Words...Words...Words

When you have an articulate  document  before you and  listening to someone speak to its content. It doesn't take long to realise the person commenting, has understood nothing of what he read..

There can be several reasons for  lack of comprehension. One being a lack of  intelligence.

If a person is not capable of grasping the meaning of  written words ,even with an opportunity to re-read and consult a dictionary,chances  are they will comprehend spoken language is even less.

My first reaction is to be embarrassed for the  person who lets themselves down in public that way.

My second is  to  recognise the  futility of engaging.

A number of years ago, the Ontario government launched a campaign  to educate people about the tragedy of mental illness. The possibility posed  of it happening to yourself or someone you love, was to  encourage a better understanding  and  sympathy.

I've often thought how easily we  dismiss a person for  obvious lack of intelligence. We say  "What a  fool "  even while recognising  the person is neither capable nor responsible of being anything else.

Long ago I  concluded, it's easy to  criticise a lack of  common sense , which is serious deficit in a person's life and perchance in the community, because people so afflicted are  often totally unsympathetic personalities.

I'm no Mother Theresa. I do not  plead for greater understanding. Recognising my worst human frailty. I deal  with the situation by choosing  not to be in company of  such a person doubly afflicted or if it cannot be avoided ....fake it.