Dumbing myself down?
One of my friends read my essay and told me to 'stop using such big words' because someone will think that I plagiarized it and not be able to understand my essay. The very thought of making myself less smart to please others just irritates me; is it my fault that some people can't understand some of the words that I use? The way I see it, that's their fault, not mine. Another thing that irritates me is people who think that people who are aged thirteen and below are incompetent and childish. Times are changing, and people just need to get over the fact that some thirteen-year olds aren't as dumb as people think. Not all thirteen-year olds still watch Pokemon and play Yugioh cards you know. Heck, I heard that there's a thirteen-year old that's about to graduate from my local high school in the next year. I've noticed that some people think that they can use their age as an excuse to get out of things. "I'm only thirteen! I didn't know any better!" Just because you're young, doesn't mean that it's an excuse to wiggle your way out of things. Teenagers nowadays need to learn to take responsibility for their actions and not always find something to hide behind.This entry was posted on October 16, 2007 at 04:17 PM and is filed under Personal,.
By Renee · on October 16, 2007
I agree. Age has nothing to do with responsibility and maturity, and certainly should not be an excuse for anything.
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I completely agree with you, except for the part about not watching Pokemon and playing Yugioh :razz:
In the end, maturity is a bigger factor than an age number. Especially in the teenage years, everyone is developing at different rates, and some are just a lot farther ahead than others!
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You should stop using big words, and it’s not our fault we aren’t computer geeks or super genius, not that you are one. If you use big words, it will only complicate the conversation and irritate you and your friend. Though in the end, I agree with you on the childish thing. But it’s good to let yourself loose once in a while, or else you will be a bored, bored child. -coughAlexcough- :D
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But… it’s your fault if you tell them something that they can’t understand… 13-year-olds watch Pokemon and play Yugioh O_O I didn’t know that… Hmm that last paragraph sounds like someone I know here… (replace that age thing with something else)
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I totally agree with Charles. :D
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Agreed, why must a person who wants to use his/her knowledge degrade themselves by not simplifying things but by dimming their overall intelligence just to cater to those who has not a speck of knowledge?
Generally, they are childish, I would concur that you are also childish in the same way as I am. I’m two years your senior but I still find myself giddy and childish (not to mention naive at times). You can be mature but at the same time still retain your childish side. Be mature when it’s needed and to let your age be itself, act childish. I was considered really mature for my age a couple years back and I didn’t like the thought of it, I thought, “I’d rather have my childish side than be seen as someone who’s mature but without any awareness of my own age.“ Besides, adults aren’t all that mature for that matter. (Ah, but Pokemon is still something I play and watch, YuGiOh…eh, never really liked it. Besides, shouldn’t one be proud of what they enjoy, even if viewed as childish? You can still enjoy games and kid’s stuff but still be mature and smart.)
Teenagers, however, are sly, conniving, and all out devious, kids nowadays are too smart for their age. You’d have to wonder what we’re doing these days.
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What’s wrong with watching Pokemon Alex? -_-
Not many people complain about me using big words now, because I refuse to remain in contact with people who can’t even understand my daily talk (which is very easy to understand I assure you).
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I believe that everybody matures in their own time. You, using your big words ;) is just part of your expressing your intelligence, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You shouldn’t ‘dumb yourself down’.
I guess everyone should learn to tolerate eachother, whether it be their intelligence or their stupidity/immatureness. We shouldn’t rely on our stereotypes (eg. Asian women can’t drive properly, people thirteen and under are stupid and immature) to judge someone. We should look at the person without being biased on their looks, their ethnicity or whatever.
I completely agree with you though, in a way.
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Thirteen and graduating? The emotional gap between 13 and 18 is enormous; I can’t imagine somebody that age in college.
I can’t agree with Kire; exercise your vocabulary in whatever way you see fit! I don’t advocate use “big words” to impress people, but if you’re using them because they’re just a natural part of the way you speak (and it’s easy to tell!), then by all means do so.
I noticed that a lot of the older kids (yeah!) in this comment thread are saying it’s not so terrible to be “immature” or still kidlike…but when I was 13, I remember people looking down on me simply for the fact that I was 13 regardless of the dorky things I did, and I think that’s what you were getting at. I’ll freely admit that I look down on most of the freshman and sophomores in my high school—of course, I look down on almost everybody because I’m so awesome :wink:, but…really, the early teens are an awkward time because there’s that odd point in time when your mind grows faster than your body and everything’s out of whack. But you’ll grow out of it :cool:
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I hate to say this, but get used to dumbing yourself down. If you’re really smart and if have a dictionary-like vocabulary… bite the bullet and just get used to playing stupid. Sometimes it is necessary as your ability to communicate will be aversely affected by your brilliance. Sorry. However, I’m assuming that the person complaining is one of your peers - don’t listen to him/her/it. Write as well as you can in your essays for school.
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I disagree with Chantalle with the really smart comment, but I agree with the rest of the comments, except for the don’t listen part. On TurnitIn.com it might even go as far to say you are plagiarizing, Alex.
Ps. What’d you get for the test? x)
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You should write in a way that’s best and most appropriate for the task. As for writing this way in essays, it is a good idea. If you are consistent with your good quality writing, then you will be noticed for it, rather than have people believe it’s not your own.
“I’m only thirteen. I don’t know any better.“ I really hate that excuse too.
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You have a great point. I’m sick of being treated like a child by my parents and older siblings. Just because I’m a certain age, and manage to accidentally stuff up occasionally, doesn’t mean I don’t deserve some trust and seriousness from the public around me.
I can’t wait until I’m old enough to walk into some place like a bank, for example, and be taken seriously.
You’re intelligence is far greater than mine, but I’m still known to be one of the smarter ones in my group of friends’.
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Well, I saw a movie lately: The Downfall, based on the last days of the Nazi Germany. The woman in which the movie is based upon said she didn’t have a clue about what was really going on back then, she didn’t know Hitler killed that many people. But then she said that with years she realized she couldn’t use being young as an excuse for not knowing. She could’ve asked.
So I agree with you on not blaming your ignorance on your age.
I’m much older than you, and I am surprised (guess I’m getting even older) that thirteen years old can be so mature nowadays. Not all of them, unfortunately, but many are. Which makes me feel like a dinosaur, yupp!
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Using many “big: words aren’t as effective as using one “small” word.
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unless you’re in an honors program, it’s typically not expected of a thirteen year old to have a large vocabulary. that’s why when a young person writes a stellar paper, much less a coherent one, teachers get suspicious and start googling the first paragraph of the essay. that aside, i think that intelligence and maturity are two separate issues.
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Your friend gave you really bad advice. Don’t dumb yourself down for anyone.
It’s really annoying when people say “oh I’m too young and I don’t know any better”. That kind of thinking is faulty and is part of what keeps adults from taking any younger person seriously. Playing into the stereotype I guess.
Two sites that may interest you:
http://youthrights.org
http://asfar.org
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