Discussion » Questions » Human Behavior » Have you ever pretended to be stupid?

Have you ever pretended to be stupid?

When I was in high school, I worked at the concession stand in a movie theater. Sometimes a customer would give the popcorn a suspicious look, if the popper wasn't on, and ask  'is that yesterday's popcorn'? I would give them a puzzled look and say  'no, but I can see if there is any in the back for you'.

Posted - June 25

Responses


  • 4683
    No, but I'm sure that on more than one occasion, I claimed ignorance.
      June 25, 2025 12:22 PM MDT
    4

  • 11822

    Lots of times and I’m really convincing at it.

    Once in a restaurant I pretended I was having a real hard time opening the little packets of ketchup. I purposely got ketchup all over my hands and shirt. When the waitress walked by I asked her if I could please have a pair of scissors so I could open up the ketchup and she said - ummmmm no l better do it for you. Cheers!

      June 25, 2025 2:04 PM MDT
    4

  • 11863
    Somehow that doesn't surprise me. :) :)
      June 25, 2025 4:12 PM MDT
    2

  • 3195
    No, my brain won't allow it.  However, I will admit to doing stupid things to keep that in check.  Balance in life, moderation.  Haven't alway thought I was intelligent, when I found out it was a good day I'm sure.  This post was edited by Honey Dew at June 26, 2025 5:00 AM MDT
      June 25, 2025 4:09 PM MDT
    3

  • 24109

    For acting performances on stage in dances/ballets/plays/musicals -- sometimes the roles I portrayed/portray required/require me to act/perform like I was/am stupid at times, yeah.
    :)
      June 25, 2025 5:48 PM MDT
    4

  • 11863
    That's acting, not pretending. You've never tried 'creative incompetence '? It's where you pretend not to know how to do something to get someone else to do it for you.
      June 26, 2025 7:24 AM MDT
    0

  • 24109
    I get your point for sure. :)
    But, to me, acting is still all pretending anyway, to one degree or another.

    Yes, I've pretended not knowing something when  working with young children -- another one of my many jobs! Many, many times in my adult life, young children can show me how much we adults might learn from them.


    This post was edited by WelbyQuentin at July 2, 2025 9:01 PM MDT
      July 2, 2025 8:48 PM MDT
    1

  • 1567
    My electricity-less neighbour (I'm sure you have all heard of him by now), a brilliant mind, once talked about sabotaging his intellect to fit in at school, and how that didn't work either. 

    I have done the same, to a smaller extent, but I must be much better at it. ;)
      June 26, 2025 5:04 AM MDT
    3

  • 11863
    Well, you certainly fit in here!
      June 26, 2025 7:24 AM MDT
    4

  • 1567
    Thank you, Jane! I appreciate that.
      June 27, 2025 7:00 PM MDT
    2

  • 288
    I have no need to pretend, it just flows naturally.
      June 26, 2025 5:28 AM MDT
    5

  • 11863
    Lucky you!
      June 26, 2025 7:20 AM MDT
    4

  • 53822

     

      [Setting: Minneapolis Municipal Courthouse, Civil Division, a hearing to adjudicate a restraining order]



    ”But Your Honor, if I am to comply with the edict of not going within 1,000 meters of Miss S, I’ll need as much information as possible to avoid an inadvertent breach of the lawful order. Quite surely The Bench would be so kind as to provide me with the address of her residence(s), an itinerary or schedule of her habitual activities, maps of her comings and goings, a list of her known associates, . . . ”
      ~

      June 26, 2025 8:47 AM MDT
    3

  • 17715
    No, but I know the value of, and am apt in, the skill of listening. Always be the one who leaves with more information than what he or she had upon arrival. 
      June 26, 2025 1:58 PM MDT
    4

  • 11863
    Good advice. 
      June 26, 2025 2:04 PM MDT
    4

  • 11822

    I once earned myself a First Nations name which was – Stupid White Man That Runs With Scissors In His Hand. I was on the Rez trimming bud and I got up and ran around the table a few times with my scissors in my hand. Then I stopped and said – see mother was wrong its not dangerous to run with scissors in your hand.

    I was kind of hoping for something like – Fearless White Man That Runs With Scissors in his Hand. But you get what you get on the Rez. Cheers and happy weekend!

    This post was edited by Nanoose at June 28, 2025 9:36 AM MDT
      June 28, 2025 9:34 AM MDT
    0

  • 11822

    Don’t know if this one counts.

    But once a drunk Biker Chick got it in her head that I owed her money. I kept respectively telling her that I didn’t but she kept telling me I did and she got more hostile by the minute. Eventually I figured I might as well go for broke so I asked her if I could have one of her beers. She screamed at me – are you stupid or something? And I said - stupid is as stupid does. Her face lite up with big smile and she told me she loved the Forest Gump movie - and we started talking about it – instead of the money she thought I owed her. Cheers!

      June 30, 2025 10:15 AM MDT
    1

  • 35485
    Only with some car stuff.  I knew more than I was letting on but not all of it and did not want to know more. So I just pretended I knew nothing so they did not bother to explain farther. 
      July 1, 2025 8:16 AM MDT
    2