"Know it All"

Dear Ambie, your post makes me chuckle....... reminds me of Mrs Know it All, one of my aunts. No wonder she acts like this as she worked as a teacher (teaching Latin and French). She was full of teacher attitude at home too and you bet it was a Major Pain in the Butt to live with her. Up to now she thinks she knows it all and if she doesnt understand an action or reaction it sure is wrong. The reason I chuckle is that she thought she is Mrs Know it all but when it came to things like getting the washing machine to work she still didnt know how to when she was 40, or finding out how to get from A to B with public transport when the car needed repairs. Poor me was the one then assembling and writing out her timetable for bus, suburb train etc from home to the school where she worked. Of course my weight, my opinions and the way I live my life have been battlegrounds for as long as I remember and thats still a lot. Wish I could forget easier, but I am quite good by now to live my life and not let her interfere the smallest bit any more.

Unfortunately I live with someone just like this. I don't know how to respond to him sometimes without becoming angry. He takes little things that I do, differently than him but not wrong and he will completely berate me for it. I haven't seen this here yet, I am still pretty new. I don't know why people want to sink to those levels. Probably for the conformity they desire.

I tend to see that more in real life. In fact, I may be guilty of it. It happens when you do not listen but are mentally preparing to say "yes, but . . ." I know it is annoying where ever it happens.Online we miss the vocal inflections that give us cues to the meanings of things and I think a lot gets messed up that way. I see lots of people who spread their comments around generously but they do not often strike me as know it alls.

Interesting. Before I got the computer, I had a couple of different sets of encyclopedias. I would randomly read them. I never actually read one cover to cover but that was what was cool. You could just pick and choose what you wanted to read. Now I just look up random things on the internet. I don't look up anything with any intent on feeling superior or more knowledgeable than someone else. I don't correct people's English or grammar, spelling, etc. If I don't agree with someone's opinion, I have no problem with debating the issue but to out and out tell someone they are wrong on something like an opinion?? I don't see how you can but you surely can express an opposing view and debate back and forth. I see the correcting thing everywhere...on here, in the real world etc. I work with a girl that is forever pointing out everyone's errors and shortcomings. It is so so very irritating. Sometimes it's tempting to point out all that she forgets to do or does wrong but I won't. I refuse.

i really cant define which is more. both places do that with me. here and real life. ive gotten to where i never am sure if im right about anything always second guessing myself and i know the ones you are speaking of. ive taken all but one of those off my friends list. i only have one of those these days and only because i give them the benefit of things going on in their life that makes them so. now that ive made no sense what so ever, i'll leave it at that. sorry but i do know of what you are speaking.

I am not so sure about correcting opinions. Just to clarify, i'd like to disassociate myself from the "know it all" category, just by saying that i can't respond to some discussion that doesn't seem worthy of a response. Sometimes i have this "mental block" where i can't even think of a topic to post about or even respond to a few discussion. About the mr. or mrs. "know it all" in mylot. I barely see them, but when i do see one, i like the way they respond it by saying "i think...." first. I've never seen any "No you are wrong...." or anything that directly says someone is totally wrong and inaccurate. The ones who seems to know it all are intellignet people who would probably been there and done that hence the reason why they say the things they said.

Some people are like this because they think that what they know or believe is the truth. They cannot stand opinions that opposed their belief and they see this as an attack. I think that this is just reality. Such people exist and I've witnessed them. It's stupid to argue truth, but it's worse when someone believes his opinion to be the only truth.

That is one of my pet peeves! LOL.....yup. Those who like to correct others and think so highly of themselves! I do see it once in a great while here...but more out in the work place. I also see that same kind of person being the social director to every occasion....like ordering for someone else....etc.

I have been faced many times with people who think their way is the only way. I feel sorry for them. They will never know any other side or understand that they don't have to be right about everything. Factual stuff is different. I don't have a problem with that. I see it as learning, but an opinion, well, that is just as much mine as it is theirs.

Never seen a person like that either in real life or in mylot, sometimes i see them in facebook.

Neither in real life or mylot, the only time I know about Mr. know all was when I was at middle school I think from a story written by Somerset Maugham. It was a very interesting story.

You mean there are people in every place who try to correct about mistakes? Even on this site? I am not sure because I am comparatively a different guy who has nothing much to show here on this site, whatever posts you are seeing have been done in last one and half days. But yes, I know some people who do it offline although we have different options available to us there. Cheers.

Hello AmbiePam I tend to see the kind of activity you're describing more on myLot than offline. I'm guessing that body language alone is one reason it may be more prevalent on here. As for the guy reading the Encyclopedia Britannica? When I was a child I did this simply because it was fun. Peace

It really depends on whether correction was needed. As long as it doesn't steer off the original point, I think we can all do with correction, if what we said was completely inaccurate. Sometimes we don't even realize we are using the wrong words or facts, or something like that. But yes I suppose it can be annoying if somebody's correcting you simply because they are trying to ram your opinion into the ground.

I don't agree, first of all discussions are about opinions, not all opinions are good opinions. Of course opinions will differ and that is the beauty of being human. There are certain things that cannot be proven by fact because there are no facts out there but a bunch of opinions. And even when there are facts people will still use different facts and state their point. Remember siskel and ebert they are both movie critics but they disagreed, bringing forth different aspects of the movie to make their case.

Never come across that Ambie.I do know people in real life who are know it alls.They just drive me mad,correcting speech,saying you don't understand things.Your opinion is wrong if you don't agree with them.I stay away from those type of people.I don't care if I say things wrong or if my facts are not correct on everything,hey I am human.

Nobody can ever know it all no matter what they do. Not even the people that wrote the book.

I suppose having an opinion and being a know all are slightly different.I like to express my opinion, but I never tell people they are wrong .However I have a friend that expresses her opinion all the time and constant tells me Im wrong even about the simplest thing -this can be a bit wearing Here is an example me - oh look its raining her: no it isnt me:isnt that rain on the windshield her:it must be coming off the trees me:we arent under any trees her:it must be condensation me:shall i put the wipers on for the condensation as its started to condense it down she never admits she is wrong even when proved to be wrong