On the 3970th day of this daily blog, why do I feel so stupid?
Lots of reasons, including
- The email on my phone stopped updating with new messages on Sunday.
- When I searched for solutions to the problem online, there was a recommendation for me to delete the cache and I couldn’t do the steps suggested on my phone.
- I don’t know what or where the cache is in that context.
- I tried to make a Genius Bar appointment at my local Apple Store and couldn’t do that either, despite trying several times.
- When I was on a chat with an Apple support person this morning and started updating my phone, he wrote “I hope you created a backup before you did that” and I had to reply “Ooops. No. Am I in trouble?”
- Technology issues like this make me feel so stupid that I feel the urge to explain to the support person why I am not as stupid as I seem.
- Another Apple support person just asked me to sign into my email provider’s website on my phone and I had to tell him (1) I don’t know how to do that, (2) I don’t think I remember my password, and (3) I’m writing a blog post about how stupid I feel about all this.
- He just wrote “No need to beat yourself up” so he is obviously smarter than I am.
Actually, he helped me fix the problem really easily and now I no longer feel as stupid as I did five minutes ago.
But why do I feel so stupid if I encounter problems with technology when I know that I’m not alone in that?
Why do I feel so stupid if I have proven to myself and others many times that I am not stupid at all?
Why do I feel so stupid if I constantly tell people in therapy that labels like “stupid” are toxic and just wrong?
Why do I feel so stupid and annoyed if I’m talking in a meeting and somebody interrupts me?
Why do I feel so stupid when I can’t think of a better segue to start sharing my images for today?
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Why do I feel so stupid when I have trouble making trivial decisions, like which list of daily holidays to share with people?
Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “why do I feel so stupid?”
I also find this:
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Richard Feynman felt stupid, too!
Thanks to all who help me feel better no matter how stupid I feel, including YOU!
My cantankerous friend in Mexico claims that people in the Middle Ages were stupid. I disagree. I say they were ignorant. And that there is a difference between the two words. He disagrees. But on that note, I call myself a dummie throughout the day whenever I forget something. I like to think it keeps me from being a smart-aleck? 🙂
You’re no dummie, Barbara!
I love how that tech responded to you! With tech so vital I think we are terrified not to know everything about everything. How can we survive in this world if we can’t sort these problems. But tech folks do nothing but solve those problems all day.
When when I feel stupid (which happens a lot) I’ve been trying to shift that feeling of shame to curiosity and admiration for the person who knows more. That helps —sometimes.
I LOVE this comment. Thank you!
Just know you’re not alone 😁
That helps. Many thanks!
Tech failures always tie me in knots, yes, Ann!
Stupid knots, Mark!
You are not stupid and Richard Feynman was not stupid either. Someday we should standardize technology so that we don’t have to feel stupid anymore because everything will be plug and play.