the word stupid has no place. I’m a big fan of the word.

@papayalily , If I told the girl’s dad what she did, he’d punish her a lot worse. He would have yelled and put her on restriction. She would been quite upset. Enough to cry. I know her very well.

What I did, was verbal, non-threatening, and yet sharply worded; And the girl definitely prefers how I handled it, than how her dad would have handled it. I warned her not to juggle glass near my driveway, too. And she did it anyway.

I solved the issue; It will never happen again, and she went through a hell of a lot less pain than any other corrective measurement would have caused, and she would agree with me on this.

Am I the only person that sees the difference between “what you did was stupid” and “you are stupid”?

hmmm

@jonsblond , thanks yeah, I didn’t define anyone as being “stupid” (such as the teenagers in the Question). There is a difference between defining one’s entire being as “stupid” or one’s current actions as “stupid”.

The former is a huge generalization, probably false.
The latter can be 100% correct, depending if it’s accurate or not.

My daughter running out into the street without looking is a stupid act, but by no means is she a stupid girl.

@jonsblond Your point is valid, however, some children, and depending on personality types might have a tendency to interpret the former statement as the latter. I’d much prefer a more positive approach i.e. try using more positive words, problem solving skills, encouragement…‘what do you think would have been a better thing to do?’ Working through a scenario or an event, discussing it with the child is much better in my book and more productive than just saying that something the child did was stupid… it has such negative connotations.

OK @MacBean Back at ya!

@jonsblond I see the difference, but I’m not sure many 9 year olds can – especially not beyond the abstract idea and into the more visceral understanding.

@papayalily “I’m not sure many 9 year olds can – especially not beyond the abstract idea and into the more visceral understanding.”

It’s only the stupid ones who can’t make the distinction.

Calling someone any type of name shows how immature the person doing the name calling is. Unless the person is in your face or actively harrassing you or someone close to you in some way there is never a reason to stoop to that level. I think people who like to resort to name calling get an ego boost out of it especially when calling someone an offensive name is done in front of others.

I never would call anyone stupid, or any other name. I am against all forms of name calling.

This just happened to me Saturday- If someone is cruising up the wrong side of the road and almost kills me, then they’re stupid. Very stupid. Either too stupid to pay attention to all the “Wrong Way” signs, or stupid enough to be drinking and driving and not pay attention to all the “Wrong Way” signs. Either way, they’re stupid. No way around it.

If I come that close to a horrific accident or death, I think I have the right to call the other driver “Stupid”.

I have a tendency to randomly say that someone is stupid. For example if someone misunderstands me I tell them what I meant and under my breath say stupid. I don’t think I really mean it it just comes out.

Well now, ”Stupid is what stupid does” – Forrest Gump.

I guess if you’re a dick, it’s a good way to hurt someone’s feelings/offend someone – if you’re into that sort of thing.

When my friends do something unbelievably thoughtless (I hesitate to use the word “stupid”), I usually just respond by saying “Wow” or “Way to go!”; I usually handle the situation with humor. Generally, my friends aren’t stupid (at least most aren’t…) and therefore they know when they do silly things. There really isn’t any merit for me (or them) for pointing it out further or calling them on it.

It’s like with children. If you call them stupid, they become stupid. If you call a friend stupid, then you’re the truly stupid one. I’d rather stick an ice pick through my eye than count you as a friend.

I generally wind up using a fair number of synonyms for “stupid” in my daily life, and some (okay, many) of them are even less politically correct.

When I am in a kinder mood, I go for words like idiotic, moronic, hare-brained, or something along those lines.

Most of the time, it’s more along the lines of shit for brains, fuck-witted, or telling them to pull their head out of their ass. “Retarded” is also fair game since I am not one to mince words for the sake of politeness or political correctness. Needless to say, I am not good at customer service jobs :P

Idleness is the stupidity of the body, and stupidity is the idleness of the mind.—Johann G. Seume