Everyday Experts of Everything

I'm finding it more and more obvious that the average, every day guy is an self-percieved expert in everything - even if the information is pretty useless or just plain wrong. I'm pretty sure they make this stuff up as they go - but I'm also sure they do it without realizing it.

I try to only say 'this is that' if I KNOW it is. That is, I can remember reading it, hearing it from some valid source, saw it on the tellie, or know it from experience. Otherwise, I say, "I think this is that..."

For instance, today I was playing with a christmas present, "Chinese Stress Balls". They are shiny metal balls that jingle when you roll them around in your hand. That's it... they are stress relievers. And wouldn't you know it, several guys around the office walked by and told me how to use them. As experts they proceded to tell me the goal is to move them around your hand without letting touch. Later, they added, the goal is so move them around in your hand without letting them touch AND without making a jingling sound.

I didn't know any difference, as I say, I don't pretend to be an expert on things I don't know. So, I tried looking it up on the web. Of the dozen or more websites I found on Chineses Stress Balls, their benefits and uses not ONE of them said ANYTHING about not letting them touch each other or not making the jingling noise. In fact, every indication was they are SUPPOSED to touch and make the noise - as a means of relaxing you.

Which made me think - what the problem was. These guys have got it in their heads that the 'stress reliever' was a competition. It couldn't be enough to roll the jingling balls around... no - you had to make it HARD. Doesn't that defeat the purpose? Once you make it a sport, it becomes stressful.

People make me smile...