“Third Wheel”

I have a feeling that this is the most frustrating page for my wife to read. She hates it when I behave this thick. I wonder sometimes if I am not properly listening to her and missing the point, or I just do things like this to actually aggravate her. I remember that I learned, from an early age, that there were a lot of benefits to playing stupid in situations.

For instance, when you play dumb you can frustrate people easily. Especially if they consistently feel like they are dealing with someone they know is not dumb. It’s like a break in reality. I imagine this frustration is akin to going to sip on a glas of water and realizing you have a mouth full of sand. You spit it out, look down, and all you have is water in your glass. “WTF?!” you think to yourself. Maybe you were wrong about the sand in your mouth, so you take another sip.

Nope – still sand.

I am smiling as I write this. It is endlessly amusing to play this trick. Unfortunately it is a cruel one that can only be played on loved ones, the ones who know you and know how intelligent you are.

When playing dumb with people who don’t know you that well you have the advantage of choosing when to show them you are smarter than they expect, that is – if you decide to reveal this to them. I have been socially promoted through several math courses on the guise of my own stupidity, when all I really needed to do was my homework.

Sometimes holding back your intelligence can give you a surprise advantage in conflict. People who only expect you to be as intelligent as they have judged you can be really taken aback when you reveal more. This takes work. As holding back when you feel righteous is harder done than said, but in the few times I have employed this tactic I have been very satisfied with the result.

This all may sound dishonest. I mean, I am talking about keeping things from people strategically in order to have a certain power over them. I think I don’t quite see it as lying if it is something you are doing for good. I will admit that I haven’t always done so, and playing dumb in a fight with my wife to irritate her is not one of those times.

Sorry honey.

Can anyone relate to me on this topic? Am I alone in my dumb tactics?

-Patrick

Song Of The Day:

“When I Get Back” by Handsome Furs

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