LibriVox Forum

Let's make a list of things we will never understand!

I'll get started.

I will never understand why people put mayonnaise on their French fries.

I will never understand why Iceland is green, and Greenland is covered in ice.

Caeristhiona wrote:Let's make a list of things we will never understand!

I'll get started.

I will never understand why people put mayonnaise on their French fries.

I will never understand why people dip their french fries in chocolate ice cream shakes.

I will never understand why people push the 'up' button when they want to go 'down' in the lift (or why Americans call it an elevator!), then act all miffed when the lift stops for them but is not going their way, as if it was my fault or something!

Nor will I undersatand why I never ask them what they were thinking....

Nor nor will I understand why this annoys me so much.

David

I will never understand why Americans spend countless millions to provide a free high school education to all students whether they want it or not, and then require the motivated ones to go thousands and thousands of dollars in debt to get a public university education. Susan

Mme Denney wrote:I will never understand why Americans spend countless millions to provide a free high school education to all students whether they want it or not, and then require the motivated ones to go thousands and thousands of dollars in debt to get a public university education. Susan

What is there that doesn't make sense? No one requires anyone to get a college education. If one has chosen a career path that requires a degree, well that's a different matter.

I think the point that Susan was making was that public money might be better spent on people who want to learn or continue their education instead of on people who don't .... i.e. reward the people who want to further their education instead of punishing the American people as well as those who don't wish to learn =)

thistlechick wrote:I think the point that Susan was making was that public money might be better spent on people who want to learn or continue their education instead of on people who don't .... i.e. reward the people who want to further their education instead of punishing the American people as well as those who don't wish to learn =)

Aha. Well I wouldn't say that children are always mature enough to decide if they want education (many would regret not getting it later). Also, the laws were instituted in part so that the children could go to school, and their parents couldn't keep them at home working. Also, I would say that the education that people get from birth to their teenage years are the most important (speaking, reading, writing, critical thinking skills, math, etc.).

I know the comment wasn't necessarily meant to spark a discussion, but I've spent my life wanting to be a teacher so I have to say my piece about this

Sorry, I didn't mean to be controversial. I think I was probably misunderstood. I teach high school myself and am, of course, a strong supporter of universal high school education. As frustrating as it is that many of our students don't want to be there, it is an investment that we must and should make as a country. An educated populace is our greatest asset as a nation. However, as a French teacher, I am aware of the system in France. Students don't have to go into debt to go to the university there. They have some expenses but they are infinitesimal compared to what American students must pay. The cost of their education is subsidized just as our high school costs are subsidized here. How wonderful it would be if my students didn't have to spend more time during their college years working than studying. It would also be wonderful if all my students knew that they could go to college if they wanted. Many of them don't even try because the financial goal seems so unattainable. How sad is that? And it's not just the university that's expensive. There are almost no jobs that pay a decent salary that don't require some sort of training after high school. In my state, technical schools cost just as much and sometimes more than the universities. It just doesn't make sense to me. Sorry if I offended anyone. Susan

Mme Denney wrote:Sorry, I didn't mean to be controversial. I think I was probably misunderstood. I teach high school myself and am, of course, a strong supporter of universal high school education. As frustrating as it is that many of our students don't want to be there, it is an investment that we must and should make as a country. An educated populace is our greatest asset as a nation. However, as a French teacher, I am aware of the system in France. Students don't have to go into debt to go to the university there. They have some expenses but they are infinitesimal compared to what American students must pay. The cost of their education is subsidized just as our high school costs are subsidized here. How wonderful it would be if my students didn't have to spend more time during their college years working than studying. It would also be wonderful if all my students knew that they could go to college if they wanted. Many of them don't even try because the financial goal seems so unattainable. How sad is that? And it's not just the university that's expensive. There are almost no jobs that pay a decent salary that don't require some sort of training after high school. In my state, technical schools cost just as much and sometimes more than the universities. It just doesn't make sense to me. Sorry if I offended anyone. Susan

I misunderstood

And I don't understand human beings. I sometimes wonder if I *am* one, when I see road rage and theft, torture, television addiction ....

We've created a little haven here.

Peter

Well, as long as we're being political...

I don't understand why Jon Stewart hasn't run for office yet.

No, I'm serious. I would vote for him. For just about ANYTHING.

Only if he can keep doing his show so I know what is going on in the world. It is my only source of news.

... people who casually drop litter, or spit (... apparently as a fashion statement, or a social bonding structure). I'm very short on understanding.

There was a wonderful on-and-off series of short television programmes over the last year or so called something like "Grumpy Old Men" which went into this in a way which had me laughing and agreeing with the interviewees' fierce opinions.

Peter

Peter Why wrote:... people who casually drop litter, or spit (... apparently as a fashion statement, or a social bonding structure). I'm very short on understanding

The town in which I live the concrete sidewalks are stamped with the statement "No spitting on sidewalk" .... I have a feeling it is a hold over from the mining days when folks were a bit cruder... but also I wonder if it's because one little spot of spit would freeze and cause a hazardous slippery spot? hehehe

So, to keep this on-topic in the off-topic thread... I don't understand why the sidewalks in my town are stamped with the statement "No spitting on sidewalk" hehehe