Would you make fun of someone who can't do Basic Math as fast as you can?

United States
October 5, 2008 12:07pm CST
I'm not talking about someone who's slow or retarded or whatever, I'm talking about a NORMAL person (I'm talking Tom Cruise from "Rain Man", and not Dustin Hoffman here). Take me for instance, I don't like numbers unless it has something to do with money, I'm a writer and actor, I'm into movie related things, math and numbers was never my thing. I know HOW to do basic math, but I can't solve every problem in a matter of 2 seconds like a lot of people can... take for instance these two problems: 1. 2 + 2 2. 8 + 17 I know HOW to do both of these problems, I can do the first one in a heartbeat cuz it's nothing, add 2 and 2 together, the numbers are both small and the add-up alone is simple. 8+17 though is slightly larger than the first one and the combo isn't as simple as the first so i can't do it that QUICK in my mind. The only part of math that I cannot do is algebra, with pie and square and all that crap, i never understood that nonsense and I don't really care. I can balance my checkbook just fine too. I think it's wrong to make fun of someone for this. Whenever someone did it to me in school days, I'd tell em "So you can do it quick, good for you, I wrote 121 page feature screenplay in 11 days tops, try that, stupid!" Is anyone else like this? Or if you're the type who can do any math problem really quick, do you make fun of other normal people like you who can't do it as quick?
2 responses
@sandymay16 (1617)
• Philippines
6 Oct 08
I am not good in Math but I passed all MAth subjects in grade school up to college. I really am trying hard. Nobody dared laughed at me, my classmates who were math geniuses would really help those classmates having a hard time in math. Now my nephew would laugh at me because I can't do math. I really forgot all the math lessons after so I can't tutor him or help him with math assigments. But I can still do addition and subtraction.
• United States
5 Oct 08
When it comes to math I'm like you. I can add small numbers in my head like it was nothing. When it comes to 8+17 I have to think about it a few seconds most likely counting on my fingers. I would never make fun of someone for doing that even if I didn't have that problem. I can do basic math but a lot of times I have to think about it. The weird thing is, even though it took me a while to do basic math, I did pretty well in algebra when I had to take it in high school although I couldn't tell you how to do algebra now...lol I normally ask my husband if I was adding something I couldn't think of really quick because he can think of the answer no matter what it was I was adding. He never makes fun of anyone either. Some people are just good with numbers and some are not. I can balance my checkbook too but even though my husband can come up with these numbers by adding really quick, he can't balance the checkbook that well. Don't let it bother you when someone says something like that. I am sure that there are a lot of things that you are better at than that person and people who say things like that just think they are better than everyone and are just plain rude. I can't write 121 pages of anything in 11 days. Great job!