does everybody think you're a ditz?
People have thought I am "ditzy" or "stupid" because I ask a lot of questions. Because if I don't understand something, I am aware that I don't understand it, and try my best to understand it by asking as many questions as I need to. However, I have found that often times people can't answer my questions because (I suspect) they don't understand the topic either. But they don't ask questions, hence they appear smarter.
Or, that is my interpretation anyway.
daydreamer84
Veteran
Joined: 8 Jul 2009
Age: 39
Gender: Female
Posts: 5,001
Location: My own little world
Some people think I'm stupid. I am very slow responding to another person in a conversation because it takes me a long time to process what they said (and try to process what they "said" nonverbally ) and figure out how to response. I use a lot of uhhh's and ummms and am slow. I'm also a hopeless "spacecase" in part owing to my inattentive ADHD. I also come off as (well I suppose in some ways I am) very naive and childish. No one has ever called me a ditz...........but many have called me an idiot or otherwise indicated that they thought I was one. On the other hand people in my uni classes think I'm very smart because I can answer questions in class with ease.
Miss_Skitty
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: 30 Dec 2015
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Posts: 70
Location: The Great Indoors
do you easily get lost in your own neighborhood? do you not know your own phone number?
in high school someone made me a character in their comic strip and i was deemed "easily amused girl". all my character did was watch shiny things spinning around.
Yep, that's me! They called me "cloudnine" in school...because basically I was always out there...mentally on a cloud somewhere. I can fix things, remember strings of facts, memorize lists of numbers...just don't ask me hard things like my SS#, phone number, someone's name I've known for years, or what I ate for lunch. I get distracted very easily and forget things, usually very simple things, it comes back when I'm no longer distracted, or I'm alone...but it's so embarrassing when it happens.
Shiny spinning stuff, that or flashing lights...give me a flashlight and I'll sit and play with it...Christmas lights are a major distraction for me, love them though.
The list of basic things that are inexplicably, ridiculously hard for me to remember include:
• someone's name I have known for years,
• someone's name I was just introduced to,
• someone's face I have known for years,
• someone's face I just saw,
• my birthdate,
• the current year or month or day,
• my age, in relation to personal historic events or current,
• anyone else's birthday or age,
• my past or current addresses,
• my e-mail address (it is based on my own name)
• my phone number,
• my password,
• what my daily routine includes,
• whether or not I brushed my teeth, or
• what I ate for breakfast this morning...
_________________
31st of July, 2013
Diagnosed: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Auditory-Verbal Processing Speed Disorder, and Visual-Motor Processing Speed Disorder.
Weak Emerging Social Communicator (The Social Thinking-Social Communication Profile by Michelle Garcia Winner, Pamela Crooke and Stephanie Madrigal)
"I am silently correcting your grammar."
It seems they do because of my voice, speech patterns and the way I look. People who don't know me personally tend to talk down to me and treat me like I'm stupid. I also look way younger than I am (I'm 29) and often have people my age and older talk to me like they are above me and treat me like an inexperienced teen.
Either I'm a ditz who is annoying, the kind people would rather avoid and ditch for forgetting too often, or asking stupid questions.
Or a ditz people like to amuse with which I'm sure it has something to do with being older than I looked... And possibly whatever charm I have is thrown into.
Or not at all, which kinda scares the crap out of people for looking too serious or moody... Which is the kind of face one shouldn't show to their boss and coworkers...
Or looking high and cranky like. Which kinda creeps out of people. Good for staving social invitations, trolls and perverts off the streets by the way.
Whatever. People can't make up their mind, and are usually surprised just because my demeanor changed time after time. I don't have a 'mask'. If I have one, it's just as inconsistent as my emotional, mental, and physical states.
_________________
Gained Number Post Count (1).
Lose Time (n).
Lose more time here - Updates at least once a week.
Usually when I head ditz or airhead I think of the women who are bubbly, perky, and have higher pitched voices. The valley girl types. I have more of a deep voice and I'm very monotone. But I know people have perceived me as ditzy because I'm so clueless and oblivious. Sometimes at work when someone tells me something, especially when they give me some kind of instructions or directions I will repeat part of what they said in the form of a question just to make sure I heard them right.
I'm seen more like an absent minded professor. People tend to regard me as articulate and cerebral so they are totally baffled at how inept I am in so many ways.
Despite my extensive knowledge on many things (mostly special interests) I am rubbish at remembering day to day stuff. Man, I lost my job because I kept forgetting stuff I was doing, even though it was routine (I have ADHD as well, which doesn't help). Some people think I'm intentionally being lazy because they can't understand why a smart, educated person could be so useless at learning a bunch of routine tasks.
What's weirder is that people's first impression of me is of someone who is responsible and stable. At least someone told me that recently, which really surprised me because I am a mess most of the time. I guess that's why people are so shocked when they see just how scared, clueless and fragile I really am.
Gawd, I hear you on this one!
I'll be honest, I'm still hard on myself for not being one of those "autistic super geniuses." Even though I was relieved once I got diagnosed with ASD because I knew it meant that I wasn't "stupid," I am told in some way or another every time autism is mentioned on the tv or in daily conversations that autistic people are either wildly successful physicists or brain surgeons with sky-high IQs or they're "helpless." And of course, with them, there's no in-between. Obviously, that isn't true, but I'd be lying if I said I don't internalize that kind of thinking. It also sucks if you're someone like me who has slower processing. Sometimes I just have to tell myself to be patient with myself. Who cares if it takes a little extra time to get everything together? Processing does not reflect the quality of thought. What you have to say is still important.
To clarify, all autistic people of all abilities, no matter what their challenges, has value in this world. Everyone deserves to ask questions and put themselves out there without worrying people are going to think less of them. If I remember correctly, Jessica Simpson actually had a quote that said something along the lines of "dumb is not knowing, ditzy is not being afraid to ask." And let's face it, no matter how "smart" a person is, there's ALWAYS going to be something they don't know or understand.
lostonearth35
Veteran
Joined: 5 Jan 2010
Age: 50
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,783
Location: Lost on Earth, waddya think?
Here's the problem, if I think or say I'm smart, that means I'm the exact opposite. But If I think I'm stupid, then that means I'm a genius. And I'm definitely not a genius. So that must mean I'm smart. But I just said I'm smart, so that must mean I'm barely even average. But admitting I'm even average must mean I shouldn't even know at my age how to recite the alphabet or use the potty!
Well, I'm sure most people who actually *know* me don't think I'm a ditz or dumb at all, even if I can't play chess or perform brain surgery. I've been called talented and intelligent in the past because of some of the things I can do or know a lot about.
Last night however, I accidentally opened a can of soup instead of chili for the chili-cheese fries I was making by mistake, because I didn't bother paying attention to the label. I knew even then something wasn't right, because when I found the chili afterwards the can was smaller and a removable lid so it didn't even need a can opener. So I must really be dumb. At least I wasn't dumb enough to put chicken noodle soup on french fries! I put the soup in the fridge, and will have it for supper this evening.
I'm a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, crammed in a bufoon.
You sound amazing. I also randomly say Simpsons crap. The younger generation doesn’t get it now.
I’m an intelligent person who sometimes does some really stupid things.